by Wendy Hawkin | Jul 15, 2017 | journal, writing and publishing
This morning I was called by the music of two Irish pipers to the gates of Merrion Square Park. Who can resist a bagpiper?
After chatting with a lovely man (on the right in the photo below), I discovered that a ceremony was about to commence. He was a Kerry man; a volunteer in the Defence Forces.
In Canada, we celebrate Remembrance Day at the Cenataph on November 11 every year, but in Dublin they meet to remember their fallen soldiers for six Saturdays over July and August. The Sunday closest to July 11 is The National Day of Commemoration.
Today was the first ceremony and there were six Infantry Battalion, Custume Barracks from Athlone Co. Westmeath and twenty-seven Infantry Battalion, Aiken Barracks from Dundalk, Co. Louth, taking part.
The Defence Forces, Óglaigh na hÉireann, wear a badge with an ancient warrior’s sword belt and a “sunburst” of flames. The letters FF for Fianna Fáil are in the centre. The Fianna Fáil is an ancient military organization that has defended Ireland since the 3rd Century. Fáil means “destiny” and so these men are Destiny’s Army.
The sunburst is the traditional battle symbol of the Fianna, and you may remember that Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool) led his own Fianna in the mythic Fenian cycle. Fianna Fáil is also the name of the Republican Party here in Ireland. History runs deep in this country.
I thought I’d have to stand behind the ropes, but was invited to sit on the stone bench right by the memorial. Inside this granite pyramid are four bronze figures who stand guard over the eternal flame in memory of fallen soldiers in the Defence Forces. During the ceremony, the flag was lowered to half mast and then raised again at the end. There was a changing of the Inner and Outer Guard. It was a solemn occasion, and when the wreaths were laid and the piper played, tears were shed by some, including me.
This country, with its turbulent history, never ceases to amaze me. The tricolour national flag, first flown during the 1916 Rising, symbolizes “the inclusion and hoped-for union of the people of different traditions on this island.” The green goes back to the 1640s and the orange appeared in 1795 following King William of Orange’s “glorious revolution” . The painting below is an artist’s rendering of the Battle of the Boyne where William changed history in 1689. It’s in the National Gallery, the grey building in the background in the photos above.
The white between them, I assume signifies a peace that came “dropping slowly” as WB Yeats would say; a peace that appears to be here at last.
by Wendy Hawkin | Jul 14, 2017 | journal, travel, writing and publishing
I don’t normally blog about food, but I’m travelling, so finding food without gluten and dairy is a challenge in our bread and butter world. Every day is a hunt for something nutritious and tasty that I can manage.
It began on Tuesday. I pre-ordered Thai chicken curry and rice for my Canadian flight with Air Transat; unfortunately they sent something labelled “Thai chicken curry” that was actually cream chicken stew–blobs floating in cream. I was flying Club, so I expected better. They were quite apologetic and it was definitely not the fault of the flight crew, but the only thing they could find on the plane was a small plastic box of kale salad. Toronto Airport posed yet another challenge. Then, on my International flight, I ended up with just a plain omelet and some fruit. By the time I hit Dublin, after eighteen hours of travel, I was literally shaking.
I set out on the hunt and discovered
The Farm! This is an amazing restaurant on Dawson Street, which is quite close to Trinity College. The server was lovely. “Ah, you poor thing. We’ll take care of you,” she said, and promptly brought me fresh tasty carrot soup and GF toast. Their
menu details the choices for several different diets, so I think that anyone could find something wonderful to eat there (even my vegan friends) and all the ingredients are sourced locally. Great staff, and it’s quiet and casual; an oasis in the heart of chaotic Dublin!
GF = Gluten Free | HP = High Protein | O = High in Omega | LF = Low Saturated Fat | V = Vegetarian | RV = Rich in Vitamins
Today, after a morning of walking the streets and galleries, I stopped by again. This salad, which is suitable for anyone, was SO good.
Asian Green Salad (virtually fat free) €8.00
Mixed Leaves, Bean Sprouts, Spring Onions, Bamboo Shoots, Pickled Ginger, Peppers, Cucumber, Roasted Chilli, Red Onion, drizzled with Fresh Ginger, Soy and Sesame Oil Dressing (GF option, V, LF, RV)
Of course, I had a side of chips because, well, I am in Ireland.
Tomorrow, I’m off to hunt again.
by Wendy Hawkin | Jul 12, 2017 | journal, writing and publishing
A sunny Dublin day? That may be an oxymoron. I’m not sure.
I am in Dublin researching a new novel about an Iron Age king. Today, my first whole day in this city, I spent hours at the National Museum of Archaeology in the Kingship & Sacrifice exhibit. This is a phenomenal exhibit arranged by Dr. Eamonn Kelly and his team. Above is the perfectly preserved hand of Old Croghan Man. They found eight of his preserved fingernails and were able to fingerprint him after two thousand years! Once a king (300-200BC), he was ritually murdered and his severed remains sunk in a peat bog in County Offaly. It’s thrilling to finally be here and see him. The Celts loved their gold and there’s plenty of that on display. I have yet to explore the rest of this amazing museum.
On the way back, I stopped at the National Library to find out about research and ended up touring the Yeats exhibit: photographs, journals, video documentaries, and of course, himself reading his brilliant poems. A longtime Yeats lover, I was charmed once again by this romantic politician.
This afternoon, I explored the grounds of Trinity College where I’m staying, and got my own library card for the reading & research room at Dublin City Library. Tomorrow, I can peruse their Irish Collection. I love staying here at Trinity, and recommend it. The oak trees are marvellous, and there is a beautiful little park right beside my building. It’s secure and quiet, despite the hoards of tourists who flock to see the Book of Kells and the Old Library that inspired the library at Hogwarts in Harry Potter. Last night, I even heard an Alt J concert from my bedroom sanctuary. After eighteen hours of travel, I needed to cave, but the music was mellow.
At lunch today, I wandered St. Stephens Green in the warm sunshine. This twenty-two acre park opened in 1880. Everyone was out lounging on the grass around the trails, ponds, and flower gardens.
Finally, I must say that Dublin oozes history. One thing I’ve started noticing are the beautiful Georgian doors. Surely, this one on Pearse Street leads to a blue haven.
by Wendy Hawkin | Jul 6, 2017 | journal, writing and publishing
In anticipation of a visit to Trim Castle, and thereabouts, in County Meath, Ireland, I am watching Braveheart again. The battle scenes at the English town of York were actually filmed northwest of Dublin at the castle ruin.
Trim Castle
Another nearby ruin in the Boyne Valley, Bective Abbey provided dungeons and courtyard for the English terror, Longshanks. If you’ve ever seen the movie, you must agree that Edward 1, the Hammer of the Scots, was a terror. Mel Gibson made it so.
megalithicireland.com
I’ve only ever watched the final scene once. It’s just too much. When things start to go south (literally) for William Wallace, I have to switch it off. The soundtrack alone brings tears. And the pressed thistle that symbolizes love of family and country? Heartbreaking.
How historically accurate is Mel Gibson’s Braveheart? It’s not, although it’s one gorgeous story; beautifully scripted, filmed, and acted.
To read just how historically inaccurate it is, click the link.
via BraveHeart – The 10 historical inaccuracies you need to know before watching the movie | Hande’s Blog
by Wendy Hawkin | Jul 4, 2017 | journal, writing and publishing
I just read this memoir/travel piece in the June 2017 Ireland Newsletter and want to share it. Irish storytelling is lauded world over and there’s a reason for that. The descriptions, the details, the enthusiasm, just captured me. Also, I’ve been to Clew Bay and Louisburgh, and climbed Croagh Patrick. It’s a slice of west coast heaven. Many thanks to author Michael Collins for writing and to Michael Green for sharing.
Clew Bay from Croagh Patrick
ASTONISHING CLARE
by Michael Collins
We’d missed the boat to Clare. I didn’t think we would, because we were within the time limits stated. What we’d failed to realise, Pat and myself, was the clocks had stopped at the last small town we had passed through. We had even had time to pause on the way, at the top of the last rise before the land fell away to the shore, to admire the panorama. ‘See Naples and die’ they say. Pat had turned to me as we gazed: ‘See Clew Bay and die’ was his comment.
It was spread out before us, a semi-circular stretch of the Atlantic, girdled by mountains and dotted with islets – ‘One for every day of the year,’ Pat had remarked – with the large hump of our destination plugging the gap to the open sea like a huge whale floating patiently on the surface: Clare Island, five miles out to sea, five miles long by two miles wide, rising from sea level at its eastern end to nine hundred feet at its western extremity, where high cliffs took the buffeting of the restless ocean. And in among all those islands and islets was a small sand bar that the Beatles had bought. It had been taken over by hippies who were attempting to raise cabbages there.
But we’d missed the boat. Not our fault. You couldn’t book your passage so there was no passenger list. But we had been assured that there would be a boat at 3.30 in the afternoon. Now, at 3 o’clock, we could see our boat as a speck on the water, drawing away from us towards our intended destination. There was nothing for it but to return the five miles to Louisburgh and phone from there. A frantic phone call – from a phone booth where first you had to pick up the receiver and wind a handle to get the operator and only then insert your two pennies – provided us with the information that no further ‘official’ boat was expected to sail that day but it was thought that a fishing boat would be making the crossing to Roonagh Quay and back at around 7.30. The only thing we could do was to go and get a pub meal and a pint or two and wait. I made sure we were back at the landing stage by 6.30.
When the boat, with its two-man crew, arrived to deposit a passenger and return to the island before nightfall, the tide was at its lowest ebb. We had to scramble thirty feet down an iron ladder, maneuvering our rucksacks, into the well of a boat that looked frighteningly small and smelt like a fishmonger’s shop on a bad day. I had thought I was accustomed to boats, having crossed the English Channel and the Irish Sea up to fifty times. This was different. The large steamers I was used to ploughed through the waves: the tiny craft we were now sailing in sat on top of them like a cork. The waves rolled in from the stern, higher than the mast, and the boat was eased up the hills of water, to slide down the far side into the trough like a roller coaster. I did not feel confident, but the crew seemed to regard it all with the dispassionate attitude of experts.
Then Clare loomed up out of drizzly mist, all grey and green, dotted with the white squares of cottages. It was dead calm in the lee of the island, enabling me to lean over the side. The sight was astonishing. The water was a crystal-clear, pale bluish-green and the bright sandy bottom was clearly visible, with small flatfish cruising around like aeroplanes.
The boat docked at 8 o’clock and once again we set about heaving and hauling to get our baggage on shore. We walked along the top of the harbour wall, in the curve of which nestled a ridiculously tiny castle, proceeded another fifty yards and entered the pub. I say ‘pub’: it was everything – post office, grocery store, pub and private dwelling all rolled into one. Pints were pulled. Around 11.30 supper was called, a vast fry-up of sausages, eggs, bacon, black pudding. And more pints. It was like a hefty breakfast and a night out on the town all rolled into one.
At around 1 a.m. I wandered down to the tiny beach to clear my head and got strangely excited about finding a small dead dogfish stranded on the sand.
Our three-week holiday started the next day. Our time was spent working on the ‘roads’ – a euphemism for tracks made of compacted gravel and clay. Spare time was spent in the pub, wandering over the island, fishing for mackerel from a boat and for cod from the shore. The weather changed the first day: we could have been somewhere on the Mediterranean. A heat wave in the West of Ireland!
The watch on my wrist soon became redundant. I was used to a life regulated down to the nearest minute. The islanders lived much more according to the rhythms of daylight, darkness and weather. Not even the pub had real opening times: generally the first customers would trickle in around 9 p.m., the bar staying open until the last drinker left in the wee small hours or as the sun was coming up.
The result was that I was rewarded by sights that are not usually granted to the clock-watcher. One morning, after a particularly fine night of story-telling and singing, two of us emerged into the fresh air just as rosy-fingered dawn was painting the sky. Rather than going home to bed we decided to climb to a point high above the track to watch the sun come up. We sat in the shelter of a tumbledown dry-stone wall and watched the sun rise above Croagh Patrick, the sacred mountain of Ireland’s patron saint that stands on the far mainland shore looking, from our vantage point, rather like a resting volcano. The sunlight shone on a grassy plateau some thirty feet beneath us, a plateau dotted with wild flowers. And as the cold air warmed we smelt the wild thyme and saw the hares emerging from their nighttime hiding places to jump and gambol like children just released from school.
Another early-morning exploit found me with two islanders in a curragh, a traditional rowing boat made of tarred sacking stretched over thin laths, dropping a handline weighted with a stone and bearing six hooks baited with bits of silver paper. I could feel the mackerel thudding into the hooks as the line became steadily heavier. We hauled the fish aboard six at a time. Ninety mackerel in half an hour. Fishing from the shoreline was different. The bait was limpet, knocked from the rocks, the prey small codlings or wrasse. Not sport: they were strictly for the pot.
Then there was the day that we decided to take the long walk to the west of the island, a steady five-mile slog as the land slowly rose from sea level to cliff height. We lay on our bellies on grass cropped by that most efficient of lawn mowers, the sheep, and watched the gulls wheel and scream along the cliff walls, hearing the dull boom of the ocean as it gently pummeled the rocks below. A curragh came into view, rounding a headland to our left, and bobbed about like a toy boat as its occupants hauled in lobster pots. We knew the men, but there was no point in greeting them: a wave of the hand would have gone unnoticed and any shouting would have been drowned by the ocean’s deep bass voice.
I fear that this was an experience I can never repeat. Tourism and commercial interests have changed the nature of Clare. The pub has closed. There is mains electricity and a helicopter pad. But the visitor to Clare Island will still be able to savor something of what I felt when I first landed there. In June 1971.
© 2013 Michael J. Collins
Clew Bay
