Signs of the Temple

We stopped on the road because Broekkies needed to put on some make up and I was using the rear view mirror to 'drives'. When we stopped we saw this sign, "Ja the one in the pictures just down there...".



And so I say to Broekkies: "Man, what do you think this signs is all abouts?"

And Broekkies looks at it and scratches her head and say: "I don't knows."

Then we both 'sits' and 'scratches' our heads like two 'peoples' thinking very hard... although I 'knows' I am really not thinking very 'hards'...

And then Broekkies comes up with a bright idea: "Maybes it means we should go somewhere?"

And I say: "Ja, maybes you are right!".

And then we both turn around and its like there are signs everywhere!



And I turn to Broekkies and I say: "This signs makes me moss worry..."

And Broekkies say: "Why?"

And I say: "But looks, do you think we are going to moss drive into some deep waters?"

And Broekkies say: "No I don't thinks sos."

And I say: "But whys do you not think sos?"

And she say: "Because, the picture is of a small cars and your cars is a BIG cars..."

'I are so relieved when I hear this news, Broekkies is so clever and smart and all that stuffs that I know she is telling the truths... And then before my heart can stop racing another signs show up.'



And I say: "But what is this?"

And Broekkies say: "I don't knows".

And I say: "Maybe some cars are going to multiply?"

And Broekkies say: "Dammit Brennan, stop talking shit and lets follow this signs!"



So I 'says': "Okays..."



'Now the signs must be like moss magical signs because they lead me to every desire that my body has ever wanted... First it takes me to this moss bench where I says to myself: "I thinks I want to sleeps"... But before I can sleeps...'

Broekkies say: "No Brennan, you can not moss sleeps here..."

And I say: "But Broekkies, whys not?"

And Broekkies say: "Because you will become like rips van winkels, you know the guy at the corner shops who is always behind his till and never gets up..."

So I say: "Okays, I don't moss want to never be able to get up again..."

'And so Broekkies and I carry on deeper into this mysterious garden... until we come upon this most beautiful blue flower...'



'And I am abouts to picks and eat it as I are moss hungry but before I can...'

Broekkies say: "No!"

And I say: "But why?"

And Broekkies say: "Because I are Dietitian and that plant has too many calories in it..."

And I say: "But I are hungry..."

And she say: "Just listen to me Dammit!"

'And so I do listen to Broekkies because she is moss clever...'



'And then this beautiful bush speaks to me...'

And the Bush say: "Come sit down Brennan and stoke my flower..."

And I say: "Okays..."

But as per usual Broekkies butts in and say: "No Brennan, you can not sit there and stroke that bush's flower..."

And I say: "But the Bush want me to moss stroke its flower?"

And Broekkies say: "I are woman and I are dietitian and I can tell you that the bush wants to use you to stroke its flower and once done it will discards you and never speaks to you again..."

And I say: "But I don't minds stroking its flower and never talking to it again"

And Broekkies say: "Ag man, just listen to me..."

'And so I do... and I don't stroke the bush's flower...'



'So Broekkies and I walk among the trees ignoring the plants and the little gnomes and fairies'



We pose for a picture or two and then make our way to the temple.










Somewhere in the 1770's Frederick Augustus Hervey, both Bishop of Derry and Fourth Earl of Bristol, decided to create an estate and to build a country house at Downhill.

Frederick Hervey was a clever and cultured men who had spent some time in Italy and France and had travelled through Europe. Beside spending his fortune on the Downhill estate he was a well-respected philanthropist, he has financed several roads and agricultural projects, and supporter of the Crown as well as Catholic emancipation. After he was arrested in the 1780's for his call for rebellion he took no part anymore in politics.
Bishop Gate near Downhill (Co. Derry, Ireland)

The mansion was renowned for its treasure from all over Europe. Unfortunately these treasures were lost in 1851 due to a fire. The house was rebuilt and lived in until after the Second World War and it fell in decay. Beside the mansion there is a Mausoleum, built by Hervey in 1778 in memoriam of his brother, an icehouse and a so-called Lion Gate at the estate.
Despite the ruined condition of the buildings, only the icehouse and the Lion Gate are more or less intact, there is still a sense of old money and past glory.

Strangely the Lion Gate is the main entrance to the site and not at the better preserved Bishop Gate. If you enter the site via the Bishop Gate you walk through a garden with nice lanes and lovely smelling flowers.

Read up more about the mansions here.