Cruising along the Shannon 2022 style.
We have absolutely no evidence that Charlotte Brontë and Arthur Bell Nicholls travelled locally outside of Banagher. But if they did, which is possible given Arthur may well have wished to show his new wife the special places near his home, Arthur could easily have taken her to a couple of places of religious importance and interest nearby. Given both honeymooners had been immersed in religion for most, if not all of their lives, a visit to these two local religious sites may well have been on their itinerary.
Clonmacnoise was easily reached by taking a turf powered paddle steamer along the Shannon from Banagher.
Cruising along the Shannon C19th style.
Clonfert Cathedral could also have been another religious site easily visited by pony and trap.
My Brontë travelling companion Alison and I were treated to a most memorable day sailing from Banagher along the River Shannon to Clonmacnoise. Perhaps we would be travelling in Charlotte’s and Arthur’s footsteps? We shall never know.
The plan was to meet up with Pauline Clooney, the author of the excellent historical novel ‘Charlotte and Arthur’ and her husband Dave, hereinafter referred to as ‘Skipper’ Dave! The couple have a cruiser which they enjoy sailing along the River Shannon and which they had kindly sailed up to Banagher in order to meet up with us to take us out on a Shannon river cruise.
Shannon cruiser
Pauline and ‘Skipper’ Dave.
Pauline’s enjoyable historical novel ‘Charlotte & Arthur’ about their honeymoon.
Pauline and Dave wanted us to have a taste of what Charlotte & Arthur most definitely experienced whilst on their honeymoon, and that was to sail along the River Shannon. Where possible, Charlotte and Arthur used the Shannon as a means to travel across Ireland. The experience would have been much more relaxing than travelling by road or train in 1854. Indeed, after spending a day leisurely cruising along the Shannon, we found it was a most pleasant, enjoyable and peaceful way to travel. For us, it beat travelling by car hands down as it was so smooth and stress free. It confirmed our thoughts that if Charlotte and Arthur had a choice of transport options to get from A to B, and if the option to travel by boat along the Shannon was available, then they would probably have chosen that one, time allowing.
Not only were we to meet with Pauline and Dave but Pauline had also invited Banagher local historian and friend James Scully and author and friend Dr Michael O’Dowd from Galway and his charming wife Christine. Michael has also published a superb book about Charlotte snd Arthur’s honeymoon called ‘Charlotte Brontë An Irish Odyssey’.
Michael’s book about the honeymoon.
Pauline and Michael at the 2022 Bradford Literature Festival.
Alison and I had already had the pleasure of meeting both Pauline and Michael at the Bradford Literature festival in July 2022 where they took part in a Q&A talk entitled ‘No Net Ensnares Me: Charlotte Brontë Abroad’ examining Charlotte’s attitudes to and experiences of travelling abroad. They spoke of Charlotte’s Irish travels and were joined by Monica Kendall who spoke of Charlotte’s Brussels connections.
On their Bradford visit the two authors either stayed in or visited Haworth and Thornton - a must do whenever in the area!
Galway based Michael O’Dowd and his wife Christine at their first ever visit to the Brontë Parsonage July 2022.
Joanne explaining the wonderful Brontë Stones project created by Dr Michael Stewart with the Bradford Literature Festival. Here at Anne’s stone in Parson’s Field behind the Brontë Parsonage.
http://www.michael-stewart.org.uk/bronte-stones/
Michael and Christine on Haworth Main Street.
Joanne and Michael at the Brontë birthplace-Thornton Parsonage - July 2022
James Scully made up our jolly sailing group. He is a local historian with a particular interest in the Brontës and also Anthony Trollope who resided in Banagher in 1841 serving as the town’s post master. James has published books on local history his latest being
James is also an organiser of the annual ‘That Beats Banagher’ festival which has a Brontë section in it
https://offalyhistoryblog.wordpress.com/2022/07/22/that-beats-banagher-festival-22-24-july-2022-from-our-correspondent-james-scully/
So in the presence of such published literary giants, with their impressive knowledge of all things Brontë either in Banagher or on honeymoon in Ireland, we set off along the Shannon to Clonmacnoise.
Here we all are on our wonderful Shannon River cruise.
Pauline unwinding on the Shannon.
Me! Joanne helping out!
Skipper Dave.
James our local Banagher Brontë history expert, Michael the author, Christine his wife and Alison my Brontë travel buddy!
Michael, Christine and Alison
James and Al enjoying watching the world glide peacefully by!
Michael and Al
James, Michael and Christine cruising on the Shannon
Our destination on this ‘taste of Shannon cruising day’ was Clonmacnoise.
Our route from Banagher north to Clonmacnoise.
Approaching Clonmacnoise from the Shannon.
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As it says on the Visit Offaly website,
‘Clonmacnoise is one of the most famous monastic sites in Ireland – an ancient place where time stands still. Located along the River Shannon near the village of Shannonbridge, Clonmacnoise was founded by Saint Ciaran in the mid-sixth century where it became a great centre of religion and learning, visited by scholars from all over the world.’
If Charlotte and Arthur were going to visit local places of interest, surely this one would be high up on their list of possibilities, especially given Arthur’s and Charlotte’s interest in religion.
What a magical place it was and very special to approach it by boat from the Shannon. We loved our day return trip to this ancient site. Sitting on the cruiser gently gliding along, watching the cows chewing the cud in the green, green fields of Ireland with white clouds floating above us in a bright blue sky - the memory of this day will forever be etched on my mind.
With good food and wine, Brontë enthusiasts to keep us company and warm, Irish hospitality, our day was made very special indeed.
Brontë enthusiasts from Ireland and England coming together thanks to Charlotte Brontë and Arthur Bell Nicholls!
Thanks to Pauline and Dave we got to see and experience what Charlotte and Arthur did on their honeymoon as they sailed along the Shannon. If our honeymooners did not go to Clonmacnoise, they did sail by paddle steamer along the Shannon from Banagher to Killalloe and then Limerick to Kilrush to get to Kilkee in County Clare on the next stage of their honeymoon. That river journey would have been so relaxing after the many train and horse-drawn carriage road journeys they had already made so far.
I imagine by sailing along the Shannon, Charlotte and Arthur would have relaxed, found the time to unwind and take in the beautiful Irish countryside whilst chatting about what they could see to each other - forging memories - as we most certainly did that day too.
Another possible excursion that Arthur may (or may not) have organised for Charlotte and not far from Banagher by pony and trap, could have been a trip to Clonfert Cathedral. It really is a tiny place and not a cathedral in the usual sense of the word!
Clonfert Cathedral 6 miles (9kms) from Banagher.
Romanesque doorway dating from the 1200.
Clonfert Cathedral stands on the grounds where St Brendan founded a monastery accommodating approximately 3000 monks in the 6th century. When he died about 584 his body was buried at Clonfert and the presence of his remains explains why such an ornate doorway was built later on.
I can imagine Arthur might have invited Charlotte to accompany him in the pony and trap, to drive through Banagher across the bridge over the Shannon, into county Galway just over the bridge and then a short and easy journey through the local countryside to Clonfert Cathedral. It would have been a very pleasant excursion for the newlyweds.
Whether Charlotte and Arthur did or did not travel by steamer to Clonmacnoise and then by pony and trap to Clonfert Cathedral we shall never know. But if, like us, they did enjoy these excursions, I’m sure they had two wonderful trips together.
Arthur probably would have wanted to share the history and the lovely, gentle landscape of his home town of Banagher with his new wife. We were delighted to share our time in and around Banagher with our new, generous and delightful Irish friends: Pauline, Dave, James, Michael and Christine.
Pauline and ‘Skipper’ Dave
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