woensdag 14 januari 2015

Irish Bronteland

The fertile land of County Down has been farming country for centuries. It was here that Patrick Brontë, father of Charlotte, Emily and Anne - the Brontë sisters, was born into a farming family on 17th March 1777 - Saint Patrick's day.

Follow the story of Patrick Brontë and his family through the buildings that survive within the Homeland. The Brontë Homeland Drive starts at Drumballyroney Church and School near Rathfriland, ten miles south of Banbridge. It is well signposted along the 10-mile route shown on the map.

Drumballyroney Church and School, where Patrick Brontë taught and preached, have been preserved and now include displays about the Brontë family.

Brontë Homeland Picnic Site, Knockiveagh. An ideal place to stop and see the rolling hills where Patrick grew up and the Mountains of Mourne in the background.

Alice McClory's Cottage, Brontë Road. The cottage was the childhood home of Patrick's mother, Alice McClory.

Patrick’s birthplace at Emdale is on an 8-mile signposted Homeland drive which starts from the centre. The remains have been in the care of the Brontë Homeland Trust since 1956.

Glascar School. Patrick taught here in the 1790's, although the original schoolhouse was replaced by this more modern building in 1844. He is said to have used enlightened teaching methods to bring out the best in his pupils.
/Bronte-Homeland-Interpretative-Centre-Rathfriland-Newry

A lot of photographes from the Irish Bronte Land
 
The highlight of the homeland drive was of course the Birthplace Cottage at Emdale, a small two-roomed cottage where Patrick Brontë was born on St. Patrick’s Day 1777.  Or to describe it in Patrick’s own words (from the poem entitled “The Irish cabin”):

“A neat Irish cabin, snow proof
Well thatched, had a good earthen floor,
One chimney in midst of the roof,
One window, and one latched door.”
 
 

1 opmerking:

  1. Terrific! Good to know so much is still around. If one looks at the Brontes as Irish...much becomes easier to understand . Apparently they come from a long line of Celtic story tellers...this does not however take away from their genius ...that is still a mystery as is all genius.

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