vanishing ireland

Back from the land of Ire. A Honeymoon sweet, and adventure no small feat. Well, we didn't really do anything too spectacular, but we did happen to spend time in a most enjoyable place, and were able to see tons of beautiful landscapes. It wasn't all leprechauns and rainbows, rather, there were mostly just buckets of gold laying around everywhere. But as soon as you approached them they disappeared. After being detoxed for food poisoning on the plane which caused these apparent hallucinations of typical Irish lore, i had a pretty good time. Halfway thought the trip I remembered my name and then I was allowed to drink as a way of celebrating remembering who I was. Sure my newly wedded wife was missing in action, but should that really damper an occasion as auspicious as a honeymoon? I think not.

Anyway it was a really great trip, we explored the area of County Cork in the first week, hitting up places of such exotic names as Baltimore among others. We stayed in a small fishing village called Union Hall or Breantre in Irish for the beginning. We went out and about in Cork just about daily with our little left side of the road wheeling car, to see fields of green, magnificent waterways (some still and calm, some huge expansive and powerful), tiny flowers sprouting frm here and there, stone walls so organic looking that the landscape would be hard to imagine with out them. Well I could imagine the land without them-it would just grassy, and the rocks would be scattered around under the ground. But I really liked the walls. Sometimes they would make nice patterns on a hillside or distant field, like a homemade quilt, showing care and tenderness, as well as color and life, with a story weaved into the creation, sometimes destruction, then rebuilding.

I guess there are a lot of people who go to see where their relatives once lived. Irish diaspora makes the land one of longing for many lives of a foreign born person to Ireland. I found most people had a hint of disdain or annoyance in their voice when asking about the heritage we may be seeking. Some were nice and sincerely helpful though. I guess people get tired of hearing about that stuff. I never brought it up with anyone, except when I was looking at those coasters with the heritage emblems in the store. I think that is an appropriate place to ask. I mean, we all don't get a chance to research every detail of our family history, and even if we tried it would sometimes be impossible to find out some things. But we were on our honeymoon, not looking after geneology. But having the knowledge of a couple names we did go to Joyce Country in Co. Mayo, and on our way there learned from a nice lady that I may have some relations from Cork as well. The puzzle is never finished, but it was interesting to hear that one side of my family was Norman and so I guess invaded Ireland while the other was probably there living for awhile.

Some places we went- Timoleague, Mizen Head, Glandore, Skibbereen, Drombeg Circle, Seven Heads Peninsula, Kilarney Nat. Park, Bantry, County Clare's Kilfenora, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, Cliffs of Moher, Shannon Estuary ferry, Connemara, Recess, Maum, Cong, Westport in Mayo, up to Balnamore in N. Ireland near Balleymoney, Giant's Causeway, WhiteRock beach, some other beautiful places....

the quaint little towns, friendly people, time we got to spend together, made it all wonderful. The misty mountain air, drizzles near sea coast drives, sun beams from on high, breezes for cooling an overheated soul. twas all fantastic. memories galore we have. memories galore.

they won't disappear when we approach them, we hope.

ireland was unbelievable rural in all its newfound wealth. Among even the larger towns there was a connection to the land and proper consciousness to maintain natural resources and support small farmers and to in general care for the earth. On maps the towns looked large, but when we arrived, a simple drive round the roundabout would have us out in a few minutes. It was refreshing to see. And to feel...

haven't even mentioned the food- delicious, no doubt in part to the great farming here. not as impressed with the potatoes as much as i thought i would be, but the fish and meat were great. bangers and mash and fish and chips were our first meals.....