Ireland day 1535. Thursday 11 December 2025- Callan

Today’s summary	Spent the morning on the phone complaining to a firm that owes me a considerable sum of money. Then after reading the gas meter and having a late breakfast we took the train to Connolly and then Maynooth. Had hoped to visit the Carton House Demesne but it was pouring with rain so went to the Pontifical University to look at the National Science Museum instead. Val managed to negotiate entry and we had a look at the fascinating electrical exhibits about Nicholas Callan in the 1840s. Trains back to Malahide then Kerrigans and TV in the evening.
Today’s weather	Dry in the morning but then heavy rain all afternoon until mid evening. Moderate southerly wind. Appx 11c

Today’s overview location (The blue mark shows the location of our route)		Close-up location (The blue line shows where we walked) (Click button below to download GPX of today’s walk as recorded, or see interactive map at bottom with elevations corrected): National Science Museum Maynooth

Commentary

Today could have been a washout – both figuratively and literally – but it wasn’t. Actually it turned out to be an unexpectedly good day.

But before the good bit – there had to be a stressful bit. Today that took the form of a challenging morning on the phone arguing with a company that owes us quite a lot of money. I’m not sure I actually got anywhere but at did feel better for threatening them with an official complaint if they didn’t get their act together.

After that, I read the gas meter then we relaxed over a late breakfast of yogurt and toast, then planned the afternoon. A couple of weeks ago I had been in Maynooth with the Walking Club and we had gone past the entrance to Carton House and Demesne. I had never been in there but thought it would be worth a visit. I was feeling a bit better today after last week’s flu – but still a bit tired and weak. Nevertheless I wanted to get out and about so Val and I decided we would make use of my free travel card and take the train out to Maynooth and go and go and see what carton had to offer.

It took about an hour to get there, on trains via Connolly. But when we arrived in Maynooth it was absolutely tipping down. Neither of us particularly wanted to get wet and then to have to sit in soaking clothes all the way back to Malahide afterwards.

So we did a quick bit of googling and thought that the National Science Museum, in the Pontifical University, might we worth a visit as a plan B. So we squelched our way over there to discover an unprepossessing grey hut (apparently it used to be a sports hall and gymnasium) which was predictably closed.

At this point I was all for giving up and getting the next train back. But Val was made of sterner stuff and after a bit more googling found a contact and emailed someone to come and open up the museum for us. We went off and had a look round the Pontifical University while we waited to see if she got a reply. Neither of us had much hope of hearing anything but to our surprise and delight, a few minutes later Val’s phone rang. It was Prof Neil Trappe, head of Maynooth University physics department, and he agreed to come over and open up the museum, just for us.

A few minutes later, we all rendesvoused at the museum and not only did Prof Trappe open it up for us, he also gave us a personal guided tour.

The museum is quite small, but it’s nicely presented and very interesting. It mostly highlights scientific equipment belonging to Nicholas Trappe. He was a priest in the mid 19th century but he was sole heir to a sizeable inheritance so he was able to indulge his passion for scientific experimentation alongside religion.

His main interest was in electricity, and in particular the use of induction coils to create high voltage electricity. He pioneered the technique to generate one of the highest voltages – 600kV – anywhere in the world at the time. All in the 1840s, right in the middle of the National Famine. It was a real gem and Prof Trappe was an excellent curator and guide.

We only stayed a short while, as the Prof had just fitted us in between teaching commitments, but it was enough to have a good look round and to learn a lot about the erstwhile Nicholas Trappe.

When we finished, it was getting dark and still raining. So we didn’t hang around but made our way straight back to the station for the journey to Malahide. Our train departed after only a couple of minutes’ wait. Then at Connolly we got a nonstop Malahide diesel after an equally short wait. Both journeys were very busy, but it was slick and quick.

We were soon back in the flat, warm and dry again while it carried on raining for another couple of hours outside. For dinner, Val rustled up a nice tasty Kerrigans stir fry (the one we were supposed to have yesterday but never actually got round to eating as we were still full from lunch). We rounded things off with a bit of TV – where would be without Netflix??

So today was far from a washout – in fact it was the exact opposite. And all down to Val’s determined efforts to track down the museum curator on a miserable December afternoon in Maynooth. Well done Val!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Soggy but not miserable! On the bridge over the Royal Canal, outside Maynooth rail station	Inside St Patrick’s College, Maynooth

I have to be honest – it’s good but perhaps not quite as grand as the sign might suggest	All you ever wanted to know about the scientist-priest Nicholas Callan

General overview of the museum	A giant spectrometer – of the type developed by Bunsen (of Bunsen Burner fame) to analyse trace elements in specimens burned at high temperatures, which causes them to emit diagnostic coloured flame

Just visible in the background – the three large disks form Callan’s 600kV induction coil. It contains 42km of wire