Our Trip to Ireland, pt 8

On our last day in Ireland, little sweetheart, after we left dear Kilcrohane, beginning our drive back down the coast to Cork City, we made a couple of notable stops. 

Perhaps the most special was dropping in at the shrine in Gougane Barra. It's a beautiful scenic valley and heritage site (like a National Park) in the Shehy Mountains. It's at the source of the River Lee and there's an amazing forest and lake surrounding it. It's a very sacred site, too, with meditation caves the monks used to inhabit in prayer, a beautiful chapel (which is an not infrequent wedding destination!) an ancient graveyard and a beautiful charming inn. You were enraptured by the place and wanted desperately for us to return in the spring and stay there for a night or two. 

After walking all around the island for more than an hour, you made a beeline for the inn and we chatted with the lady at the desk, who gave us some brochures and all the info to make reservations. We had it all planned for next June. Sigh... 

Here you are in the chapel itself where we lit a candle together. How I love you! I'm so glad we got to have this trip together, little sweetheart! 

 

 

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 7

There's a little picnic spot at the mouth of the trail that leads down to the end of the Sheep's Head. We found ourselves down there just as the sun was beginning to set one day and I took this snap of you looking gorgeous, as always, against the amazing Irish sky! 

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 6

If we walked straight out across the field from the little cottage we were renting, little sweetheart, there were rolling hills and a wonderful little hiking path. One warm afternoon we ventured out that way and a little Jack Russell terrier suddenly appeared, befriending us and jogging along in front, turning around periodically to make sure we were following him. We had a private tour guide and a friend for life! He led us to this spot where we took a quick picture!

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 5

The biggest town around is a place called Bantry, little sweetheart. In the height of tourist season it's quite bustling but it's also really lovely when it's rather quiet. 

The best place to eat in town is a charming old pub called The Snug. Kris & I had been there many times and could only ever get a seat at the bar because it was so popular, every last table always taken. This night we drove out there and had the place almost completely to ourselves. You loved the food (as this picture will attest!). 

And after a long, leisurely dinner, when we strolled back into the night, Bantry Bay was filled with swans! It's was a magical evening! 

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 4

At the very end of the Sheep's Head, there's a lighthouse. We made it all the there one afternoon on foot. It's a bit treacherous and rocky and there's a guardrail with a sign saying "Do Not Cross". But never one for the rules and seeing a nice little perch to look out over the horizon, you, of course, little sweetheart climbed right over and sat down on the steps, beckoning me to join you - which, I did! 

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 3

We went for one of our epic walks all the way out to edge of peninsula. Here we are - that's the Atlantic Ocean behind us!

 

 

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 2

We had a wonderful time traveling with our London friends, Kris & Joy, and it was lovely to reconnect with a few of the locals in Kilcrohane who were dear friends of ours, too. Here we are with Kris & Joy and Johnny, who had invited us over to his house - we all went for a drink at Eileen's pub later, here in the village square.

Our Trip to Ireland, pt 1

This week is the anniversary of our lovely trip together to Ireland, little sweetheart! I'll post a few photos over the next few days to remember, okay? This first one I took of you down in Doneen Pier where we discovered a little stone stairway - a secret landing place for small boats! You're posing like a red headed mermaid just emerging from the watery depths! Love you forever.

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 8

Little sweetheart, on our last day in Ireland, after we said goodbye to our friends in Kilcrohane - already making plans to return for Johnny's birthday the following spring - we stopped by the heritage site (sort of like a national park) down the coast at Gougane Barra. There's a beautiful forest there and a lovely tiny church, where we stepped inside and I took this picture of you. We hadn't made plans to stop for more than an hour or so but you were so taken by the place, little sweetheart, we went into the little hotel nearby and got more info. You very much wanted to come back and spend the night, so we could walk the trails and get to know this lovely spot better. It became another of our plans. We had so many, didn't we, my little sweetheart? 

I believe time is something we don't really know while we're mortal. And that when I pass, I'll find you, of course, and find that we can be in any place, any moment we loved, together and for as long as we like. Is it something like that, little sweetheart? Will you tell me eveything I need to know about The Forever when I get there and run to you? 

With faith and love... your Michael

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 7

Little sweetheart, at the end of this day and another epic hike, you paused to sit on picnic table at the beginning of the trail, where we had returned. This is another photo I have a huge framed print of. It hangs in the red table room, here, with many of your things. Love you forever.

 

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 6

Little sweetheart, one night we drove to Bantry - the closest thing to a city that is out on the scenic remove that is the Sheep's Head Peninsula. In the high tourist season of July and August, it's actually rather bustling but on our visit this October night it was very quiet indeed. Our favorite place to eat in Bantry was a lovely little pub/restaurant called The Snug. Kris and I were surprised when the three of us arrived there. It was always so popular that we'd never actually ever gotten to sit at a table. We always sat at the bar. But tonight we basically had the entire place to ourselves. You loved the it! Perhaps indicative of this photo licking your fingers between bites! And you're wearing the double silver rings I bought for you soon after we first met and fell in love. I had a matching pair. Joy had made them. So, I ordered these for you and gave them to you on our very first time together in London. It made me so proud that you wore them always. This night in Bantry still seems so special and blessed. I remember that when we walked back outside and into the night, the bay was full of swans. We stood on the little footbridge and gazed at them for a long while. With love, your Michael. 

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 5

Little sweetheart, this is one of my favorite pictures of you, not only from our trip, but maybe ever. When we got all the way out to the lighthouse, there was a guardrail and a sign saying "Do Not Cross". True to form, you disregarded it and settled yourself onto these little steps to get a better view of the sweeping vista of the rocky coast and wide expanse of the Atlantic stretching into the horizon. You turned back, beckoning me to join you and I did, right after snapping this shot. I think you know why this image remains so powerful to me, little sweetheart. Even as I write this, a large, poster size print of this photo hangs framed above me here at my desk. Thank you for calling to me, my angel. I know we'll be together again, and forever, soon.

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 4

Little sweetheart, the most epic of our hikes was taking the trail out at the end of the peninsula toward the lighthouse. It was beautiful and a fine day for a walk. It certainly provided scenery for some wonderful photographs of you. Here is the two of us quite far along. Indeed, you can see the water, the Atlantic Ocean in the background!

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 3

Little sweetheart, on one of our walks near the bay, we found this little stone staircase leading down to the water. Perhaps a place to dock a small dinghy or maybe spot a little red-haired mermaid!

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 2

Little sweetheart, one of good friends in the village was a man named Johnny. We dropped by his house to see him on the second day of our visit - you, me, Kris & Joy - and then the five of us walked down to Eileen's pub in the town square for drink. That's Kris on the left, Johnny & Joy on the right, and you, of course, beaming and gorgeous, in the foreground. Me? Taking the picture! Ha!

14 Years Ago in Ireland, pt 1

Little sweetheart, 14 years ago was our lovely trip together to Ireland. From when I very first met you and told you of my visits there, you had asked me to take you and in October of 2010, we finally had a chance to go. We traveled with our London friends, Kris and Joy, flying to Cork City and then driving a rental car up the coast to the little village of Kilcrohane, where I'd often stayed before. We rented a cottage for the week and went off on adventures together. I'll share a few pictures as I like to do here each year, of our time. This first one was taken down near Doneen Pier after one of our epic walk. Love you forever.

Eire, pt 9

One last picture from Ireland, little sweetheart. On one of our hikes we found a stone circle and stepped inside it. Thought to be magical and sacred, it seems a perfect place to remember - knowing that you (and we) are forever and that we will find one another again. 

Eire, pt 8

On our final day in Ireland, little sweetheart, we were driving south down the coast en route to Cork City, when we came across an Irish country fair. We stopped and strolled the grounds - lots of families out together enjoying the food and the fall weather, prizes being given for giant vegetables, a dog race (!) with results being announced over the PA, rows of tractors proudly on display. Just lots of fun and a totally unexpected detour. I came up underneath your big black Zorro-like sunhat and took this picture of your beaming, beautiful happy face... 

 

 

 

Eire, pt 7

In the last days of our visit to Ireland, little sweetheart, we took another epic hike along the coastal path, ending with this shot of you against the sun setting over the Atlantic. 

Afterward, we drove to Bantry and had the most amazing dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Snug. You, Kris & I had the place almost to ourselves (a rare occasion -at the height of the season, it's hard to get a table at all, Kris & I would usually eat at the bar) and when we came out into the gorgeous star-filled night, there was a flock of swans swimming there in Bantry Bay. Magic!

Eire, pt 6

One day, with Kris behind the wheel of our rental car, we drove over to one of the neighboring peninsulas, The Beara, and then all the way out its very edge where a cable car takes you to Dursey Island - the westernmost point of Europe. There was a sign there that whimsically pointed the direction to Tir na nOg (which of course was also the title of the play that was the occasion of our first meeting one another). Kris took this picture there of us, little sweetheart...