Captain´s Log

.

The Water Castle

Lough Oughter

Boat Trip on Culture Night 2016

 

Via sheep gate & forest path

Along South Western shore

Life vested we board the boat

On a mild September eve

 

Exhilaration captures bodied mind

The steadfast realm left behind

For balance on the calm lake

The vessel arrows towards the isle

 

It lies before our eyes

Firmness padded by foliage

A blue boat & tunes our welcome

As the boatmen´s friendly gestures

 

Tower House Castle of cut-stone

Limebased mortar

Loop windows, spiral staircase lost

Garderobe & Oubliette

 

A crannog fit for a fortress

A jetty set in stone & steps

Right angle to North wall

Entrance to West sun down

 

Murdering hole

Five skeletons below

Medieval midgets

Cannon balls & gun powder

 

Unhindered rays of evening light

Rebound from rounded ochre

Stonewalled North semi-circle

Of a Norman De Lacey castle

 

We climb up in the inner basket

Laid out with ivy or bare

The thickness of arrowlooped walls

A peck of blue & feathers overhead

 

O´Reilly sandstone tower

Lambe house on South shore

Bishop Bedell

Owen Roe

 

Prison Island waterways

Fortress of the West

The crown of trees laid down

Afoot the island ruin

 

Reluctant to leave as the banjo

Sitting on the limestone jetty

Ere weighing anchor once more

The golden sunset brushes our hair

 

A lap of honour around the castle

Ripples catching light

Reflections holding on

Keels on a dipping & whippy boat

 

Reflections of what was

And never will be again

A tale for boat travellers

Of Beyond

 

16^th September 2016

©By Andrea Connolly

Culture Night

County Cavan

Boat Trip To Lough Oughter Castle with Cavan Canoe Centre