An dàrna latha deug

Yesterday had been planned well in advance but we decided to wait until we got here before deciding what to do today. 
 
We settled on a visit to Donaghmore Workhouse Museum and then a visit to Dunamase Castle.

The museum is run by volunteers and we received a friendly welcome. We turned down the offer of tour preferring to wander by ourselves.  The conditions must have been pretty grim - sleeping on raised wooden platforms, the same (limited) meals each day and families separated with men, women, boys and girls housed separately.  Sadly the museum itself is in need of some repair .... early refurbishment was funded by grants but more is needed.

Dunamase castle was amazing - a huge ruin on top of mound which gives great views of surrounding countryside.

These two visits were courtesy of information provided at hotel, our first stop to the Obama Plaza outside Moneygall came courtesy of blip through searching for other posts of Offaly.  It was a somewhat bizarre experience - a museum dedicated to Obama's visit to his great-great-great grandmothers home village in a service station ! 

On our return to our hotel we walked into Portlaoise itself and had a wander around.

I then made a start on next week's Gaelic homework - the last tutorial of this block is next week.