On Tuesday, 19th of March, Margaret O’Flynn welcomed us to her home village of
Ladysbridge, just south of Castlemartyr in East Cork. It was easy to see why she thinks of it as the centre of the Universe, as 5 roads converge in Ladysbridge! Droichead na Scuab is ainm don bhaile beag, agus tá scéal suimiúil ag baint leis an ainm sin…In the eighteenth century after a particularly wet winter the local bridges were badly
damaged. The Lady of the Manor, Lady Shannon, needed to cross the river, and so the local women brought out their brooms and laid them down to form a bridge for her, so that she wouldn’t get her shoes dirty!
Possibly the most famous son of Ladysbridge is Michael O’Brien, one of the three
Manchester Martyrs. There is a monument to them in the village. The exterior of the local church belies a most magnificent interior with an elaborate altar surrounded by a magnificent mosaic.
Christine Conway of the local Community Employment Scheme told us of how the group had obtained permission to access the loop walk and constructed an entrance and some signage. She also informed us that Ladysbridge is the sixth fastest growing village in Ireland.
And although many of the 6 shops, pubs, the forge and other businesses that were there in Margaret’s childhood are now gone, it’s not hard to imagine that a local entrepreneur will embark on a project to restore some of them to cater for the expanding population.
And so, to the walk!
After crossing the 5-point junction, we headed out towards the new arch that marks the entrance to the walk. A well laid out path brought us around lush pasture land and onwards over a small bridge (sadly no otters came out to greet us),then the path took us into the woods which form part of the Castlemartyr Recreation Forest Park. Signs of spring were everywhere. Some people could identify the wild flowers with ease, while others resorted to Google Lens. Thankfully there were no shouts of Fore, as we passed the edge of Castlemartyr Golf Course! The walk is a very peaceful and pleasant woodland loop, and in what seemed like no time at all we were back where we started.
Carew’s Wood Garden Centre nearby was the excellent choice for a hearty lunch. They pulled out all the stops to cater for a group of over 30. The garden centre, restaurant and garden shop are well worth a visit, if you’re in the area. And you know where to go for a walk nearby!
Mags McCarthy
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