Different Views

I really had to take a photo of the Heron hunting for food !

The poor quality of the photo above is because I was too lazy to use the tripod... 

and perhaps over fed.

LINANNE'S BAR at New Quay, Co. Clare.

This is my favourite Bar and Seafood Restaurant and so popular that the best time to visit to be sure of getting a table is in the winter on a weekday lunchtime.

Sea fresh lobsters stuffed with prawns are my favourite and if unavailable then I can recommend their seafood pie which is also delicious. 

Washed down fifteen minutes afterwards with a pint of Guinness!

http://linnanesbar.com

The Russell Gallery - http://www.russellgallery.net

A truly amazing place to wander around and see a great variety of arts & crafts.

There a great many very attractive and skilful paintings there, a few of which I would have brought home had we the wall space. 

One in particular, entitled 'Not all who wander are lost' by Roland Byrne 

really caught my eye - follow this link and see for yourselves.

The work of Roland Byrne

I love this old building which is so full of character and as well as the gallery it also has a small bistro that sells a wide range of organic wines with delicious dishes. 

Mine choice was their Antipasto which I did great justice to, not a crumb was left.

 I can also recommend their great coffee.

Reflecting on reflections.

Mrs H took this amazing photo of me looking out of the widow of our holiday home.

Here she is again beachcombing.

My good self with the amiable Toby.

I took dozens of photo's during our holiday and have lots tales about

our fun times too; so as they say watch this space for there is more to come !

STONE and STRING

On our last day out we came home by a circuitous route that took us very close to the Burren

National Park. We did this because I thought I had seen a neolithic feature on my iPhone which turned out not to be one, however,  I really did see a stone man looking at me over the hedge.

Can you see his face  ?

As you are probably aware I have not posted for awhile and the reason is that Mrs H with a slight bit of help from me has been very busy preparing for her new exhibition. She has been doing all the behind the scenes work that artists have to do with their work, visits to the framers, selecting the right frame colour and style for each painting, besides having them all photographed and then resizing the images for our printer to make the art cards.

Additional cords

On the table is one of the finished paintings that we have brought back from the framers and you can see his cord stretching across the back which will be used by the new owner. 

For exhibition purposes I have to put an additional hanging cord on to allow the viewers eye to see the detail of the paintings.

A stash of completely finished works with their exhibition cords added.

The poster advertising Mrs H's Exhibition

re http://theeverlivingones.blogspot.com

POINTS OF VIEW

Since buying my new camera I have found myself becoming rather attached to it. 

There are times when it is not with me that I scold myself especially when I see a particular scene that, to my mind, would make an interesting photo.

So here are just a few of those photographs, things that have recently caught my eye.

The Ship on a Stick.

This can be found on the outskirts of Portumna, Co. Galway quite close to the River Shannon

upon which I doubt very much it will ever cruise again.

A conglomeration of coastal properties that sit under the Burren uplands and on the banks of 

Galway Bay. The smallest of them always attracts my eye.

The Keep

A very well preserved circular building made of local stone. 

I often wonder whether it was once a lot higher, though I guess that we shall never know.

Kiosk Lady

She must have plenty to natter about for she is always there, 

chatting away at all times of the day and night.

Rainbows on the wall

I captured these lads early one morning floating about and looking rather attractive, 

my one complaint is that the pots of gold are nowhere to be found.

Fresh leaves in Sunlight

The scene caught my eye this morning while visiting Mrs H in her studio, 

so I dashed indoors for my camera.

The Dog in the Doorway

How could I not resist capturing the magnificent Toby

guarding the entrance and enjoying the scent of spring.

It is a rambling garden that we have, with worn down paths that flow easily amongst 

whispering wild flowers where bees and other small creatures live in harmony.

Where the Burren Kisses the Sea

Today the summer rain falls intermittently, warm showers that caress the tall grasses of our front garden, as a compassionate watering from the caring and senior goddesses of this land Eriu, Banba and Fódla who still stroll the length,breadth and through this ancient island giving of themselves; By inspiring their children to seek a fulsome life mixing the blends of histories and modernity.

Yesterday we went on excursion close to the now familiar landscape of the Burren. This time it was as a backdrop, for on centre stage was its sea shore and in particular Linnane’s Pub at New Quay which is noted for its Sea Food. We had visited before and had our hungry appetites sated, our visit on this occasion was no different for the crab cakes accompanied by a fresh mixed salad was delicious.

http://linnanesbar.com

At New Quay

THE CRAB BOAT

Aughinish Bay leading to leading eventually to Corranroo Bay at its head which is so

 encumbered by sand banks and shallows that boat skippers are advised not to enter. 

After lunch we took ourselves for a short drive on the narrow road that borders the Flaggy Shore,  one of nine sites of geological interest and importance in Co. Clare. This is where the fringes of the famed Burren limestone kisses the sea and mingles with the erratic rock types of sandstone and granite, deposited about twelve thousand years ago after the last Ice Age.

Typical geology of the Flaggy Shore.

Here also stands Mount Vernon, the former summer home of Lady Augusta Gregory of Coole Park, Co. Galway, patron of the Arts and friend of the Poet W.B Yeats.

http://www.hiddenireland.com/bb_property/mountvernon-house-clare

http://mountvernon.ie/cms/history

The play of gentle waves that create dreams.

BURREN BUSINESS

If I have a vice then it is chocolate. Not just any sort, for my taste buds demand quality. So whenever I hear of a new chocolatier then I just have to go and taste their wares. 

This time I secured the assistance of our family who are holidaying here for a few days to take Mrs H and myself to visit Hazel Mountain Chocolates; who are situated quite literally in the western foothills of the Burren about 2.5km east of Béal an Chloga [Bell Harbour]. There is a sign at the road junction at the foot of the hill on that says 2km - it isn't it's further!

Hazel Mountain Chocolates

My three and a half year old grandson said when he stepped into this cottage 

" It is like being in a dream"

He was right for the interior is so very much unlike that of an old Irish cottage, that it may well have come from a storybook.

Display and Sales Venue

I was quite disappointed to find that unlike other chocolatiers in Ireland that there were no free samples to be had, for it is customary that a sample of each chocolate is cut into small slices and offered as tempters to prospective buyers. My other complaint is that the price shown on the handwritten labels is misleading for the number  Euro 1 is a looped l !

In fairness our visit was on a weekday before the summer season has really got into full swing and there was also work going on to some of the outside buildings.

The Coffee Counter

The serving assistant working the machine - I thought she was one of twins or even triplets (but no) for where ever we went a woman like her appeared to be working.

Mrs H enjoys a pipe (unlit of course!)

Bright decorated rooms, with quaint fripperies displayed in every room.

A mouth watering table.

Delicious slices of home baked Apple pie, served with tart berry fruits and cream which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

In sunshine we ate our recently purchased chocs.

L to R Ollie, Mrs H, myself and Mark

The view of Bell  Harbour 

Links : http://www.hazelmountainchocolates.com

http://www.burrenwalks.com

THE BURREN revisited Part 2

This post continues our recent trip across the magnificent landscape of The Burren.

LOUGH BUNNY

Despite the name this lough has nothing to do with rabbits. The English name is loosely based upon the phonetic of the Irish name (as are all anglicised names in Ireland) Today's Irish name is Lough Buinne, 'buinne' meaning a torrent or gush of water however in 1660 the name was spelt as Loughbuna, in 1685 Loughbunagh and in 1787 Lough Buneah, all of which have a similar phonetic. There are two rough translations for these names: Lake of the flood or Lake at the foot of the mountain.

Lough Bunny is a permanent lake in a karstic limestone area of County Clare.The lough's length is 2.4 km with the greatest width at 740m, the depth ranges from 2.7M to 14m.

The fish are Perch,Rudd,Pike and the European eel.

Further information see -: http://www.burrengeopark.ie/wp-content/uploads/ArchiveFiles/BurrenGeology/A_hydrographic_study_of_Lough_Bunny.pdf

A Portal Tomb

Parknabinnia (Parc na binnia) Is a townland whose name means field of the peak. There are about six or seven similar portal tombs within a few metres of each other in this townland.

Front end of the tomb

(I  do not know of a better place to be & rest my bones)

The name Burren comes from the Gaelic, meaning 'a rocky place'. Historically the name Burren referred to the Barony of Burren situated in north-west County Clare. Geographically, the name has a far wider and more complex sense and meaning. The Burren area extends some 40.2 km from east to west, and 32.2 km from north to south. It lies between Galway Bay on the north, the Atlantic coast on the west and a line drawn roughly through Doolin, Kilfenora, Gort and Kinvara. However, there is some characteristic 'Burren' outside this area to the east where one can find the same rocky features, though not as concentrated. 

The rocks in the Burren region were deposited when Ireland was located ~ 10°S of the Equator, during the Carboniferous period in the Earths' history, approximately 359-299 millions of years ago. The limestones were deposited during the Viséan stage (345-326 millions of years ago) of the Carboniferous, and the sandstones, siltstones and shales, during the Namurian stage (326-315 millions of years ago).

Slieve Carron  or Eagles Rock

Slieve Carron Nature Reserve (or Eagle’s Rock as it is known to locals) is state-managed land located in the heart of the north Burren, not too far from Kinvara. It has diverse habitats including grassland, limestone pavements, heathland, mature hazel woodland and grazing pastures, all of which hold a richness of species. Aside from its ecology Slieve Carron NR is also the host to a fulacht fiadh, a holy well, the site of a hermitage cave and oratory. 

Not a Quarry.

One of the most distinctive features of the Burren hills are the stepped, terraced sides. It is easy for a visitor to believe they are looking at man-made quarries, rather than natural features. For these terraces were formed because the limestone layers are actually separated by thin bands of mudstone,rainwater gradually washes away the layers of mudstone, eating into the hillside. 

Eventually, so much of the mudstone layer is washed away that
the overlying layer of limestone layer on top becomes unstable and eventually collapses under its own weight. This often leaves piles of loose blocks and boulders at the base of the terrace.  

We shall return again on a future day when the mood takes us and visit other parts of this magical landscape for there is so much more to share with you.

The Burren revisited pt 1

We were suffering from cabin sickness the other weekend and the remedy for this malady is long drive, on roads which at this time of the year are relatively deserted and free from tourist traffic. So we headed west with a flask of coffee, freshly made rolls and our four legged companion Toby to the Burren in west Clare.

To see the best of this area it is necessary to drive along the narrowest tarmac road that you can find, for it is on them that gems are hidden.

In one of the folds of the Burren limestone sits an almost cottage type industry known as The Burren Perfumery, which is a great draw for tourists as well as the indigenous population who are looking high quality organic perfumes, many of which are made from plants that grow in this remarkable area.

The perfumery is well sheltered from the winds by the spindly trees that surround this unique place and the approach from it's small car parks are via twisty paths which terminate on a large level courtyard.

The shop is light and airy with plenty of space for visitors to roam around and inspect the various products, all of which have testers so that you can find perfect scent for you.

What I find particularly good is that the staff are warm and very friendly, you feel as if you have known them for years.

Shop entrance

On the opposite side of the courtyard is the cafe where various beverages are served, among which are the mouth watering, delicious homemade cakes and fruit tarts, all of which are organic. Even the milk that goes into your tea or coffee comes from an Irish organic farm.

For further information please visit:  http://www.burrenperfumery.com