Clodagh castle

We were up horribly early this morning (left the house at 7.30 - still dark) and airport bound. Son#2 and Simone have headed back to Bristol and all is now very quiet - they are such a sunny pair. So nice to see them.
I headed home at a leisurely pace and took in:
a friary (Roscrea)
a castle (Clodah)
a grotto (Coppeen)
a wedge tomb
a place of visitation by the BVM (Inchigeelagh)
a holy well (Kealkil)
This castle, a tower house really, stands in a field of recently harvested sweetcorn and is in pretty good condition.  I was most impressed by the variety of rather posh and finely carved windows on what I assume is the front of the building (the left hand pic). The one top left is especially interesting with what look like cornucopias flying forth, and there are all sorts of other interesting symbols. Sturdy walls,  and fortifications tell of the turbulent times in which it was built - probably late 16C. It was the home of Brian McSweeny and his wife Orona FitzGerald, in case you were wondering! Sadly I couldn't get inside but there's meant to be a fine spiral staircase and elaborate fireplaces.

Last night's film,Come as You Are , was wonderful. Three young men with various severe disabilities decide they need to get laid basically, and they find a brothel in Spain that might cater for their needs. Done with much sensitivity, charm, humour and realism, it's not remotely tacky, lurid, condesending or sentimental. It's a road trip really where they discover who they are and what they can do. We all really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.