I moved from Dublin to Trim in county Meath for a few days this Christmas [2022].
Trim is a town in County Meath, Ireland. It is situated on the River Boyne and has a population of 9,194. The town is noted for Trim Castle – the largest Norman castle in Ireland. One of the two cathedrals of the United Dioceses of Meath and Kildare — St Patrick’s cathedral — is located north of the river.
One task that I had was to visit Bective Abbey which is close to the town of Trim and I managed to do so this morning because of a break in the weather.
Bective Abbey is a Cistercian abbey on the River Boyne in Bective, County Meath, Ireland.
The abbey was founded in 1147, and the remaining (well-preserved) structure and ruins primarily date to the 15th century. The site, including a nearby car park, were purchased by the state in 2012, and are managed by the Office of Public Works. The abbey, including its early 13th century church, 15th century cloister, and 16th century tower, is a protected structure and recorded on the register of National monuments of Ireland.
The abbey was founded in 1147 by Murchad O’Maeil-Sheachlainn, as a ‘daughter house’ of Mellifont Abbey. The abbey and its estate lands were confiscated during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s, before being rented to Thomas Asgarde, and later purchased by Andrew Wyse in 1552. Around this time the estate lands were surveyed, and recorded at 1580 acres.
The site was taken into state care, and named a protected structure and National Monument. Bective Abbey was subject to a number of excavations in the early 21st century, and made more accessible to visitors around this time.
There was a story of a golden coffin that had been buried in Bective Abbey. A local man named Andy Gossan knew of its whereabouts, passing this information on to his elderly sister, Ann, on his deathbed. She in turn told the parish priest of Kilmessan, Fr. Morrissey, who took the secret to his grave, when he died in 1927, aged 86. This story was recorded by a schoolgirl, Rosie Connell in 1938.
Perfect Roast Potatoes The most important thing to remember for perfect potatoes is not to roast them too long in advance as they lose their crunch if you keep them waiting. Start by par-boiling the peeled potatoes for 6-8 minutes. Drain well and leave to dry out in the saucepan for a few minutes.
Heat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200C (400F)
Heat some olive oil in a roasting pan. Shake the potatoes around in the saucepan to roughen up the edges – this will give you nice crispy bits when they are cooked. Then add them to the hot oil in the roasting pan. Cook for 30-40 minutes.
Braised Celery Wash and trim the celery stalks and cut into strips approx. 4cm long. Place in a saucepan with a knob of butter and salt and pepper. Barely cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Drain well and serve.
Mashed Potatoes Simmer peeled potatoes until just soft. Drain and keep warm. Heat a little milk with a generous knob of butter. Beat it into the potatoes along with some chopped parsley, until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Season well.
Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Red Onions Heat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200C (400F).
Chop the carrots, parsnips and red onion into cubes. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread them out in a single layer on a roasting pan and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender.
Brussel Sprouts Trim the sprouts and place in a saucepan of boiling water with a little salt. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes depending on the size of the sprouts. While they are cooking, brown some diced bacon in a little olive oil.
Drain the sprouts well, then toss them in the pan with the cooked bacon. Season with black pepper and serve.
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