Skip this post if you’re not into Irish history.  My great grandfather, William Verner was a Presbyterian minister in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland in the 1800s.  His family fled Ireland at the end of the century–my grandfather, Edwin, left for South Africa in 1904 to work on the Cape-to-Cairo Railroad.  He ended up on the rail-line at Victoria Falls and north to Broken Hill for two years….but that’s another story……

For most of my life, I’ve heard the stories of Castledirg and the Presbyterian ministry there.  So, here I am–about 150 years later…..

Looking west from the enclave (now a sheep paddock).

The main house or rectory or presbytery, as they called it then.  A shamble today.

A photo through the interior…..  Note the main floor fireplace still intact.

Another perspective to the NE.

A sheep stands guard.  I give him my best ‘baah’ calls but no response.

Can you imagine how much stone work there is in Ireland?  Every square inch of the country is reticulated with stonework defining every homestead.  Thousands of years of history here still hidden.

OK–time to drive north to Ballycastle.  I take single roofing shale/shake with me plus a square stone that tumbled off the main house to incorporate into my Alaska outdoor kitchen.   Time to move on……