Category: Take a Trip

Good Craic

The Doolin Folk Festival is a highlight on the Irish music calendar and I was lucky enough to be here. The atmosphere in this old rural- seaside town was buzzing with Irish music fans and the Barn at the Hotel Doolin was packed with happy people. On the first night, The Fiddle Case with special guest Luka Bloom, was the highlight. Every one of those guys could play their instrument and sing, sad songs and bright jigs, brilliantly. The next night, Mary Coughlan rocked the stage with her big, bouncy character and bold voice. Three lovely Aussie ladies, The Maes, showed off their talent with multiple string instruments and strong voices, the next night. The whole event was well worth the trip and Doolin itself is a great place to see some other Irish highlights.

The Aran Islands are only a ferry ride away. I braved the huge swell for twenty minutes to visit the closest island, Inisheer. This island was settled back in the 1500’s and is small enough to explore in a day. Ancient, slate dry-walls border the laneways and make compartments of paddocks. Horses poke their noses over the walls for a pat while cows look on. Tourists get around either by horse and cart, bikes or on foot like me. There’s a shipwreck and lighthouse to reach and, apparently, a seal colony on a large rock platform. I didn’t see any seals. They must have been at work, fishing. The café I went to was run by a very International, young couple that were enthusiastic and served modern food like walnut bread and carrot and ginger soup. Both delicious. An Irish/Red Setter practically sat on my lap on the boat trip back, which was a welcome diversion from the wild sea.

You also get to see the Cliffs of Moher from Doolin. These cliffs are striking, the sheer drop and height making you feel quite vulnerable; health and safety hasn’t caught on here. One area is safe and paved and the other is a muddy, slippery, puddle-filled track along the edge. This way is, of course, the best way. The view is stunning but you want to be careful taking that special photo.

So if you can get to Doolin in June and time it with the festival, it’s good craic!

 

First day in Ireland

I’ve travelled to Ireland to immerse myself in Irish contemporary life: the culture, climate, feeling of place and rhythm of the people. The novel I’m writing has only a small section of it set in Ireland but for it to be authentic, and for my Irish-born, Australian character to be authentic, I had to come and feel it, see it, smell it, hear it. I hope that I can absorb enough of it to pass on the detail in my story.

So today, I’m filling the creative well. I went to The Portrait Gallery in the National Gallery of Ireland to see the portrait of  Graham Norton (Irish broadcaster, comedian, actor and writer) painted by the winner of Sky’s Portrait Artist of the Year last year, Gareth Reid. I enjoyed watching this art competition so much I just had to follow up. I was secretly hoping the artist might be there too as I’m slightly in love with him (those dreamy artist eyes and all that Irish talent).

I thought a bit of history and architecture might help too, so I checked out the Christ Church Cathedral. Wow, there’s an amazing amount of royal history there, which I won’t go into but did you know that Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus was first performed here back in 1741, or thereabouts, by the top choir in the land? I felt like I was really touching history with this fact as I could imagine the emotional charge in the sound of all those voices and the organ filling the vast space.

The rest of the day was pretty much a walk in the park and along the busy streets full of cafes, pubs and boutiques. The city of Dublin is a thriving modern hub set in predominantly old buildings with short doorways. It’s city of charm and character.

Stepping Out

I’m lucky enough to call coastal Sydney, Australia, home. There are few cities in the world as lovely – so I’ve heard.

My daily experience involves a walk along the cliffs and beach promenades.

The ocean spray can be cold, salty and wet. A summer north-easterly wind can cool the hottest of days. A cold front of thick grey clouds, thunder and chilly wind from the south will send most people running indoors, but I love a good storm. The ocean can be dark, blue-grey topped with messy white splashes obscuring what’s beneath the surface. Or, on the perfect days, when there’s only a light, sea-breeze, the waves roll gently, the clear aqua-green revealing the sand, seaweed or perhaps, dolphins, beneath.

I never tire of this experience. On the warm days when the water temperature is 21-24 degrees, I make time to swim. It makes me feel alert, fresh and appreciative – alive! Diving into the sea is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Walking along the beach in my cossie, relishing the sun, the sound of the waves and the wet sand under my feet, benefits my soul.

The sea is one aspect of Sydney that makes it great. There are many others but I’ll share them another time.