Over the hill and heading home.....

Kilfannane to Churchtown

Breakfast was not provided but we had purchased some yogurt and bananas the afternoon before so we are not walking on an empty stomach. It is cool and overcast but not raining. 

Our first stop is at the crossroads at Carraig Mor, a lovely little picnic and historical area sitting on the spot where the Old Creamery once stood and was demolished in 1997 and only 5 klms down the road from the hostel. Grey and white bunnies sitting quietly in the green fields among the little white flowers. We have seen only a small number of rabbits on the walk but they are very timid and take off as soon as they spot us coming. Roses of a variety of colours and sizes along this walk. Remains of a stone castle tower sitting on the ridge but too far away and on farmer’s land. 

Ardpatrick looms, we are in Ballyhoura Country. We come across some piles of sticks and pieces of wood and tree standing up against each other like a teepee, is it drying waiting for the Winter house fires or for Guy Fawkes night?

Our next stop is on the stone fence outside the “Idle Hour”, a closed pub at the junction to Effin and Kilmallock. We are walking around these towns. More pink colour stacked high in the fields so bright against the green background. We are helped along by a mother cow that watches and walks us along the fence keeping us and her baby in view; she does not appear to be very friendly. Rusted green letter boxes dot the stone fences. They are not in use but just decoration only. A magnificent thatched house, “blue” berry bushes and deep blue garden Lobelia draped along the fences are part of our walk today. We cross the main railway line and down the narrow lane with hedges high on both sides, cross a motorway and walk between the busy highway and the busy railway line. To all future walks caution must be taken on this section of the walk. We must now climb a wooden stile which sets us down on a regional road, on a corner, on a slight hill. Safety has just been abandoned. We see the sign “Caution, walkers on the road” – we must smile. As we wander up the hill we are greeted by some guard dogs that will not cross the cattle grid at the gate to the house, I can handle the barking. We have put on sunscreen for the first time since leaving Leitrim. Must be hot today.

Onto Ballylea and our stop is at a petrol Station on the main road, 16klms walked and only about 8klms to finish the day.

We now start to see a change in the fields, the green fields of Lucerne or wheat and then backed up with the golden-brown fields of the same crop ready for harvest. Black and white cows wander in the same fields making a real contrast. We are now in Cork County. The Fudder Mucker Fun Run signs for late July for Churchtown are starting to appear. Hedgerows and wild flora grow in abundance. The village lies in the shadows of several ancient ruins. As we walk into the village we note not a person in sight as if we have walked into a ghost town. The O’Brien’s Pub is open so the most obvious place for directions to the hotel “Boss Murphy House”. The accommodation is across the road but tightly locked up and no reply on the contact that I have. It is cool and starting to rain. The very elderly and chatty barmaid, Mary, offers a coffee and makes some phone calls for us and we sit and wait. We are becoming accustomed to this procedure. Shortly after, the owner Mary turns up with a key and shows us the rooms upstairs, freshly painted, red carpeted staircase and the large bedroom, a shower that we can operate and the room overlooking the main street and the jockey statue. The stone Hotel with its red entrance door has only reopened a few weeks ago and still getting a makeover but a lovely old fashioned building and outside our room is the O’Sullivan Beare plaque. Very fitting for what we are doing. There is a restaurant in the hotel but not operational yet, only used for the breakfasts. I located this accommodation with some difficulty through Booking.com as a B & B  “Boss Murphy House” and €35 per person per twin room.

The village of Churchtown or Bruhenny, as it was originally named 1000 years ago, was rebuilt in local stone between 1822 and 1849 by Sir Edward Tierney. The Pre-reformation Church ruins in the village graveyard date back about 1000 years and the Pipe Roll of Cloyne records its history.

Churchtown is a rather sad village with most shops closed or in ruins. A large modern housing estate stands near the main street but all are in the hands of the Irish Bank waiting to be sold. A result of the Celtic Tiger Era. There does not appear to be any businesses open except a small supermarket situated off the main street and the Traditional Chipper which opens for a few hours each evening. This is the only place to purchase a meal. There is a small school and a nursing home; I feel there is a complete generation missing from this village. Where are they – in Australia or Canada?

Eating places are very limited so we do not have a choice of our night meal – fish and chips and not the best that I have tasted but very filling and a glass of blackcurrant cordial. Perhaps the “B & B Boss Murphy House” may have meals in 2017 as we have seen a sign advertising meals. There is a small supermarket with a limited take away menu but not great food on display.

 An early night and it is cold and wet. This is what I expected Ireland to be.

We have walked a total of 382.9klms and still a distance to go but the end is in sight and we are over the hill and heading home. Today we walked 24.1klms and some on a motorway and very busy roads.