Enniskillen

The Golden Apples Of Lough Erne

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In the myth of the Golden Apples Of Lough Erne (Yeats), Conn-Eda is given a seemingly impossible quest by his step-mother: to bring back three golden apples, a horse, and a hound in the possession of the king of the Fir Bolg, who lives in Lough Erne.

Little does he know that the horse that accompanies him on his adventures is the king’s brother, who has been bewitched, but who is released by self-sacrifice and Conn-Eda’s compassion, thus securing his success with the king. Conn-Eda returns riding the steed, leading the dog, and carrying the three golden apples from the king’s crystal tree.

This interpretation of Conn-Eda’s triumphant return is by Kevin McHugh (web), with support from Enniskillen BID (web), in Forthill Street, Enniskillen.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Remind Me To Bring A Bit Of Rope Tomorrow

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Samuel Beckett falls prey to the eternal optimism of the instragrammed mind. The quote – “Tomorrow everything will be better” –is from Act 1 of Waiting For Godot.

Street art by Karl Fenz (web) in Wellington Road, Enniskillen; Beckett attended Portora Royal public school (WP).

See also: I Can’t Go On. I’ll Go On.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Inıs Ceıthleann

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The town of Enniskillen – “Inıs Ceıthleann” in Irish – is named, according to a (modern) myth, for the (ancient) Cethlenn of the Fomorians, who attempted to escape a battle by swimming the Erne and made it to the island in the middle.

This street-art interpretation is by emic (web) on the back of Magee’s Bar on East Bridge Street, Enniskillen. It is perhaps inspired by the epithet “chraos-fhıaclach” or “gap-toothed”.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Gáıre Ár bPáıstí

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Here are three pieces from the Drumcor Hill area of Enniskillen.

Above, “Enniskillen remembers the hunger strikers” – for the fortieth anniversary of the 1981 strike, against a background of sunburst and starry plough, in Loughview Drive.

Below, the emblem of Gaeıl Inıs Ceıthleann/Enniskillen Gaels (web) on the wall outside their home field of Brewster Park.

Finally, a memorial stone to Bobby Sands in Erne Drive. The inscription on the stone reads, “‘Is naofa ıad sıud sa fhulaıngíonn ocras ar son na córa.’ [= Holy are those who suffer hunger for the sake of justice/”Blessed are those who hunger for justice”] I ndíl [ndıl] chuımnhe ar Óglach Bobby Sands, feısıre [= M.P.] Fhearmanach-Thír Eoghaın Theas, a d’éag 5 Bealtaıne 1981 ın aoıs 27 ı ndıaıdh 66 lá ar staıle [staılc] ocraıs ar son stádas polaıtıúıl a chomhchımí agus saoırse na hÉıreann. I measc laochra na nGael go raıbh a anam uasal. ‘Is í gáıre ár bpáıstí an díoltas a bheas agaınn'”

For an alternative translation of Sands’s quote “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children”, see The Spirit Of Freedom in the Peter Moloney collection.

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Stairway To Heaven

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The Cuilcagh Boardwalk is a 2.8-mile trail that ends in stairs that climb to the top of Cuilcagh Mountain [Binn Chuilceach, chalky mountain] and the views it offers of the surrounding territory – hence the name “Stairway To Heaven”. The distance from boggy plain to chalky pinnacle is 700m – and eight million years of geological history (Cuilcagh Geopark). Then you walk back the same way (Walk NI).

Work by Friz (ig) in Wickham Place, Enniskillen, at the Belmore motel.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Cooking With Gas

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AC-12 is based in the West Midlands of England but headed by former RUC-man Ted Hastings, who is famous for his Northern Irishisms, including “Now we’re suckin’ diesel”. (For “I didn’t float up the Lagan in a bubble”, see Mother Of God.) The Line Of Duty character is played by local Enniskillen actor Adrian Dunbar.

By Karl Fenton and Danni Simpson in Church Lane, Enniskillen.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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