Pictures of Locales in Quenchless Fire

The setting for Quenchless Fire is Kilcolgan, a village on the west coast of Ireland approximately twenty miles from Galway City.  In the story, Louise, Marianne, JoAnn, and Betty stay at Claddagh Cottage, visit Raftery's Pub frequently (especially when the World Cup Soccer Games are being televised), and take side trips to various tourist sites.  The co-authors (Lois Lawrence and Virginia Oliver) and friends spent a month at Claddagh Cottage enjoying the adventures depicted in the novel.  Although the characters in the book are fictitious, they are composites of real friends and inhabitants of this general area.

Claddagh Cottage Courtyard

The June flowers and the benches and tables create a restful spot for afternoon tea.  What appears as a stone wall in the top of the picture is actually the back wall of the ruins of two cottages.  In the story, Marianne writes: 

"You'll love this cottage.  It's modern with dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and even central heat.  Of course, there is an open fire in the sitting-dining room that burns peat.  I think the house was completely remodeled just ten years ago, but on the same property just across the garden are the ruins of two cottages that have been there since the seventeenth century.  They certainly add to the romantic setting!  Even though we'll be isolated somewhat, the owner lives next door."

The road running alongside of the cottage is where Eileen Carraway (the ninety year old matriarch of the village) takes her walk every day.  Not visible in this picture, but on the right about ten feet from the gate is the inlet from Galway Bay.

The Mystique of Ireland's Landscape

"The rolling green hills became flat plains with slight indentations, more properly call cluain, a meadow with a glen.  As they traveled the side road, the scenery changed in sharpness and in time.  Louise became aware of the mist that shifted the vista into a slow-motion mode and blurred the road ahead.  Through the heavy stand of trees the road became a tunnel beneath the arched tree branches.  The other two women gradually stopped chatting as the vehicle exited bright sunlight, passed through misty orangeness, and emerged again into the golden glitter of sun.  Without speaking, the three women, as one, seemed to sense the sensation that surely some of the Little People must live near these arches, and they, the strangers, had just passed through the church of the fairies."

Friends enjoyed the serenity of a soft pink and lavender sunset over the waterway behind Claddagh Cottage.  In June, the light seldom faded before 10 o'clock in the evening.
 

A Visit to Raftery's Pub

On the road to Raftery's Pub, a familiar sign reminds all motorists of the dangers of the narrow road alongside the waterway.

Lois, Virginia, and friend enter Raftery's Rest, where the fish and chips are delicious and the entertainment superb.

In a cozy booth, (left to right) Virginia Oliver, Lois Lawrence, Kay Bryan and Katie Statler enjoy the food and music, but no stout!

At the bar, a typical Irishman awaits his serving of stout, while March Oliver (Virginia's husband) looks on.

Attired in his signature red blazer, Terry Wilson entertains the ladies with Irish folksongs and warm hospitality.

Louise & Marianne visit Kilcolman Castle

"Well, can you beat that!"  Marianne faced her companion.  "this is the driveway into the Kilcolman Wildfowl Refuge.  NO ENTRY PERMITTED."

"I'm certain this is the right place because I read in a guide book that Spenser's castle was in the center of a 3,000-acre estate which now contains the Wildlife Preserve as well as the 'rushy lake' that Spenser had described in his marriage poem, Epithalamion."

Unable to gain access to the grounds of Edmund Spenser's castle, Lois and Virginia wade through knee-high golden wheat, wildflowers, and weeds to another gate.  The ruins of Spenser's Kilcolman Castle are barely visible in the background.

In the distance, cattle were grazing in a parallel field blocked off by an thin wire fence.  Louise stopped long enough to assess the situation.  She soon realized that they were going to run into difficulty.

"Marianne, hold up will you.  We're in trouble.  We're blocked in by that fence."

Marianne was thirty yards away waving frantically.  "There it is!  Behind those trees.  I can see the tower."

Soon Louise, too, saw the outline of a half-crumbling tower and an arch.  By the condition of the remains, the castle could have belonged to a much earlier period than sixteenth-century Ireland.

Marianne rushed ahead to the final barrier.  "Now, all we have to do is climb this fence and then we can get closer to this famous landmark."

"Stop!  Stop!  Marianne, don't touch that fence!"  Louise started running.  She had spotted something that Marianne evidently had not.  "That thing is electrified!  You'll get electrocuted!"

Marianne halted, surveyed the situation, then proceeded.  "We can't let that minor difficulty stop us.  See, the bottom wire is at least two feet from the ground.  I'll scoot under on my back and if I'm not harmed, you can come after me."

Louise muttered, "Well, I've heard of being aggressive,, but this is ridiculous.  I can't let you go in there by yourself.  If you don't get shocked, you'll surely get shot!"

Climbing Under the Fence
Virginia Oliver scoots under the wire at Kilcolman Castle, safely escaping the dangers of an electrified fence.