This altar wedge tomb is a relic of Ireland's ancient past, of the mysterious megalithic people. It was built of native stone during the Bronze Age by the early Irish settlers just prior to the Celts settling the island through Brittania. It was again used in secrecy by Catholics after the 1790's when the British government outlawed Catholicism. It was here the priest would celebrate Mass in secret, and in other locations would illegally conduct 'school' to educate the children.

Following St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who converted the Celts to Christianity, came St. Columba, the patron saint of Northern Ireland and Scotland. Various religious orders then began to build abbeys and churches in Ireland. During the Dark Ages, Ireland became a center of learning and creation of illuminated texts, such as the Book of Kells, now in Trinity College, Dublin. Kylemore Abbey in County Galway, is pictured at left. The middle photo shows the ruins of the Cathedral at Cashel, and at right, an old cemetary within it's walls.

The Irish countryside is dotted with castles of a long ago time when lords and ladies ruled the land. Many of the castles were built by the Normans who invaded Ireland in the 1100's and mixed with the local population. Some of the castles were quite magnificent in their time. Cromwell destroyed many of the castles in the 1650's when he held control of the Parliament and exiled the Scottish Stuarts from the English throne. They are now only reminders of a day long past, of chivalry and pride. The Normans brought with them names such as Ahern, Fitzhugh and Fitzgerald, among other French sounding names.

The many ruins of castles and catherdrals beckon to a far away time of pious monks illuminating texts such the Book of Kells and chivalrous knights on great steeds, in an ever-present vigil to protect their holdings from robbers and invaders. Chieftains of the ancient clans of the four provinces, Leinster, Ulster, Meath and Connaught, kept vigil over their lands and kingdoms. The photographs represent castle remains near Foxford in County Mayo, Killarney Castle in County Killarney and Cashel in County Cork.

Ireland is also dotted with remnants of a more populated time. The landscape, especially in the west of Ireland, is dotted with ruined stone churches and homes, many of them abandoned during the Great Hunger, or An Gorta Mór. Some fell into disrepair from age and others still were destroyed by cruel landlords who removed the Irish peasants from the land during the Great Hunger with the support of British magistrates and regiments. This forcing the Irish peasants off the land is often referred to as "Hanging Gael" in many texts. The Great Hunger caused the Irish Diaspora, the emigration of another million Irish to faraway places such as Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Michael Collins
Micael O Coilin

Ireland was under the thumb of British rule for 800 years before it finally reached Free State status in 1921. Michael Collins was instrumental in gaining Irish freedom through his phenomenal work as President of the Supreme Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Adjutant-General of the Irish Republican Army Volunteers, and Minister for Finance in the outlawed Dail Eireann. His highly organized intelligence operation completely destroyed the renowned British Intelligence Unit that had held Ireland in the grip of fear for over a century. He was born in Woodfield, County Cork on October 16, 1890 and participated in the Easter Rebellion of 1916, where 16 of his comrades were executed by the British for their role in the uprising. The above left picture marks the spot where IRA brigades, or 'flying columns', repelled British troops during the Irish War of Independence, 1916-1921. Collins and Arthur Griffith led the delgation that negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, granting the Southern 26 counties of Ireland Free State status.

The photo on the right is of his gravesite in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. His family was allowed to erect the memorial on his grave in 1939, 17 years after his death. Michael Collins was a man of great insight and determination and, tragically, was gunned down long before he could see his vision of Ireland become a reality.

Here are a few websites to help you learn more about this intriguing man so vital to Ireland's struggle for freedom:
Michael Collins
The Bigfella
Celt Corpus of Electronic Texts - Michael Collins - Click on The Path To Freedom, the only book of Collins' own words.

before you go much further there are more pictures of the Emerald Isle