under another sun

Up and clear headed to take a business call at 10:00 this morning. Then another day of fog and damp rolling in from the sea. The cloud was a touch higher today, however, so when we were at sea level down in Doolin past O'Connors and the little river that rushes by it, down to the sea we had an inspiring view of the cliffs, with great Atlantic waves breaking against them. Climb up a few dozen metres and we were in the cloud again. John drove us around lots today, along the coastal road, which is such a weird science fictional place, with the sheets and curves of the limestone rock curving into a wild misty grey sea. Stolid cattle finding scraps to eat here and there, and farmers driving out to see them in jeeps. Along the coast, past tiny broken stone fishermen's cottages, through some villages and we stopped for a drink in a pub by a little harbour. Then we went off to visit Yeats' Tower, Thoor Ballylee, we were the only people there for some of the time. Yeats wrote ab...

A mysterious foggy day in County Clare. John and I drove to the nearby town, Ennistimon, to buy breakfast and food for the day. John pointing out an undertakers which also has a bar in it, which was rather marvellous and made me want to visit it. He drove us down narrow country roads with fields woods and a general Tolkeinesque fog on the barrow downs feel to it. There is a local claim that the Lord of The Rings was inspired by the nearby landscape . I'm certain Tolkien would have loved the landscape here. But the dates don't add up. He had already published the Hobbit in the 1930s Home and a lovely big breakfast, and then John drove us off to explore. We drove to a nearby ruined Church, the landscape is marvellously populated with evocative ruins of old stone houses, enormous stately houses, and churches (added atmosphere with the mist). There is a Lahiff family grave, a photo of that below. Also a Sheela na gig holding herself open invitingly above the ruined church door. ...

Up and nipping around the corner to buy breakfast to get the day started. Then a packing frenzy before Lorraine and I drove off to Gatwick. Nice to be back there, though on the Ryanair plane it was not cattle class, more factory farm class. I felt claustrophobic, far from a window, and only the migraine inducing yellow and blue colour scheme to look at. My ears are rubbish, lurching when the plane turns. Poor Lorraine crammed into a middle seat, while I go through the full Woody Allen on the isle seat.  However the price is attractive, and we made it to Dublin safely and in good time. Met by Sue, now sporting a blond cut, and still slim, and were taken outside to climb into a car with John. Then a long drive through Dublin then across the middle of Ireland to the west coast, chatting as we went. John a mine of information about Ireland's history, and also was taught the way to read Irish car number plates, which include the area they came from. Then we arrived at Doolin, having...