StormThoughts

Children of Lir Hike Kilgalligan

This was a special trip with some new and some old friends. We began our journey in Dublin visiting many places associated with James Joyce and Ulysses. Bloom’s day was a treat, breakfast in the Gresham Hotel with the usual dignatories, Lord mayor etc. and excellent excerpts from Ulysses, well performed.
Our second stop was Inishmore in Galway Bay, here we visited Dun Aenghus, meditated on JM Synge’s Play “Riders to the Sea” while on Inishmeann. and enjoyed the tranquility of that island.
Yeats brought us to Sligo where we enjoyed a boat trip on Lough Gill, saw Innisfree, Dooney Rock, Hazel Wood, and climbed Knocknarea, where
“The wind has thrown the thunder on the stones for all that Meave can say”
Our trip was completed with a tour of Kavanagh Country, Inniskeen County Monaghan. We were received royally at the Kavanagh centre, enjoyed seeing
“Billy Brennan’s Barn”
where Kavanagh watched…….
“The bicycles go by in twos and threes”

All along they way we had readings, reflections, discussions, on each author. This was cultural and literary paradise. The fellowship worked well, everybody contributed to the experience. and so a special thank you to everybody who made the journey so enjoyable.

In joyful company we travelled through ancient Ireland. Telling stories, relating anecdotes, touching the elemental stones that compose the earliest settlements. We existed in a mythic realm.
This was a special experience.
From King John’s Castle at Limerick to Dun Aonghasa on the Arann island’s, we walked and talked, climbed hills to view the Bricklieve tombs, or stood in wonder at the Boa island stone. Sceir Court Tomb was for many a private moment to reflect on old ancestors. At Tara we pondered the tale of Diarmuid and Grainne, at Newgrange we saw wonders older still.
In time we could almost read each other’s thoughts, the fellowship deepened, and we were at one with each another and with the land we trod.
Deep spiritual moments ensued as we remembered an old friend, long time Sierra traveller, whose spirit was our guide.
Finally the Geasa lifted and we returned to the world of men, the company parted, carrying with us a little of each other.

Western Greenway Newport to Mulrany return via Achill Spur mountain track

Map your trip with EveryTrail

The Kerry Way December 24 2009

Today we walked from Blackwater bridge to Kenmare, a distance of 14.5 k. This was a nice challenge. Pauline walked with Sinead and myself for part of the way [till Templenoe]. We hiked on through Lacka forest and on to Gortamullin. The views from Gortamullin were excellent, northwards we could see Carrauntoohill wreathed in snow, snow so pure so white looking. Below us we could see the town of Kenmare, nestling at the head of the long sea inlet. The air was calm and cold [minus 3 or 4 centigrade at times] and the waters of the bay were without a ripple. In 2011 Aurora Roberts  and I will walk some or all of this route with the Sierra Club. We enjoyed a pint or two when we reached the journey’s end.

I intend to upload some pictures to google earth and include one or two here

The Monaghan way

Well I certainly enjoyed my visit to Monaghan.  It was an invigorating and on the second day a nostalgic experience for me. Nostalgic because as I walked along the old railway line with my guide/accompanist Thomas Mc Skean.  I was reminded of those many years ago in 1956 when I last travelled along this route by train to Clones.

My immediate and personal reflections on the Monaghan Way is  that it is an satisfying hike with stupendous views across the Drumlin Country that is Monaghan, the secret laneways, Scots Lane, Black Lane, the deserted railway stations and halts like Colleville and Blackstaff halt, stepping across dikes that meant you stepped across an international border, following the river Fane and into Kavanagh country, walking along fields of willow planted to produce wood pellets for wood burning stoves, other fields of corn stalks, tall enough to induce the magic inference from the film “If you build it he will come” all this and more.

The future is bright for the Monaghan Way.  The entire route is walkable, there are no impenetrable thickets. I think that it is a good route and that if the committee can get some extra sections off N roads it will be a very good route. I saw an example of possible rerouting near Blackstaff Halt where an “eighty year old Naturist” is holding up passage through a section of the way. I respect his right to solitude and peace, if only he knew that we walkers also share his love of nature albeit in a slightly different way.  Even the minor grassy and mossy roads were pleasant because of the low hedges and the views across country.

0n Mullyash [the high point of the way] we visited a tomb, a Bronze Age tumulus like Heapstone Cairn that the Miners/historical trail skirts in Roscommon/Sligo/Leitrim. If Thomas Mc Skean was able to find those “Secret Laneways” that we so enjoyed then there must be more of them.  I look forward to many more warm October days on the Monaghan Way.

Finally got back to walking the Bangor Trail again, after some years away from it. Sinead Tommy and I walked 25k from Bangor to the Bothy in Shramore. We hiked it last  Saturday 22nd August. I GPS’d the trip we had a moving average of 4k  and an overall average of 3k. It is still the most challenging hike in Ireland, on a waymarked trail. The trail condition is much as it always was, though now the heather is making a return. This has something to do with the National Park and controlled sheep numbers. Below is a picture taken near Mamarata looking south. weather was ok but not picture taking weather.

looking-south-from-the-oak-tree

This was a great journey of discovery. From June 15th till June 25th we travelled Ireland in search of her best writers. Commencing with James Joyce:

On Blooms Day we relived the journey of Leopold Bloom and other Dubliners, “by swerve of shore and bend of bay”, through the heart of the Hibernian Metropolis.

We then travelled to the Aran islands to see where J M Synge had dipped into the folk customs and traditions to collect  stories and dialects for his great plays.

“I’ll go romancing through a romping lifetime from this hour till the dawning of the Judgment day.”

A world away in Yeats country we strode……

” Where dips the rocky highland

Of Sleuth Wood in the lake”

Finally we explored Kavanagh Country, Inniskeen, County Monaghan…..

There..

“I have lived in important places, times

When great events were decided:”