Kiltartan Museum, County Galway, Ireland.
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Book lovers who find themselves in the West of Ireland may want to check out some of the places associated with the poet, William Butler Yeats, amongst them the villate of Kiltartan which he made famous by the reference in his poem, An Irish Airman Foresees His Death. The poem came to my mind recently when I found myself driving past the Kiltartan Gregory Museum. Curiosity made me stop and wander inside the old school house which has been converted into a museum dedicated to Lady Gregory who, with Yeats, was behind the foundation of Ireland’s national theatre. The museum has some fascinating material on display – not least the theater posters, programmes, and first editions of some plays. There is also a reproduction of an old schoolroom complete with desks, slates, and some memorabilia that those on the interesting side of 50 may remember from the school rooms of their youth. Definitely worth a short stop if you find yourself on the road as I did.
