All images using a Nikon D200, 18-200 vr 2 lens, iso 100
Burnchurch Castle, County Tipperary
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Graystown Castle- Tipperary
A little time back I blogged about the area of Burnchurch and Graystown, Killenaule, Co Tipperary (70 years of Potato farming), writing then about my in-laws history of farming in this area. At the time I was asked about the castle that was in one of the pictures at the end of the farm, in the distance.
The castle is Graystown Castle- Tipperary and it has stood in this area since 1654.
This is the best article I can find on the internet :
An old castle stands in ruins on the road from Moyglass to Graystown and it is called Graystown Castle. It is mentioned in Gough’s Camden as being in ruins and situated near Killynaul. It is built on a limestone rock of considerable height on west and north sides and sustaining on one extremely the north-west angle of the building.
The original castle was probably built around 1170, by a man named Raymond Le Gros who was a Norman. From the word ‘Gros’ we got we get the name Graystown or Baile Le Gros as it is known in Irish.
However, the present ruins can hardly be older than the 16th century. It is described in the Civil survey (1654) as follows “Upon this land standeth a good castle, a slate house wantinge repaire with a large bawne and severall cabbins”.
Henry Laffan who was an official of the Butler Family, acquired considerable property in Co. Tipperary at the beginning of the 14th century. In 1305 he got 120 acres in Graystown from Geruase De Raley. This Henry Laffan was said to be the first of the Laffan Family, whose chief seat was in Graystown from then on. In 1521, Thomas Laffan, Lord of Ballingarry, granted to the Earl of Ormonde, the land of Ballinure. He was probably dead before 1524, in which year James Laffan of Graystown was one of the freeholders of Tipperary, who complained to King Henry VIII of the extortions, coyne and livery levied on them by Sir James Butler of Kiltinan and Sir Edmond Butler of Cahir as dupties of the Earl of Ormonde. James Laffan died in 1607.
In 1613, Thomas Laffan of Graystown was a member of Parliament for Tipperary. The proprietor of Graystown and Noan, 3200 acres in 1640, was Henry Laffan of Graystown while Marcus Laffan, his son, apparently held the remainder of the family property in Lurgoe, 640 acres. Henry was dead before 1649, for Marcus was found in Graystown in that year and was a Commissioner for the levying of troops and taxes in Slieveardagh. Marcus was transplanted to Connaught where he was alotted 1184 acres.
The Cromwellian grantee of Graystown was Gyles Cooke. He held the title of the area in 1659 and had two hearths there in 1665 (Petty Cenus Money Records).
So here it stands today, sitting at the end of a valley in this wonderfully peaceful landscape.
Graystown Castle – Gallery
Nigel Borrington 
Monday morning, Sunrise
Nikon D7000, 35mm focus, iso 100
Monday morning sunrise
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
A Monday sunrise
Up early this morning I returned to the same location as I walked in yesterday afternoon.
It is near a place called Ahenny, County Kilkenny. the road from the village rises up over some hills and at the top offers some great views of both county’s Kilkenny and Tipperary. The Sun has risen a little time before and is just hiding its self behind some clouds. It has been totally blue sky’s for about ten days which for Ireland is very rare, this morning however we have some light cloud cover that is moving inland.
Monday Morning’s and starting a new week, well I feel a little cloudy myself this morning for some reason and need to get moving but just for a moment I stop to look at the views. When you work for yourself is would be very easy to just give in to these views and stay here for the day just looking at any changes that the day will bring to the landscape, the movement of the sun, farmers working in the fields, wildlife moving its way across the land.
We live our lives as part of this moving landscape below, yet how often do we stop and look at it. We just keep moving in it, life flying past.
Maybe just now and then we should press the stop button and stand still for once, maybe to truly stop and look at all this movement will give use something of a gift. A gift that we can use once we see everything for what it is.
Examining the movement of life may help you understand, needed movement the things we need to do, the things we want to do and then the things we just do for no valid reason what so ever. Pointless time spent doing things just because we always do them. Never stopping to see that we don’t need to do these things they are not doing anything for us or for anyone.
I have a feeling just looking at the week starting that my future is in this story somewhere, finding the things I should be doing, the things I want to do but most of all cutting out the things I just do not have any reason or obligation to do.
Nikon D7000, 35mm focus, iso 100
Monday morning sunrise
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
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Posted by nigel borrington | July 15, 2013 | Categories: Comment, Landscape | Tags: Irish photography, Landscape, monday, Nigel Borrington, Nikon D7000, organisational skills, personal development | 15 Comments