Green Green Grass...

Ireland is SO green!  I am reminded that the reason it’s green is that it’s also pretty wet – clouded skies and “soft” weather.

Martin and Eileen live just east of Macroom, about 40k east of Cork

When they planned their move, they originally hoped for something on the coast, but decided instead that as long as they had water nearby, they would be happy.  They’re just north of Lough Allua, and the house lies up on the hillside, framed in trees, with a little river on the lower boundary. It was built almost 20 years ago, but they discovered that with appears to be typical Irish style, the builder got permission for specific plans, and then went ahead and did his own thing – so there are windows where the plans call for doors and vice versa, the septic tank site was changed in order to have a pond, and a shed built over the re-sited tank. Martin is now working on getting retroactive permissions, as well as relocating the said septic tank!

The river runs shallow at the bottom of the garden

The name of the house means “Land of the Robins” and the place is full of birdlife – there is a constant procession of chaffinches and other small birds to the feeding stations outside the living room windows; a family of magpies clowns around, and a heron makes regular frog-hunting visits to the pond. Martin tells me they have deer, rabbits and hares, and they saw pine-martens last week. They’re planning on keeping chickens as they did in Cromford, but will probably have to give them a secure run to be safe from the raiders. Pine martens are a protected species, having been hunted into near-extinction. Like other mustelids, they are keen hunters!

The Land of the Robins

The house is basically one-level, since both Martin and Eileen have degrees of disability; all the living space and three bedrooms on the ground floor and an enormous attic upstairs that Martin is planning on subdividing and furnishing. Currently second son Michael is living with them, having had his landlord announce a 50% increase in rent. Michael is a skilled musician, playing a number of instruments, but mostly flute and pipes; he has established a decent living for himself as part of a number of ensembles, and plays locally and on tour – the next one will be in Germany in the fall.

Bantry harbour

The first full day remained pretty overcast, with a lot of what the Irish call “soft” weather – not really rain, but not dry.  M&E had to go to Bantry for appointments, and I went with them and took the opportunity for a good walk – first around the town, and then out along the harbour edge to the ferry terminal to Whiddy Island. It was very blowy – when planning the move, Martin said they’d thought about the south-west coast, and in fact they stayed with Michael there while the house was being got ready, and were thankful to have settled in a more sheltered spot. We’ll be back in Bantry for market day on Friday, but there’s also a chamber music festival going on, and I need to sit down with the program and make some choices!

Bantry, from across the harbour

We met up for coffee in town, and then headed back east again, diverting to Gougane Barra, where we stopped for lunch. Gougane Barra is a valley with a lake at the head of the River Lee; there’s an island on the lake with hermitage ruins from the 17th century, and a 19th century oratory which is a popular place for wedding pictures. They’d have to be small weddings – I don’t think the building would hold more than 40 people!  The setting is quite beautiful – the ruins have Stations of the Cross around the walls, and it’s very peaceful (unless there’s a wedding!). Michael says he’s played there 

The wedding chapel on the lake

Hermitage ruins, Gougane Barra

The Lake, from Gougane Barra oratory

We got back home in the rain and split up, each to do our own thing...  when it cleared a bit, I took the chance to wander outside briefly, investigate the garden and get some pics.  Supper was followed by an evening of craic – it always takes no time at all to feel at home with Martin & Eileen.