Fermanagh

County Fermanagh is known as the Lakes District of Ireland. The River Erne & Lough runs diagonally NE to SW through the beautiful green countryside of fields, farms & little townships.
We enjoyed returning to favourite places when here last time. Next to Riverside Farm is the village of Ballanaleck with it's thatched roof Sheelin Lace Museum. Across the river is Cleenish Island where we saw lots of pheasants last time as well as a very old graveyard & monastery ruins.
When soldiers arrived back from WW2 the authorities thought it a good idea to build houses for them on the island. Only problem there was no bridge or boats to get to Ballanaleck! House ruins still there.

We stopped at Cloonatrig our favourite lunch stop then over Carry Bridge to Derrybrusk. We had fun trying to find The Old Graveyard. We first lady we asked got us fairly close but we ended up on the Lough side outside a beautiful new timber & glass house. I told owner John Maguire the story & we followed him to where he thought it was. He'd played there as a boy 40 years ago. The wooden building (he remembered & we could only just see) covered in blackberry bushes, trees & the like. He was so upset we had come so far to see this!!!!
I took photos while Warren walked down the long grassed laneway.  Next minute John arrived back with a neighbour, Roberta who knew where the graveyard was! We walked down the laneway to Warren then across a very long- grassed field to the stone ruins of the Old Derrybrusk Church (dates back to 1300!) & moss- covered & broken graves. The original Collum's (other ones, not mine), Hugh (1792-1818) & Rebecca died 1790 are buried there.
We went on a little further & found - eventually!!!!! - Derryvullan Cemetery with graves that go back to early 1700s. It was on a hill that overlooks a beautiful little Lough & farmlands!! SO peaceful.

At night Vi (from the Fermanagh-Gold List I belong to & who suggested Riverside Farm to us) visited. She's full of local stories & happy to help anyone with their research.
Thursday 30 May we left the Farm about 9am after saying farewell to Molly & son Mark - such lovely people.

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