Preparing for winter!

. . . while the sun shines.

Better to be sure than to be sorry!

Sr. Margaret's Platinum Jubilee

Text to follow!

(One left-click on any image will show an enlarged copy)

Harley's Café/Bistro

Now twelve months established,

HARLEY'S CAFÉ/BISTRO

at The Bridge, Portlaw, 

has already made a reputation for itself 

as a  purveyor of good food at sensible prices,

which its very many regular customers will agree to.

Further info and images to follow!

Page-viewer Origins

Origin of pageviews for past month:

Ukraine - 461;  United States - 431;  Ireland - 407;  Russia - 210;

Unknown Region - 189;  United Kingdom - 104;  Japan - 67;  

China - 49;  Germany - 44;  France - 33.

(only the top ten figures are made available)

Am glad to say this blog has been chosen in the initial selection
of the Ireland Blog Awards 2018.

Two more adjudication rounds to go, however!

The Multitudes Arrive . . .

A welcome sign at Malcomson Square awaits the multitudes

arriving for the first annual

ALL TOGETHER NOW MUSIC FESTIVAL.

A little short of 15,000 music lovers turned up,

and the weather was excellent throughout the three days and nights. 

The entire event ran to perfection, thanks to the excellent planning of the organisers.

The location (part of), from a distance, one day before commencement of festival.

On  Friday, August 3rd, HUGE numbers of concert-goers descended on Portlaw,

in and around Malcomson Square.

From here, throughout the entire weekend, 

they were ferried back and forth in a free shuttle-bus service to and from the festival site, 

about three kilometres away.

This Dublin bus was just one of very many.

Two music-lovers from Melbourne, Australia,

who arrived on that Dublin bus,
and with whom I had a great conversation about Irish ancestors,
and the 'infamous' Ned Kelly, whose ancestors came from my own native parish in South Tipperary.

Portlaw villagers were enjoying the frenzied activity right through the weekend.

Tom Nugent and daughter, Sarah, done it in style from a seated position,

while also enjoying the excellent weather the country was experiencing.

Notes taken re some of the visitors were mislaid,

but I believe this group had just arrived from Cork.
Correct me, if I'm wrong! 

At times traffic at the roundabout almost became a  problem,

but fortunately the situation was handled to perfection by

stewards and gardaí right through the entire weekend . .. 

. . . except for a while when this hired camper, with visitors from Dublin, 

stalled at the roundabout due to serious clutch trouble

and caused consternation before being moved a short distance away. 

In a nearby house, these ladies were enjoying the carry-on.

Awaiting a shuttle-bus, but certainly enjoying themselves,

were this group of charming ladies from Cork city.

Some young men, all the way from Wicklow,

came well prepared for a merry weekend.

It's reported that the local supermarket was sold out of liquid refreshments!

This young lady at Malcomson Square houses,

with their fine floral display,

was also taking it all in.

(photographed with permission). 

Some TEXT TO FOLLOW

MUSIC FESTIVAL FEVER!

Music Festival Fever is hitting Portlaw for almost two weeks now,

with the big event,

'ALLTOGETHERNOW' 

beng held in Curraghmore estate during the forthcoming bank holiday weekend.

Vehicles laden with equipment are driving through the area

for some time, raising dust clouds everywhere after them,

due to the abnormally dry weather.

Big surprise today, July 23rd,  was seeing this tall communications mast

being erected right outside the front door of

Clonagam Church! 

Initially TV/Radio broadcasting came to mind,

until someone suggested it was to facilitate mobile phone users,

as the festival location is down in somewhat of a hollow beside

Curraghmore farmyard. 

Am glad to notice some local shops are  getting business from the many 

workers who are here already.

NOTICE AT MAIN ENTRANCE TO CURRAGHMORE ESTATE:

One left-click will enlarge the above and most other images on this site.

Waterford City & County Council
also currently have a road closure notice on their website as follows:

 L8026 CLONEGAM RD, CLOSED FROM 3RD - 6TH AUGUST
Notice is hereby given that Waterford City and County Council, will close the following public road from 3rd to 6th August 2018 to facilitate the All Together Now Festival:
Road to be closed:
L8026 Clonegam road from junction with Kilmacthomas to Carrick on Suir road R677,           to its junction with Portlaw village.

-   August 25th   -

Despite the music festival fever just a few fields away, life goes on,
carrying away the bales of straw from what appears to have been
a very successful crop of winter wheat.

Meanwhile, some locals were taking it easy at the fountain and enjoying
the much increased flow of people and traffic through the village.

Left to right:
Michael Walsh, Davy Keane, Séamus Crotty, Johnny Crotty.

Enjoying the Clonagam area, where he can regularly be seen,
and admiring the technology outside the church,
was local man, Tom Nugent.