White O'Morn Cottage

Anyone for Tealights?

Fine bone china teacups look great with a tealight inside as the candlelight glows beautifully through the china . I found these three tiny ones in a thrift shop and, well - they had roses on them, so home they had to come with me. Cute as a button!

Mother's Day 2nd March

This Sunday 2nd March is Mothering Sunday for us here in Ireland and UK. Here are some gifts I got for my mam ... Love ya' Mam (we don't say Mum or Mom but Mam or Mammy)

A cosy pair of slippers, a campanula plant in planter that says "I love my mam" and a framed print of our family.

The glare of the flash put Mam out of the picture but I have uploaded a full version of it too. Which is me? That's me sitting on the floor with dark hair. Pic shows from left to right top to bottom: Teeda and Catherine, Marie and Willa, Pam and Angie.  It was taken last Christmas on a rare occassion when we were all together.

Bell Book & Candle

I kept going back to this photo of a pretty little vignette I have on the cottage mantlepiece and thinking..."something's missing....." Then it clicked!  A bell of course.

I will add a little Wedgewood bone china bell that I have tucked away somewhere and then I can call it "Bell, Book and Candle"

Update: I found the little bell. The design is called Runnymeade. It was missing its clanger so I threaded a pink satin ribbon and hung a tiny gilt ballerina pin and it makes a lovely musical tinkle as she dances now!

Craft Idea - Julia's Letter

A couple of years ago I received a lovely letter written on hand made paper from a German friend of mine who used to live with us in Dublin. It was so beautiful I decided to frame it and display it on the wall.

Being two pages I needed two frames. It turned out great and I often re-read it with pleasure and fond memories of Julia. I have included a close up to give you an idea of the flavour of it. Here is a photo of Julia when she came to visit us. Also in photo are Pretty and Holly

The Quiet Man Film 1952

The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. This has long been my favourite film. I know the dialogue off by haert  and quote it often! I dreamed for many years of owning a little house just like the one in this film. When I did finally get one I had to call it "White O'Morn"

It has the very same layout as the one in the film and I have set about decorating it as closely as possible and added an emerald green half door.

I have an original book called Green Rushes by Maurice Walsh and this is the book that the screenplay was adapted from. Also in my collection is the Guide to the Quiet Man that examines the film in detail. My sister bought me a tin advertisement poster and of course, I have a copy of it on dvd.

I visited Cong, in County Galway (or is it Mayo?) to visit the locations. Some of these have not changed in all these years. Pat Cohan's is now a pub just like in the film and Rev. Playfair's gingerbread house is still the same.

If you want a good night in with a great old film I can recommend this one. Treat yourself for St Patrick's Day!

I love you frogever today ...for my Paul

That's me on the left and him on the right.  'Nuff said.

White O'Morn Cottage History

White O'Morn Cottage was built in the mid 1800's by the Duignan family. They were weavers and to this day the cottage is referred to as the "Weaver Duignans"  The weaving room is now the kitchen, seen here to the right of the entrance door.

It stayed in the Duignan family until we bought it two years ago. The family called it Curraghnabania and we renamed it White O'Morn Cottage.

The mirror in the picture was altered by me to mark the transition of the house from the Duignan's to the Flynns. I painted it pale blue and then using a fine Tippex pen wrote (It's hard to read in photo) "Flynn's" across the top,"White O'Morn" down the right hand side, "Curraghnabania down the left hand side and "Duignan's " across the bottom. I finished it off with some tiny dried flowers in the bottom right hand corner.

The last Duignan to be born there (now a grown man) knocked on the door one day to introduce himself and we became fast friends with him and his family. We also had the honour of meeting his mother, who was the last "Ban an Tí" (Woman of the House) They are delighted with how their old home is looking and know that they are welcome there anytime.

This photo shows Michael (the last Duignan to be born in the cottage) my lovely husband, Paul and Michael's mother, Anna (the last Duignan to occupy the house) Anna now lives in the nearby town close to her family. The beautiful young girl in the photo behind them is Fiona Duignan, daughter of Michael and Helen Duignan, who sadly passed away a few years ago aged twelve.

Grandma's Chandy

I was browsing Jayne's blog Country Cottage Chic when to my surprise I came across a post that had the same vintage chandelier that I have. Mine used to belong to my granny in the fifties and then my mam used it for years and she passed it on to me.  I just love it. It is in the living room of the cottage. Mine does not have the lovely little pink flowers but otherwise I'd say they were identical.  I will post a comment on her blog...Great minds think alike!

Now if I could just figure out how to create a link to it...

St Patrick's Day - Shamrocks Everywhere!

Happy St Patrick's Day! Being Irish I love, love, love the tiny green shamrock symbol. If I see it on anything I have to buy it! (even if I don't like the item) The one pictured on the left  is on the base of a pretty little candle holder that I found in a charity (thrift) shop.

I do, of course, love THIS item.

Another one, this time on a vintage cottage tureen. Yup! I love it too.

...and another one... A pretty Irish Angel with gold wings. Yes, love it.

                        

...and I love this too - an Irish glass jar engraved with a harp and shamrocks.

And here are some of my favourite Paddy's Day photos I took last year on the big day. From left to right: The emerald green split half door of my cottage, wild flowers growing in the meadow, wild primroses that grow along the ditches, an old tree stump with mosses and primroses, not sure of the name of the white flowers that grow straight from the twigs on this tree in the ditch...and my three yorkies get into the spirit of the day wearing the Irish national colours of green white and gold!

Wishing a very happy St Patrick's Day or "Beannachtaí le Feile Padraig" to Teeda and Joe and family in Black Diamond, Calgary, Canada and also to Aunt Sally, Robert, Denise, Martin, Stephen and David Savage and all their family members in Calgary and Vancouver, Canada. Best wishes, love and hugs from Marie, Willie and all your family in Dublin, Ireland

I have recently added a Vintage Home Accessories to my website and stocked it with some lovely little pieces. Shipping is free!  Please feel free to browse. The url is www.vintageretrolingerie.com

Before and After Cottage Photos

White O'Morn Cottage living room before...                                     ...and after -

I just love before and after pictures so I made sure to document all the rooms before any work was carried out.

This was both a labour of love and an exercise in recycling, lifecycling and re-purposing. Only new item in the room is the paint on the walls!

I love to sit here in the evenings watching my favourite film The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Their cottage in the film lends its name to ours...White O'Morn. It was filmed nearby in Cong county Mayo, Ireland and many of the original settings are still to be found there. Alas the actual White O'Morn cottage is gone but there is an exact replica in the town of Cong. Well worth a visit for any fan of this wonderful film.