Winter sun, Connacht

I've been lucky enough to be up and around and out in the beautiful Connacht countryside often enough recently to appreciate the winter sun over this western end of Europe.

I hope you enjoy these pictures - I know they're not exactly professional, but they seem okay to me.

The first is of surely Ireland's most magnificent roadside piece of art - The Gaelic Chieftain, by Maurice Harron, which stands just north of Boyle, one of the prettiest towns in Connacht. I guess you could say he's riding off into the sunset.

The second is of one of my favourite spots in the province - perhaps my very favourite. The Carrowkeel cairns sit atop the Bricklieve Mountains of south Sligo. Often, when you visit megalithic sites, it takes more than a fertile imagination to comprehend what you're looking at. Up here, you simply climb inside and you're transported back. Pity some people feel it necessary to leave their little candles behind them. I always carry them away anyway.

The third is sunrise over Ben Bulben, taken from slightly north of the mountain, at Grange. My positioning is not quite right to get the impression of the sun rolling up the mountain. Still, better to have tried than not. Back in October, I was walking along the top of Ben Bulben, from the Glencar Lake side. The wind was mad.

The fourth, I took along the Shannon flood plains of east Roscommon. These flat lands allow the river to burst its banks every single winter. I remember about eight years ago when the then N5 between Tarmonbarry and Strokestown was completely cut off by the flood waters, forcing people some 12 miles out of their way. The road has since been moved.

When driving can be fun ...

On Thursday, I have to drive to Ballinamore. From there, I must push on to Blacklion, admittedly some 5 km beyond Connacht's final frontier.
Now if I tell you that I'll actually be paid for such a beautiful drive, well that's something worthwhile. Of course, it's not the actual driving I'll be paid for, rather what I'll be up to when there.
Such a drive will bring me along the lovely restored Shannon-Erne Waterway, past countless small lakes of Leitrim, swelled by the recent heavy rain and up over the great Iron Mountains - Sliabh an Iarrainn. If I'm lucky and have a little spare time, quietly I'll drift over the heather to see if I can spot a red grouse. If I remember my wellies, then I'll let myself down into one of the many ditches, to get a worm's eye view of the surroundings. Bliss.
As if that wasn't enough automobile pleasure for one end of week, on Saturday I'll head west to Belmullet, for a complete contrast of what this great province has to offer. My goodness - once again I'll get paid for my travails. It's tough, but somebody has to do it ...
Heading west from the now defunct Bellacorrick power station (whose enormous cooling tower was recently knocked down), the road follows the famous Owenmore River (above), a serious spot for serious salmon fishermen.
For those of us less likely to do harm to any living thing, the forest is pretty impressive. Although coniferous plantations uniquely, the sheer size of the forests around these parts do impress. Both north and south of this stretch of road, mounds of mountains rise up all around, giving the road a real 'valley' sense as we head west toward the Atlantic. Take a stroll if you have the time.
Eventually, I'll get to the sea, pulling in for a quick sniff. Looking out over the bulk that is the north of The Mullet and the inner Broadhaven Bay, I'm forever seeking dolphins. The sheer wildness of this place is wonderful, as the sea makes its presence felt. This is not inner Connacht - oh no. This is the Atlantic Ocean. Get past the town (I won't have time Saturday) and you see it in all its powerful majesty, all the more in winter.

A Favourite Spot

One of my favourite spots in this wonderful province is Old Head, near Louisburgh.
But no, it's not for the beach. If you want real beaches, head to Wexford - Curracloe, Raven Point, Carnsore. But then we're not here to praise South East Leinster.
No, actually it's the fabulous wood on the twin peaks that serve as a backdrop to the more famed beach. Jump over the pier (not into the water ...) go around the back beach and up the steps on to the two hillocks. Discover the woods. Mostly of ancient oak, this semi-natural wood also contains ash, birch and others. It is a protected Nature Reserve.
Then proceed further around towards the Head itself and stare across at Achill, Achill Beg, Mulranny and Clare. And then out into the broad, deep ocean. If you're lucky, you'll spot some dolphin. You might see seals (although more easily come by at nearby Roonagh) and you'll surely see the low flying cormorants.
But the great thing about Old Head is to look backwards from out at the point (be careful walking out there, the path sometimes literally hangs over the sheer rocks below). See the twisted, bent over trees, as they suffer a life long battering by the Atlantic winds.Many of them have their uppermost branches at ninety degrees to their lower trunks, as they are forced eastwards by the howling gusts in off the ocean. Beautiful.
Get there, it's a great place.

A Suck Valley Walk

Would you like to set off walking around The Suck Valley Way and Roscommon Town ?
Between Athleague, Castlecoote and Donamon, in south county Roscommon, the river Suck meanders through low lying fields and forests. This is not a domain dominated by cars. This is quiet, peaceful countryside - inland Connacht at its very best.
See the La Tene Stone, Donamon Castle and Castlecoote House.
Then make your way to Mote Park, outside Roscommon Town on the Athlone road, to the right just after the level crossing.
This is a wonderful forest park, where you can leave the car behind and go for a wander around the mixed broadleaf and conifer woods.
Just some more wonderful places to explore in Connacht.

A walk through Brackloon

Brackloon Wood, near Westport, is a remnant of Ireland's once substantial Atlantic Oak woodlands. Take a stroll through the wood at any time of the year, for a healthy and invigorating brush with our ancient landscape.
The circular walk is about 4 km and will take you as long as you like.
Read Michael Viney's article on Brackloon here. Liamy MacNally's article is here.

Beautiful drives

We'll get to walking later, but here, for starters, are some wonderful drives you can take at your leisure around rural Connacht.
1. Ballina - Bonniconlon / Bunnyconnellan (don't start ..) - Tubbercurry (ca. 32 km).
Cross the wild Ox Mountains from Mayo to Sligo. Share the road with mountain sheep and few others. Pass the haunting Lough Talt, before dropping down to the sleepy town of Tubbercurry.
2. Castlebar - Beltra Lough - Keenagh - Newport - Castlebar (ca. 75 km).
Leave the bustling fast developing town of Castlebar heading west. Take the turn for Béal an Mhuirthead, pass the wonderful Beltra Lough on the left and the hulk that is Nephin on the right. Take the turn left, signposted Traenlaur Lodge, past the freezing Bunaveela Lough and on to the forest track (you'll be fine in your car). The Nephin Begs rise all around you and you are in the single largest area of land in Ireland without a road. Just as you think you're lost, lovely Furnace Lough appears in front and to the right. Soon you will reach the pretty village of Newport with its magnificent seven arched railway bridge from the old Westport to Achill line. From Newport, return to Castlebar, or onwards to Achill or indeed Westport.
3. Ballinaglera - Ballinamore (ca. 25 km).
In tiny Ballinaglera, if coming from Dowra, turn left, up an unmarked road. This truly wonderful drive brings you up through the Iron Mountains and their mountain bogs. Before heading down the other side, be sure to pull over and take in the huge vista afforded up here on bright days. You can see seven counties comfortably. Drop down into Ballinamore and have a nice glass of wine at Moo Wine Bar, Main Street.

Boyle for starters

Let's start our ramblings with Boyle.

With its magnificent fast flowing river, beautiful old bridge, attractive riverside walkways, compact nature (not the typical Irish town of one long street and perhaps the odd extra one jutting out from its central crossroads), great big house - King House, Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle Abbey and more, this is a town which should have taken on the Celtic Tiger and maxed out (as the Americans might say) on its competitive advantages.

Instead, we have a town still searching for the extinct beast.

Indeed, reports that the feline was seen flying past on the N4, many times over, are accurate. I saw her myself. I could swear her paws were full of cash - some of it dropped at the river crossing at Carrick, the rest held tightly for disbursement in Sligo.

So while I would definitely advise you to spend some time in this great place, it won't be from here that you receive advice to overnight there. No way. Get on down to Carrick where it's all happening. Brand new cinema, great shops, good hotels, great bars, the river, etc.

By the way, to sum up Boyle, what a disgrace of a hotel on the riverside. Jeepers, you might set foot in there, but probably not the second.

Boyle has real potential. What the townspeople need is a mini revolution to id and shame the morons who are not developing it.

And by the way, I totally agree that no hotel should have been, or ever be, built in the Forest Park. The obvious place for a hotel is just out past the church, before you reach the bypass road. One that's visible from the bypass, but most definitely not on it - think safety.

What's in a name ?

Let's get the first thing off our back...
Is it Mallaranny or Mulranny ?
Is it Inishcrone or Enniscrone ?
And, yes, it's very definitely Drumshanbo, not Drumshambo.
And as for the growth in "official" sign posts which don't carry the name as gaeilge, that is such an insult to one of our official languages and to all our children trying to learn it, not to mention those who live and speak the language every single day.
By the way - and I know some of you won't like this - but I'm delighted to see the English language version of Béal an Mhuirthead removed from signs (though, typically, not all).

Welcome Fáilte Bienvenue Willkommen

For years now, I've been driving around our wonderful province. If the petrol companies would ever please supply us with bioethanol, then my next gluaisteán would be a FFV, hybrid or whatever - promise !

Anyway, finding myself in gems like Mohill, Athleague or Ballintogher, I'm forever rabbitting on to myself about them and the nature in between. So I've decided to join the blogging masses and share my thoughts on these places.

When I look at Connacht, I'm a bit green (perhaps in both senses).