The Wonderful Barn

Every weekend on our way to church we get a small distant glimpse of the Wonderful Barn. 

Many years ago I was watching a TV show about interesting man-made structures.  The Wonderful Barn was among them.  I remember thinking, "Wow I would really like to see that one day."  It never occurred to me that we would actually get the opportunity to do so.  Once we decided to try to get to it we didn't really know how we would do so.  After a little bit of driving around we found it!  And to our delight we were actually able to walk right up to it.  There is a wonderful walking trail going directly to it. 

 

We had to park along side a road and then walk through the some trees.

 

 

 

 

Our first view coming up to it.

 

 

Some Gardens we passed along the way.

 

 

We also passed this old fence.

 

 Tatar-Tot was super excited to come around the corner and see this. 

 

 

The information I have found on this barn is that it was made in 1743.  It was built by a widow by the name of Catherine Connolly.   It is believed to of been built in order to provide employment for the poor since it was built in the years immediately following the famine.  It's use was to store grain. 

The intent was to keep the grain from the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles who would come down from the Wicklow hills to steal and forage for food.

It is seven stories and has 94 steps on the exterior of it. 

In addition to the Barn there was two smaller structures which were used as dovecotes. 

Dovecotes are a structure intended to house pigeons and doves.  My understanding is that those birds were used for food.

 

Below is the home that was attached to the barn.  I sure wish we could have went inside and looked around.

 

 

I will never forget this barn.  The property it sits on is serene and the barn itself is quite whimsical.  The story of Alice in Wonderland kept coming to mind as I looked at the triangular shaped holes and cylindrical shape.   

 

 

 

Below is one of the Dovecotes.

                                               

 

 

 

During our walk we saw several people walking with their dogs.  Tatar-Tot even tried chasing some down.  We did call out to her and tell her to leave them be.