Dingle Horse Riding: 2011

Christmas 2011

The horses have been very good this year, and Santa brought them a new shed for Christmas. Happy Horses!!

Somewhere, over the rainbow....

Marley

He so cute!!!!! Marley has been with us since Easter 2011 and he is already a firm favourite.
He is 15hh and was born 2006.

Don't you just want to cuddle him? Bob does.

Bob and Marley

Bob!

Bob the Cob, born 2004, 15.1hh, with us since Easter 2011. He would like to thank Justine for his photoshoot. Bless him.

Hmmmm, hellooo Liath!

Thanks to Donna and Julie for some great photos. It was a soggy couple of days, but we still managed to get in some good beach riding, some good photos, and most importantly (said Captain) some good snacks along the way.

Captain

Captain is our 17hh ClydesdaleX. He was born 2004 and has been at Dingle Horse Riding since Easter 2011. He is a fairly awesome chap, in every sense of the word, he loves everyone, and everyone loves him (apart from possibly the farrier).

Thanks to Justine for the great new photos

Bog cotton on the mountain

An Riasc

Reask (Irish: Riasc) is a ruined early Monastic site. Although nothing remains of the buildings but low walls and a cross-slab standing stone which sits in the middle of the compound, this site gives a very good idea of the layout of a small monastery of the Early Medieval period.

Excavations by the late Tom Fanning in the 1970s revealed the ruins of an oratory, several clocháns (stone huts), some conjoined, a graveyard and about ten decorated stone slabs, of which one is a particularly fine example. This pillar measures 1.64 metres in height and is 0.6 metres wide by 0.26 metres thick and is decorated with an encircled Greek cross from which are pendant spiral designs terminating in a pelta. The stone was decorated in Early Christian times (c. 7th century). The letters 'DNE' - D(omi)ne - O Lord, are set sideways to the cross.

We can stop off at this site during the Murieoch ride.

Gallarus Oratory

The Gallarus Oratory (Irish: Séipéilín Ghallarais, literally "The Church of the Place of the Foreigners") is believed to be an early Christian church located on the Dingle Peninsula. Though the building is believed to have been built between the 6th century and 9th century, some believe it could have been built as late as the 12th century because the east window has a rounded top made of two carved stones (not a true arch). According to local legend, if a person climbs out of the oratory via the window, their soul will be cleansed.

We can stop off at this site during the Murieoch ride.

Kilmalkedar

This Early Christian and Medieval site is spread over a large area of around 10 acres. The history of this site is associated with St Brendan, but the site is said to have been founded by St Maolcethair. At the centre of this area is a 12th century Romanesque Church pictured left, it consists of a nave and chancel. Amongst the other features here are, the Alphabet Stone, A holed Ogham Stone, Sun Dial, two bullaun stones, a large stone cross, St Brendans Oratory and numerous cross slabs.

The Esk Tower

The Esk Tower sits on the top of the hill on the other side of the harbour to Dingle town. It was built in 1847, during the Great Famine, as a way of making work for local men at a time when there was little work in the fields. It is 27 feet tall and made of solid rock, and a wooden arm on one side points to the mouth of the harbour, acting as a guide post to sailors and fishermen making their way along Dingle Bay.