Rathmore Church

Off the main road and across a field lies Rathmore Church. As you approach these ruins it is surrounded by a stone wall which has seen better days. A beautiful church, as you enter the big arch doorway you enter into the main building. Inside there are many arch windows which are well made and crafted. There are many doorways on the inside which lead up steps to the top of the church to many vantage points which face into the church below or out over the fields that surround it. At one end of the church lies a small doorway which leads into a very Small room with an amazing view of the ceiling above which has an unusual design. All around the church there are archways and arched windows which are still very well preserved even though there is no roof left on most of  the building. A great find and here's hoping to many more.

Old Carlow Gaol

As you can see from the photo the Old Carlow Gaol is now a shopping centre but still worth a visit if you are interested in the paranormal or old gaols. Just below the dears head you can see the remains of where the gaolers use to hang people, and where all the townsfolk would gather to watch these hanging as if they were watching t.v. This use to be a spectators sports hundreds of people coming to watch somebody get hanged. A woman called Lucy Stle was the last woman to be hanged at Carlow Gaol. As you enter the main door you can see the original walls and stones from the gaol. When you enter the shopping centre the main building is amazing. Right in front of you is the main part of the gaol or the whore house which is now a lovely little restaurant. All around the inside are remnants of the gaol, old stones, windows and even the bars are still on a lot of the windows. There is a roof on the gaol now but years ago it was all open wit5h no roof which would have been a very interesting concept. It is a very small centre but worth the visit. The ghost of Lucy Slye is said to be still roaming this gaol as a few things have happened there throughout the night. Whether it is to be believed or not is entirely up to you. I think it is amazing that a shopping centre can be built into an old gaol but this is proof that it can and all the original work is still there and has not been touched which is brilliant. A well preserved place for many generations to come. If you are down around Carlow drop in and have a look, a fine example of what can be achieved without pulling down our old ruins.This is what should be done instead.

Donadea Castle Co. Kildare

Spectacularly hidden from view of the public eye by an ever expanding forest, Donadea Castle is by far the largest within this demise. It has a fairly modern apperance, appearing more as a stately home than a castle, but from the periferal view its jutting jigsaw shaped edges give away its castle origins. Windows appear to be an important factor as they appear vastly in the front but at the sides they are smaller but still appear at regular intervals along the wall. The surrounding forest appears vastly expanding from the four corners of the castle, which would have been a good  form of defense in earlier times as it is completely out of eye shot. Although the forest is acessible to the public at a cost of 4 euro, so leave your car on the street, the castle is not acessible. Views are only clear from the sides and from the front. Threr is however a gate in which the back of the castle can be seen. The castle is quite well preserved in comparison to other castles of its knid around the country. It is very easy to imagine how it would have appeared many years ago as the frontal facade has not deteriorated much. All in all it is an amazing place to visit.

Newtowntrim Cathederal

Just across the road from the priory lies this massive structure. Hidden away amongst trees and graves of all shapes and sizes is the cathedral at the end of the walkway. Again well taking care of and very clean to walk around this is a site to behold. With no roof and very little remaining it still makes a statement with what is left. As you walk to the end of the path, over a fence in the adjoining field are the remains of what look like a small church. Equally stunning to the cathedral it wasn't accessible from here. The Graves on the grounds were hundreds of years old just like the many graves that are scattered around this area. I can only imagine what this place looked like hundreds of years ago.

Priory of Saint John The Baptist

On a dangerous road just past a very narrow bridge lies these remains. Having climbed over the wall via a little set of stairs to my right is the remains of what looked like a round tower. Facing me was a massive ruin of what use to be a priory. There was a big part of the building still intact but it was gated off so i could'nt get into that part. To my left was another main part of the building which had railing on the top of it which was a bit strange. Walking through this structure it was very clean with little dirt. There were a few coves in and around to duck into and to think of what it was like in here with patients everywhere not knowing what had happened to them. A well kept remain and very clean, which only suggests that not a lot of people have visited this place which is not a bad thing.

Galleries Of Justice Nottingham

Although not a ruin this prison in Nottingham is disused and worthy of a mention.
Presided over by the Sheriff of Nottingham and we all know who he is, it was also the place Robin Hood was tried for his crimes against the rich, this building is absolutely amazing.  With many a haunting reported it is a very creepy place although would have loved to spend the night here. As you walk up the steps to the main entrance and in the door you find yourself in the main hall with a museum to the left which is a bit scary with its coffins and other torture devices, and also the spot where you can stand where people were hung many years before. In the main hall there is a torture device hanging from the ceiling which is a bit discomforting. The court room is a beautifully set out room with many balconies and all the original work.This is where the sheriff fed out all his punishment. There are many pits  scattered throughout the prison where prisoners were dumped from time to time to suffer in silence. From floor to floor there are different types of cells, some small, some big depending on how much you paid the Warden depended on what cell you received. Out in the court yard was the hang mans noose where one could observe the hangings of unfortunate souls as back then there were no walls so the public could view every hanging, some making a day of it and bringing a picnic. Again with many prisons most of it was closed to the public and as i said before usually the best parts. A huge prison by any standard only 20% of it was open to the public with the other 80% remaining under lock and key.

Old Church and Round tower Meath

Situated on a small piece of land surrounded by railing, this church and what is left of the tower is a fine example of a well preserved site. Open to whoever wishes to view it the church is without a roof, the tower has no top but are well kept and very safe to view from inside and out. Although you can only enter the church it is still a little hidden treasure. The ground in the church is well laid out and very smooth compared to a lot of other ruins which are full of stones and mud. Well worth the visit if you like this sort of thing and it is not a place that would be visited a lot, and on any given day the chances of you been alone are nearly 100%. The road outside this site is very dangerous with hidden bends and sharp turns so be very careful. The only space to park is a little space in front of the main gate and the road has a major blind spot there, but don't let that stop you from visiting this remarkable site.