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Magical Faerie Woods

Glengarrif Harbour is a wonderful place, surrounded by the hills of Co. Cork its full of little islands, some tree covered other bare and many home to seals. Yet again the sun shone (the Irish relatives are telling me that I’m not experiencing the real Ireland – there’s a reason why everything is so green they keep saying). After a hearty breakfast, Temptress, with her two extra crew, headed out to enjoy the sailing breeze. As we went Eamon and Maureen were full of enthusiasm for the boat, the water and the views, Like children with a room full of new toys they oh’d and ah’d over sights made unfamiliar by the new perspective Temptress afforded them. One after another they pointed out friends homes, places they swam or simply had rowed out to from the town with the Sunday papers for a quiet read. Eammon had spent some of his past as 3^rd mate in the merchant navy travelling all over the world and has sailed in exotic and far flung places but was still fascinated and interested in everything on the boat and on the water. Maureen soon found the gentle rocking motion lulling her in to that dozy, dreamy state on the way to sleep and crept below to a cosy bunk.

Some way down Bantry Bay we bore away and unfurled the genie, til now we had been motoring to windward so we could have a grand sail back. Having just a genie to manage is easier with a novice crew. Maureen returned on deck and tried to sit on the bow but decided the tiny seat over the water was too precarious. In fact it’s a safe if uncomfortable perch usually favoured by children who love to see the water rushing by below the bow. By lunch time we were at anchor once more in Glengarrif, this time close to the islands that close off much of the southern end of the bay. Only Cathay Clipper had a better spot close to the seals. It was a safe place to leave the boat for a few hours with the weather forecast still predicting those yet yo appear strong southerlies.

Ashore after a little repacking od the Harris car/shed we piled in and headed out of the village on an expedition to visit their home up in the valley behind the village. After a 10 minute drive we parked and set off on foot up a forestry track. Their overnight bags on a trolley and umbrellas in hand – the Irish weather was threatening to show us its normal face. For a mile or so up the steep track Maureen & Eammon kept up the conversation whilst us unfit townies hadn’t the breath to respond. Eammon turned off to his left and disappeared into the scrub on anarrow even steeper path. We followed and were soon in the trees. A stream ran down a narrow cleft to our right, then we jumped to cross it, up a couple of steps, through a fancy iron gate in the wall and beyond was magical! Three wooden cabins one to our left and the other to the right parallel with the wall. A small clearing under the trees round a tiny pool with a thin slab from a large log serving as a table and a chair also made from a tree stump, bamboo canes grew near by. Elderly canvas deck chairs appeared and Eamon offered water and beer.The former in ajug filled from the pool above the clearing. These few acres of Irish woodland have been Eamons home since the late 1970’s. A cosy spot against the boundary wall of the former estate of Lord Bantry. The woodland is steep behind the wall wrapping itself around their home.

Maureen proudly showed us around; to the right of the gate, the path followed the wall rising up gently to the far boundary wall with a stile to the next plot of land. From the stile back towards the clearing we passed a huge gunnerhea (spelling?), then a pony trap tucked under their winter cabin on its stone stilts. This cosy place with its lattice windows was half full of a huge soft double bed with mounds of blankets, opposite a wood burning stove and all around examples fo their artwork. They make a living selling prints and originals at local markets. What space remained was full of bric-a-brac and books. It wasn’t difficult to believe Maureen when she said that even on the coldest winter’s day it could get so hot in here that they had to open the windows!

Next was the woodshed mostly occupied at this time of year by the cat and her kittens – one grown up and two very young and very shy. Beyond this a small annex serves as a bathroom with the only “mod-con” a small double burner gas stove to quickly heat water for washing and an early morning cuppa. Next door is the kitchen and dinning area, the big round table like every other surface in their home covered in clutter – bowls, paintings and ornaments covered the cloth. Cooking is done over an open fire, but there’s another wood burning stove for winter warmth. Eamon does his painting and drawing here.

Across the little clearing past the luxuriant bamboo is the final cabin with a generous porch outside on whose roof grass grows. Inside to the right is a U of workbenches – Maureen’s workshop, studio and study. Her books on psychotherapy stacked above, the work surfaces covered in paints and fabrics with uncompleted paintings propped up all around. Beyond another cosy space with a bed filling one end; surrounded by lattice windows down to the bed itself. It must be amazing to wake up in the morning and without stirring watch the forest floor at eye level.

We then climbed up above the huts into the woods – lots of holly, a eucalyptus rowan, apples, red rhododendrons and many more exotic species fill this incredible little spot; mostly grown from seed collected by Eamon in foreign ports. From time to time walls indicate that this was once open land that was farmed. Eamon enthusiastically leads us through the trees. “This is a Faerie Wall – its circular and at its centre is a cairn. Holes built into the wall are to let the power flow through.” Another bank he explains was built by long ago Celts, part of  their power house attempt to reverse the effects of the ice age – neither Kevin nor I could follow all this but Eamon obviously has a store of tales about the tribes who first settled this land over 1000 years ago long before the English lords of Bantry.

8:56 PM - Oct. 23, 2006 - post comment

Magic

We all need a bit more Magic in our lives.Just reading your account has destressed me a bit,Thanks. Graham(Yacht Vega)

Anonymous - 10:31 PM - Nov. 22, 2006

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