Moher Lodge

Patrick Edward Reilly was born in Ireland in 1799. We do not know where in Ireland he was born nor do we know anything about his family.

In 1829, he leased Moher Lodge and its surrounding 72 acres from Col Francis MacNamara for £60 a year.                  

 Located in North Kineilty, Moher Lodge is situated off a minor road, West of St Brigid's Well.                     

There are holy wells all over Ireland, but St. Brigid's Well in Liscannor is one of the most popular.                    

St Brigid’s Well is housed in an open stone house or grotto that is accessible through steep paths and old stairs.        

Inside the entrance to the Well with its running water in the back.

     

The Well attracts visitors year round and does not lock nor close its doors at night. Thousands of mementos, rosaries, prayers and pieces of clothing have been left in the stone grotto of the Well.

                           Close-up of some of the mementos left by previous pilgrims.  

The Holy Well of St Brigid at Liscannor   

 It is tradition for pilgrims to take a sip of the Well's Waters before leaving  

Because it has always been hallowed since time immemorial and because of its proximity to Moher Lodge, I am sure our ancestors visited this Holy Well many many times. 

We thought of them often during our recent visit.    

Here is an entry for Moher Lodge from 1855:

Although he gets some facts wrong, published in 1999, Houses of Clare by Hugh Weir mentions Moher Lodge. Here is his entry:              

 As you can see, Weir has the dates wrong and names P.E. "Patrick J" O'Reilly in his entry.  

In 1864, P.E. Reilly described Moher Lodge in a real estate advert.           

In his own words:       

 “The Dwelling-house contains a Parlour, Drawing-room and Study, FIVE Bedrooms, Dairy, Pantry, Laundry and store-room and a Good Kitchen, with New Cooking Range and a continuous flow of water from the cistern to boiler & kitchen, a water closet, force pump with a never-ending supply of water to cistern, a Coach House, a Stable for two horses, all enclosed in a lock-up yard.”       

Here is the entry for Moher Lodge in Clare County Development Plan 2011 - 2017: Volume 4 - Record Of Protected Structure.  

Built in two phases, Moher Lodge originally (circa 1800) consisted of a single story, 3 Bay, gable-ended cottage with a stone slate roof and an impressive  roof system.

In 1840 ~ while P.E. and Elizabeth were raising their family at Moher Lodge ~  a two-story, gabled-ended extension was added to the original cottage.   

Northwest of the house, a range of roofless outbuildings still survived in 2011 and a single, stone roofed outbuilding stood north of the Lodge.        

 However in 2011, Moher Lodge was described as in “derelict" condition.        

THAT was in 2011.    

But, here it is in 2014!      

Moher Lodge Today       

In 2012, when Michael Moroney and Michelle Riordan first laid eyes on the 5 buildings that make up Moher Lodge, they knew that their lives would be changed forever.       

Many years prior to that moment, they had dreamed of owning their own world class retreat center and to be able to do what they passionately believe in.       

As soon as they saw it, they knew Moher Lodge was perfect to fulfill their dream.   They purchased the property for £218,000.00.     

The Cliffs of Moher Retreat Center was born!                 

Michael & Michelle have done a fantastic job in restoring our ancestral home to its former glory ~ and probably beyond!    

During our recent visit to Ireland, they invited us to spend the night at the Lodge, as their guests!   

What an awesome opportunity to actually wake up in a home that figures so prominently in our family history!

We were thrilled beyond belief and spent every second walking the trails and paths around the Lodge.  

 Misty Morning A Misty Early Morning Walk at Moher Lodge   

Michelle & Michael graciously offered us their "best room" where they had actually stayed during the Lodge's renovations.

A corner room, the views from these windows had not changed much in 200 years.             

Late afternoon mist rolling in from the Cliffs .....outside our window ..               

On our early morning walk along the paths and trails surrounding Moher Lodge          

Those houses in the distance are second homes built during the Celtic Tiger and now stand mostly empty.  Otherwise ~ like that stone wall ~ this landscape remains timeless.    

 As I mentioned, our hosts have done such respectful restoration of Moher Lodge.

Main Lounge at Cliffs of Moher Retreat Center

Installing state-of-the-art bathrooms, kitchens, windows, etc, yet  still incorporating the Lodge's unique features into this modern design.

7

Original Moher Stone   

Where applicable, they have exposed the original Moher Stone Walls ~ keeping the original Arches and Hearths...... just as in our ancestors' time.             

                                        Beautiful Moher Stone Walls Throughout the Lodge        

These Hearths were used by our ancestors!

As our day wore on, the weather on the Cliffs took a turn ~ windy, cold, misty, foggy.......    

Jim down at the Beach of the Cliffs below Moher Lodge     

This mossy stone wall down at the beach has been standing since the 18th century.         

The stream running behind this ancient stone wall had just left the Ennistymon Cascades on its trek to the Sea.     

Channeling my "French Lieutenants' Wife" as we walked the misty "moors".  

It was so easy to feel at home with our hostess, Michelle ~ such a warm gracious person. We have already made arrangements to host her family at the OBO in a few months.

         

Three Neighbors We Met Walking Moher Lodge    

Our great great grandparents, Elizabeth Fleury and Patrick Edward Reilly lived at Moher Lodge for over thirty years from 1829 until about 1864.      

 At the time, Moher Lodge was considered one of the "finest" homes in the area.          

                                                                    Moher Lodge Today  

Set within walking distance of the world famous Cliffs of Moher, the aura surrounding its beauty is still apparent over 150 years since our ancestors lived there.    

As was customary at the time, Patrick Edward farmed its 72 acres and probably raised short-horned cattle there.

P.E. is responsible for bringing these hearty cattle to the Burren.      

His five children were all born and raised at Moher Lodge.      

Bessie (1833-1881)

Hannah "Nannie" (1835-1911)

Edward (1836-1890)

Mary (1837-1894)

Henry Patrick (1838-1894)        

Only Bessie and Henry married.      

Bessie married Edmund Burke-Browne in 1860.  They had seven daughters.          

Henry, our great grandfather, married Mary Frances Julia Milward in 1872.        

They had only one surviving child - a son named Patrick Henry, our grandfather.      

It is such an awesome feeling knowing that this home ~ where our ancestors were born and lived for  over thirty years ~ is in such good hands.      

Michelle & Michael are the perfect stewards of our ancestral home and the Cliffs of Moher Retreat Center is its perfect reincarnation.            

EPILOGUE 

History gives a nation its bearing on what it is and how its people are affected by what has happened in the past. 

Its kings and queens, its wars - with victories and defeats - these all mold a nation’s culture into the way it views itself in the present. 

In the same way, a family history presents how a family has survived and come to terms with the great social and cultural experiences of the ages.

We hope these stories will give each member of our family a foundation and, in some small way, explain how we came to be what we are today.

Hopefully, through these vignettes, our future generations will gain a knowledge of the energy and dynamism, the loves and hates, the errors and mistakes, the victories and failures, the struggles and successes that make us what we are.

Our family history presents a fascinating read - and, hopefully, some lessons to be learned in the process.