An old homestead dwelling not resided in since the Great Famine.
This is one of the old ruins that I often walk past and think about on my hill walks near where we live.
I have read there are over 110,000 derelict properties here in Ireland. If you look on Daftie you will see properties in places like county Kerry for 50000 Euros or less.
There is a empty houses government grant of up to sixty thousand Euros to renovate such properties. Some councils do not always give planning permission especially if the property is isolated and there is no infrastructure like a council road to the property.
I have also read that the owners of some of the ruins emigrated overseas and died and no one knows who owns the properties.
I think it's sad when I see old buildings fall into disarray and get covered in Ivy and the gales demolish them for ever. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
In my almost a quarter of a century living in rural Ireland I have seen parts of the building in the photo disappear.
'Empty Rooms" by the great Gary Moore plays on my mental jukebox when I think of such derelict and unloved properties that people once called home.
There are few empty houses here, often homes sell very quickly even the dated 'in need of repair' houses are snapped up, often as they are bungalows which can and often are converted adding an extra story.
ReplyDeleteRural Ireland is full of derelict farms, farm buildings and isolated stone cottages Marlene. The population of Ireland was 9 million now it's 5.38 million in April 24. It's a very isolated country yet stunningly beautiful. I often watch Escape To The Country and they seem to only show residences for rich people. Not like the stone thatched cottages for poor country people like you see in my blog photo.
DeleteMy stepson lives in southern Ireland it us beautiful
DeleteWhereabouts Marlene? I have lived here nearly years and still discovering Ireland. I love it when it's not raining here.
DeleteHe lives in Dublin, his wife's family way down south.
DeleteWe are way down south overlooking Bantry Bay.
DeleteSuch ruins are sorrowful but evocative of times gone by. Close your eyes and you can almost hear the voices of those who lived there, once upon a time.
ReplyDeleteBy the way Dave, may I take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day. I hope that the twelve red roses I ordered via Interflora reach you before sundown.
I had to zoom in on your photo to see the house, or what's left of it.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of those over here too. They are called tholtans here and, like yours, are usually in remote locations. Sad reminders.
You are definitely a poet and sense the same things I feel and think when observing these old family homes. Thanks for the roses. I hope you have an enjoyable evening and treat Shirley to a slap up meal tonight.
ReplyDeleteThe Isle Of Man could be Ireland JayCee. They are so similar. The people long ago must have been so poor and lived very harsh lives especially on a windswept and rain lashed hillside in winter. Very sad reminders JayCee.
ReplyDeleteIn the early 1990s we found a few deserted cottages deep in the Wicklow mountains away from the tourist areas. We sometimes found stuff that had been left behind. One day, we found and took with us some 1960s exercise books with homework in it and an Irish school dictionary. We tried to find out what happened to the people who left it behind (you can search the national archive online) but never really got anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Sabine. I have read that there are many derelict houses in Ireland and nobody knows where the people went and noone knows who owns such properties. If you want to read an excellent book read; "The Naming Of Eliza Quinn by Carol Birch. J recommends this book.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the book suggestion. It looks like a good one. I ordered it from BetterWorld books this very minute. To qualify for free shipping, I also ordered Scapegallows and Orphans of the Carnival. Has J read any of those?
ReplyDeleteOld houses make me sad too. I imagine that they are lonely, that once they held people who celebrated and grieved and lived their lives out within the walls, and now they sit empty with the wind carrying the echoes of lost voices through the broken windows. I can become quite carried away with myself.
Your writing is excellent Debby. There are a lot of poets and writers on here. Carol Birch reminds me of a female James Herbert. Have you read "The Magic Cottage?"
DeleteSorry Debby. No she's not read the books you mentioned by Carol Birch.
DeleteBack in the 1980s, I spent a couple of months in Connemara near the Twelve Bens (gorgeous, in a beautifully bleak way) and was based near Clifden. I drove all around Galway and Mayo counties taking back roads from Galway city to places like Renvyle (incredible beach) or up past Kylemore Abbey and various loughs such as the fjord-like one by Leenaun and on to Westport. On those drives I observed so many deserted homesteads/ruins like the one in your photo. Was told then that most could not be sold because, as you mentioned, the original owners migrated so long ago (my grandmother among them--she was born in 1877 and came to the US in the 1890s). Without knowing where folks ended up there is no way to get a clear deed to many of these places. But they evoke such sadness when you cast your eyes over, them especially on a cold and windy day when you can only imagine just how difficult their lives must have been.
ReplyDeleteSuch very good elegaic prose Mary. You wouldn't be human if you didn't pick up on the sadness on these former homes. What stories would the walls speak? The ironic thing is that these ruins are so often in stunningly beautiful locations.
DeleteI didn't notice those property ruins at first. A reminder of times gone by.
ReplyDeleteThey remind me of Wuthering Heights Jules.
ReplyDelete