Thursday, July 16, 1998
David up early photographing garden.
9:00 Bfst – Keith potted up plants I brought
K & H to Clara – David’s Secret Garden – walked along lane – huge beech. To Woodfield Bog 2:00 lunch 3:00 to Clonmacnoise passing Clara – Shannonbridge – shopped General Store
Keith & Helen at home while we were at Clonmacnoise -bot Heritage Pass used it here and at Ceide Fields and Muckross Castle
6:40 lvg Shannon Bridge.
7:30 arrive Woodfield
Dinner at Woodfield. Keith showed me his family scrapbook – family tree thru his mother to the 1700s.
Toured the house – portrait of his great uncle & aunt – last farmers & large land owners – Dishi Ansby – blue willow – was this great aunt who also had the house enlarged.
Library filled with books some in Latin 1600s – vellum binding.
Keith’s library is in their upstairs sitting room. They live as they did in 1983 when Mame & I visited and his brother Adam lived in the front part. Keith’s mother (in surprize) inherited Woodfield from her uncle (Keith’s great uncle’s above). They retired here, Adam retired here, Keith retired here – they call in “The retirement home”