The Hill of Tara is in the care of the Office of Public Works, as are many of Ireland's important historic sites. The principal interpretation there is the video in the visitors' centre and there is a guided tour, which may have to scheduled or requested. But the staff is very knowledgeable. When I was there in May, with a group of students from the US, I was very impressed with the quality of the video and the guide who gave the tour was first rate. Since this is an area I used to teach, I am pretty hard to impress--and I was impressed. I was also quite moved by the power of the site, one I had not visited previously. Most of my students were too. There are sheep and the inevitable sheep by-products at Tara. I guess I see that as pragmatic--grass has to kept down, sheep need to graze, funds need to be found, etc. That, grazing animals on large historic sites, is not uncommon in Ireland. St. James Monastery in Cashel is in a cow pasture, for example, you do need to be careful where you step. There were sheep and goats I recall when Riobard and I visited the site of the copper mines in Allihies. I am reminded of a remark by Sile de Valera when she was the minister responsible for Heritage that the government could not afford to protect every fourteenth-century ruin. Hard to grasp as an American, but for Ireland pragmatic. Bill William H. Mulligan, Jr., Ph.D. Professor of History Graduate Program Coordinator Murray State University Murray KY 42071-3341 USA Office: 1-270-809-6571 Fax: 1-270-809-6587 -----Original Message----- From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Reg Volk Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 9:45 AM To: beara@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding St.Finnian'sWell Thanks, Bill Delightful hunt/pictures, Sue. Have just returned from Southern Ireland. Very much enjoyed the Ring of Beara and Dingle peninsula. Would love to go back again. However, I do wonder how carefully some of these great historical sites are being protected and /or signed? They are often very hard to find for the average "tourist"! We hiked for hours but never found tombsites near Finn McCool's seat on Sheep's Head! The Hill of Tara was NOT hard to find but was a big disappointment as there was no outside signage to explain much and sheep droppings all over the place! Not to mention sheep (natural maintenance?) and the fact that someone had been digging? in the Hill of the Hostages. Who is charged with maintenance/security at these sites? The Mesolithic stone ring at Lough Gur was dominated by cows! But I did get to see what I wanted and met some 31st cousins in Bantry and maybe THE O'Regan home site I was looking for!! AND the weather was delightful! CHEERS-Reg Volk-Canada -----Original Message----- From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Bill Gawne Sent: August 8, 2008 6:50 AM To: beara@rootsweb.com Subject: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding St. Finnian'sWell Friends of Beara, Sue Iles has another post in her beautiful Ring of Beara blog, where she goes looking for St. Finnian's Well. http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/hunting-for-holy-well.html Eventually, she found it. http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/stfinnians-well-castletownbere-count y.html Both articles have lovely pictures. They're neither of them very long. Go take a look. I think you'll like them. -- Bill ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Wow! Great to hear from such erudite people! Please note that I am a Canadian and not an American. Canadians, even generically, do not like to be referred to as Americans. Neither am I a "city or suburban bred folk" I live on 14 horse acres in the Country and pick up horse puckies regularly. I am NOT squeamish about POOP!! How is it that New Grange is so magnificently done up but there is nothing much at Tara?? The outside signs were barely even readable. What power is there in undescribed mounds? And believe me, I know the history of the site well. I realize that Ireland is awash with sites and have no objections to "au naturel" As long as it seems respectful. I am NOT sure that about 100 sheep is that? Tara seemed to have NOTHING for security and there was a small hole being dug in the Hill of Hostages. (Perhaps there was a good reason?) I could supply a photo. It all seemed very casual to me, a casual Canadian, for a major historical site!. I did enjoy the protesters at the entrance-something Canadians are good at!! LOL - and have sent them supportive messages. I met other tourists who were totally lost, trying to find described minor sites. Sheep's Head was vey confusing even with maps! AND sometimes also very confusing was-were you allowed to go on the castle site or not? Did you have to seek permission? Some were fenced tight all the way around. AND I state again, the sites were one of the main reasons I came to Ireland along with some genealogy. Signs, if there were any, were often faded, worn and sometimes hard to read. e.g Lough Gur. Respectful? In the great beyond, the their residents can decide!? It is probably the ONLY time I will ever get to Tara and Ireland and I would only SUGGEST a greater measure of RESPECT!! CHEERS-from CANADA-Reg Volk -----Original Message----- From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of William Mulligan Jr. Sent: August 10, 2008 1:00 PM To: beara@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- FindingSt.Finnian'sWell The Hill of Tara is in the care of the Office of Public Works, as are many of Ireland's important historic sites. The principal interpretation there is the video in the visitors' centre and there is a guided tour, which may have to scheduled or requested. But the staff is very knowledgeable. When I was there in May, with a group of students from the US, I was very impressed with the quality of the video and the guide who gave the tour was first rate. Since this is an area I used to teach, I am pretty hard to impress--and I was impressed. I was also quite moved by the power of the site, one I had not visited previously. Most of my students were too. There are sheep and the inevitable sheep by-products at Tara. I guess I see that as pragmatic--grass has to kept down, sheep need to graze, funds need to be found, etc. That, grazing animals on large historic sites, is not uncommon in Ireland. St. James Monastery in Cashel is in a cow pasture, for example, you do need to be careful where you step. There were sheep and goats I recall when Riobard and I visited the site of the copper mines in Allihies. I am reminded of a remark by Sile de Valera when she was the minister responsible for Heritage that the government could not afford to protect every fourteenth-century ruin. Hard to grasp as an American, but for Ireland pragmatic. Bill William H. Mulligan, Jr., Ph.D. Professor of History Graduate Program Coordinator Murray State University Murray KY 42071-3341 USA Office: 1-270-809-6571 Fax: 1-270-809-6587 -----Original Message----- From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Reg Volk Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 9:45 AM To: beara@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding St.Finnian'sWell Thanks, Bill Delightful hunt/pictures, Sue. Have just returned from Southern Ireland. Very much enjoyed the Ring of Beara and Dingle peninsula. Would love to go back again. However, I do wonder how carefully some of these great historical sites are being protected and /or signed? They are often very hard to find for the average "tourist"! We hiked for hours but never found tombsites near Finn McCool's seat on Sheep's Head! The Hill of Tara was NOT hard to find but was a big disappointment as there was no outside signage to explain much and sheep droppings all over the place! Not to mention sheep (natural maintenance?) and the fact that someone had been digging? in the Hill of the Hostages. Who is charged with maintenance/security at these sites? The Mesolithic stone ring at Lough Gur was dominated by cows! But I did get to see what I wanted and met some 31st cousins in Bantry and maybe THE O'Regan home site I was looking for!! AND the weather was delightful! CHEERS-Reg Volk-Canada -----Original Message----- From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Bill Gawne Sent: August 8, 2008 6:50 AM To: beara@rootsweb.com Subject: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding St. Finnian'sWell Friends of Beara, Sue Iles has another post in her beautiful Ring of Beara blog, where she goes looking for St. Finnian's Well. http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/hunting-for-holy-well.html Eventually, she found it. http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/stfinnians-well-castletownbere-count y.html Both articles have lovely pictures. They're neither of them very long. Go take a look. I think you'll like them. -- Bill ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I agree with Bill Mulligan. Real historical sites aren't like Disneyland, they're real, they're alive. Indeed, cows and sheep may have been grazing on the old Irish sites even in their historical heyday. In the great cathedrals and churches you might find that services are being conducted, just like always. In addition, I think the grazing sheep on Tara are more than just pragmatic. They're a metaphor for the passage of time, as are the cows on other sites. Who knows, one day the great historical sites of today may be pastures for cows. In 18th and 19th century Rome cows grazed at the Colosseum and the Forum. Not practical with today's traffic perhaps, but they added an element of elegy to the scene of fallen grandeur. City and suburban bred folks are sometimes far too squamish about animal byproducts. It's one of the reasons (the other being climate) why Ireland is so green. Just wear appropriate shoes. Maggie Duffy (abd, NYU, History of Art) NY, NY ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Mulligan Jr." <billmulligan@murray-ky.net> To: <beara@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:00 PM Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- FindingSt.Finnian'sWell > The Hill of Tara is in the care of the Office of Public Works, as > are many of Ireland's important historic sites. The principal > interpretation there is the video in the visitors' centre and there is a > guided tour, which may have to scheduled or requested. But the staff is > very knowledgeable. > > When I was there in May, with a group of students from the US, I was > very impressed with the quality of the video and the guide who gave the > tour > was first rate. Since this is an area I used to teach, I am pretty hard > to > impress--and I was impressed. I was also quite moved by the power of the > site, one I had not visited previously. Most of my students were too. > > There are sheep and the inevitable sheep by-products at Tara. I > guess I see that as pragmatic--grass has to kept down, sheep need to > graze, > funds need to be found, etc. That, grazing animals on large historic > sites, > is not uncommon in Ireland. St. James Monastery in Cashel is in a cow > pasture, for example, you do need to be careful where you step. There > were > sheep and goats I recall when Riobard and I visited the site of the copper > mines in Allihies. > > I am reminded of a remark by Sile de Valera when she was the > minister responsible for Heritage that the government could not afford to > protect every fourteenth-century ruin. Hard to grasp as an American, but > for Ireland pragmatic. > > Bill > > William H. Mulligan, Jr., Ph.D. > Professor of History > Graduate Program Coordinator > Murray State University > Murray KY 42071-3341 USA > Office: 1-270-809-6571 > Fax: 1-270-809-6587 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On > Behalf Of Reg Volk > Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 9:45 AM > To: beara@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding > St.Finnian'sWell > > Thanks, Bill > > Delightful hunt/pictures, Sue. > > Have just returned from Southern Ireland. Very much enjoyed the Ring of > Beara and Dingle peninsula. Would love to go back again. > > However, I do wonder how carefully some of these great historical sites > are > being protected and /or signed? They are often very hard to find for the > average "tourist"! > We hiked for hours but never found tombsites near Finn McCool's seat on > Sheep's Head! > > The Hill of Tara was NOT hard to find but was a big disappointment as > there > was no outside signage to explain much and sheep droppings all over the > place! Not to mention sheep (natural maintenance?) and the fact that > someone > had been digging? in the Hill of the Hostages. Who is charged with > maintenance/security at these sites? The Mesolithic stone ring at Lough > Gur > was dominated by cows! > > But I did get to see what I wanted and met some 31st cousins in Bantry and > maybe THE O'Regan home site I was looking for!! AND the weather was > delightful! > > CHEERS-Reg Volk-Canada > > -----Original Message----- > From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On > Behalf Of Bill Gawne > Sent: August 8, 2008 6:50 AM > To: beara@rootsweb.com > Subject: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding St. > Finnian'sWell > > Friends of Beara, > > Sue Iles has another post in her beautiful Ring of Beara blog, where > she goes looking for St. Finnian's Well. > > http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/hunting-for-holy-well.html > > Eventually, she found it. > > http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/stfinnians-well-castletownbere-count > y.html > > Both articles have lovely pictures. They're neither of them very > long. Go take a look. I think you'll like them. > > -- Bill > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in > the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in > the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

AND...I have NEVER been to Disneyland, or for that matter Disneyworld, so would have NO basis for comparison. Reg Volk-Canada -----Original Message----- From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Margaret Duffy Sent: August 10, 2008 1:19 PM To: beara@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry --FindingSt.Finnian'sWell I agree with Bill Mulligan. Real historical sites aren't like Disneyland, they're real, they're alive. Indeed, cows and sheep may have been grazing on the old Irish sites even in their historical heyday. In the great cathedrals and churches you might find that services are being conducted, just like always. In addition, I think the grazing sheep on Tara are more than just pragmatic. They're a metaphor for the passage of time, as are the cows on other sites. Who knows, one day the great historical sites of today may be pastures for cows. In 18th and 19th century Rome cows grazed at the Colosseum and the Forum. Not practical with today's traffic perhaps, but they added an element of elegy to the scene of fallen grandeur. City and suburban bred folks are sometimes far too squamish about animal byproducts. It's one of the reasons (the other being climate) why Ireland is so green. Just wear appropriate shoes. Maggie Duffy (abd, NYU, History of Art) NY, NY ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Mulligan Jr." <billmulligan@murray-ky.net> To: <beara@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:00 PM Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- FindingSt.Finnian'sWell > The Hill of Tara is in the care of the Office of Public Works, as > are many of Ireland's important historic sites. The principal > interpretation there is the video in the visitors' centre and there is a > guided tour, which may have to scheduled or requested. But the staff is > very knowledgeable. > > When I was there in May, with a group of students from the US, I was > very impressed with the quality of the video and the guide who gave the > tour > was first rate. Since this is an area I used to teach, I am pretty hard > to > impress--and I was impressed. I was also quite moved by the power of the > site, one I had not visited previously. Most of my students were too. > > There are sheep and the inevitable sheep by-products at Tara. I > guess I see that as pragmatic--grass has to kept down, sheep need to > graze, > funds need to be found, etc. That, grazing animals on large historic > sites, > is not uncommon in Ireland. St. James Monastery in Cashel is in a cow > pasture, for example, you do need to be careful where you step. There > were > sheep and goats I recall when Riobard and I visited the site of the copper > mines in Allihies. > > I am reminded of a remark by Sile de Valera when she was the > minister responsible for Heritage that the government could not afford to > protect every fourteenth-century ruin. Hard to grasp as an American, but > for Ireland pragmatic. > > Bill > > William H. Mulligan, Jr., Ph.D. > Professor of History > Graduate Program Coordinator > Murray State University > Murray KY 42071-3341 USA > Office: 1-270-809-6571 > Fax: 1-270-809-6587 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On > Behalf Of Reg Volk > Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 9:45 AM > To: beara@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding > St.Finnian'sWell > > Thanks, Bill > > Delightful hunt/pictures, Sue. > > Have just returned from Southern Ireland. Very much enjoyed the Ring of > Beara and Dingle peninsula. Would love to go back again. > > However, I do wonder how carefully some of these great historical sites > are > being protected and /or signed? They are often very hard to find for the > average "tourist"! > We hiked for hours but never found tombsites near Finn McCool's seat on > Sheep's Head! > > The Hill of Tara was NOT hard to find but was a big disappointment as > there > was no outside signage to explain much and sheep droppings all over the > place! Not to mention sheep (natural maintenance?) and the fact that > someone > had been digging? in the Hill of the Hostages. Who is charged with > maintenance/security at these sites? The Mesolithic stone ring at Lough > Gur > was dominated by cows! > > But I did get to see what I wanted and met some 31st cousins in Bantry and > maybe THE O'Regan home site I was looking for!! AND the weather was > delightful! > > CHEERS-Reg Volk-Canada > > -----Original Message----- > From: beara-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:beara-bounces@rootsweb.com] On > Behalf Of Bill Gawne > Sent: August 8, 2008 6:50 AM > To: beara@rootsweb.com > Subject: [BEARA] Latest Ring of Beara blog entry -- Finding St. > Finnian'sWell > > Friends of Beara, > > Sue Iles has another post in her beautiful Ring of Beara blog, where > she goes looking for St. Finnian's Well. > > http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/hunting-for-holy-well.html > > Eventually, she found it. > > http://ringofbeara.blogspot.com/2008/08/stfinnians-well-castletownbere-count > y.html > > Both articles have lovely pictures. They're neither of them very > long. Go take a look. I think you'll like them. > > -- Bill > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in > the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in > the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message