Today was a full and fun day, from a chilly dip at a remote pristine beach to a conflagration that would provide considerable warmth, both physical and human. When we happened on a remote, beautiful, unspoiled beach at the end of Achill Island, we both said that this was how we had imagined Ireland... blankets of green covering the mountains from their peaks down to the rugged, rocky shores of the water.
Being about the only game in town, the buzz on Achill Island was definitely at The Beehive. We stopped there for coffee when we got on the island, and again for dinner on our way off...
Throughout most of rural Ireland, the narrow roads are shared with sheep. As if driving here wasn't already enough of a challenge! But, seldom in a hurry, we rather enjoyed it.
We enjoyed some country time walking around this long-ago deserted village. There were few tourists... mostly just us and the sheep. There was also a really old cemetary, a B&B with a couple of dogs, and lots of flowers... what's not to like.
Then off to the other end of Achill Island where we happened on this idyllic little beach. The road was even narrower than most, no shoulder, sheep on the road, precipitous drops to the rocks below... but very much worth the nail-biting. There were remarkably few people on a rare, cloudless, and beautiful day, and no facilities of any kind. We hadn't thought to bring swim suits, but Jan wasn't to be denied a dip in the rather frigid waters.
There were a few snorkelers around the bend, and a couple of children running in and out of the water but, other than that, Jan had it pretty much to herself. Other than this seal which she didn't realize at the time was about a hundred feet from her.
The bonfire was a special experience. No other tourists, just the locals with this local tradition. St John's Eve was a pagan holiday, way back in the day. It was a celebration to mark the end of winter and welcome a new season of planting and harvest. The tradition was that you throw a rock in the fire and make a wish. Each little community has it's own bonfire and, seeing some smoke on our drive back from Achill Island, we were afraid we had missed the Lecanvey bonfire. We actually made it just in time. After we took these pics from up on the pier, we went down and joined the folks around the fire. They shared their Smores with us, and one woman told us all about the history of our anchor, Staunton's Pub.
But please don't throw a stone at your computer!
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