Louisburgh 22 - 26 June 2007

On Friday June 22 I flew from Manchester to Knock. Marian picked me up and we drove to Marian's parents' house at Louisburgh. Tom and Dympna, Marian's parents, were very kind hosts and gave me a warm welcome. I also met Marian's sister, Clair, her husband Phillip and their two children Thomas (4) and Maria (18 months), who live a mile or so down the road from Tom and Dympna.

Thomas likes nothing better than getting into his wellies and helping his Dad with jobs outside:

Maria is very sweet and friendly, even to strangers from New Zealand with funny accents:

Here are Claire, Thomas and Maria, at their home:

Tom and Dympna's house is only a short walk from the beach, called Old Head. There is a jetty there, and when the tide is far enough in you can jump off the jetty into the "bracing" waters of the Atlantic. Dympna swims every morning rain or shine (mostly rain though). I wasn't as dedicated as Dympna but did go for a few morning dips. Very good for clearing the head.

Some scenes from Louisburgh:

Irish Famine Memorial, Murrisk (near Westport)

On Monday Marian and I drove to the north Mayo coast to the Ceide Fields, a 5,000 year old stone age site, reknown as the most extensive stone age monument in the world.

We also visited the nearby Downpatrick Head, a specatular headland with steep cliffs (carefully crawling on all fours to the edge to peer over).