An Irish Christmas...

... is full of "little people".

Photo: Josée

The Folly's Kitchen is Slowly Taking Shape

Here, Pirate builder Mike is adding the tiles.

Foto: Peti

The Folly From Fore and Aft

Deceptively modest from the front, the Folly reveals its true nature from the rear.

Photos: Peti

The Entrance to the Folly

The elegant entrance to the Folly replete with handy wheelbarrow and the twin compost-makers in the foreground.

Photo: Peti

Pilgrim

Armed with a flag staff, this young pilgrim has spent many painful hours clambering up the Croagh Patrick, the local holy mountain, on his bare feet. At the summit, he paused long enough to have his picture taken by photographer Ineke Oostveen, who was staying at Polranny at the time.

Photo: Ineke Oostveen

There are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden!

No, not leprechauns as you would expect but beautiful little fairies, who briefly appeared during the stay of an exceptionally talented 11-year-old called Josefien.

Photo:Ineke Oostveen

Once a Tiny Cowshed...

... the Folly is now turning into a veritable palace!
Photo: Peti

More News about the Folly

The windows are in place and builder Mike Wilson has added some stylish curlicues to the cement work. These were originally intended as a temporary element but have now become a permanent feature.

Photo: Peti

News about the Folly

The Folly, the smaller building next to the main house, is being thoroughly revamped and renovated. The windows are in place and work will now begin on the interior.
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

Divine Madness

The painter Francis Bacon's studio,
now housed at the Hugh Lane Gallery
in Dublin.
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

Natural Drama

Where the sea meets a fresh water estuary....
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

Prehistoric Monument?

A teeny tiny 'megalithic tomb'. Presumably intended for
leprechauns.
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial, Ireland.

Flower

A tiny pressed flower on the window sill at the Pirates'
house in Polranny...
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

The Folly Goes Electric!

The Folly, the smaller house on the Polranny Pirates' terrain, has finally gone electric! The digger dug a ditch that now accommodates a cable connecting the Folly to the mains. Internet was also included but this still needs to be tested. The House already has wifi.

Photo: Bertje

Home Sweet Home!

To us this is just a hole in the ground, but to a bunny
it's a veritable palace!
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

Teaching a Dog to Swim...

...when she doesn't really want to learn.
PS She ended up hiding behind my legs!
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

Gay Greetings from Ireland!

Photo: ©Profundly Superficial

Poodle

Found by Jet Manrho of Boekie Boekie. Stone and seaweed.
Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

Gorse

The flowers are pretty but the thorns are fearsome, gorse is plentiful on the boglands surrounding the house. You can hear its seed pods popping in the summer.

Photo: Riny

Local Tourist Attraction: Achill Henge

Achill Henge, which is based on Stonehenge in England, was built in just two nights by local businessman Joe McNamara. The reason is vague. As one local pub put it: "Nobody knows."

Whatever the truth, it attracts a steady stream of visitors and is well worth seeing.

This atmospheric photo was taken by recent Pirate guest Jet Manrho.

Lost in Thought

Pirate Peti on Keel Beach.

Photo: Riny

New DVDs...

... to be added to the considerable collection in the
back bedroom/private cinema.

Photo: Riny

Santa's Little Helper?

No, it's one of the workmen kindly fixing the chimney of
the house.

Photo: Riny

Watery World...

... at the magical Achill Secret Garden, which belongs
to our friends Willem and Doutsje.

Photo: Riny

Shiny and new

The Pirates have acquired a shiny, new garage so that the
car will be well protected against the winter snows.

Photo: Riny

Fixing the roof

New beams have been added to the Folly as part of
the recent renovation work. All we need now is a
roof and few other bits and pieces so that our visitors
can use this space to create, dream and find inspiration!
Photo: Bertje

Addictive Walking

Walking in Ireland is addictive because you always have to
discover the wonders lurking just around the corner, and the
next one, and the next one...

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Rock Pool

All that separates this Connemara rock pool from the Atlantic Ocean is the boulder it's embedded in. Right now it's peaceful so that the rock can develop a stylish green frame. But that will change with the winter storms.

Photo: Bertje Hogervorst

Full Steam Ahead with the Folly

The beams are already in place on the Folly, the
smaller of our two buildings. All that is needed now
is the roof.

Photo: Bertje

Stowing the Treasure

The house and the Folly are undergoing major renovations. That means that many special treasures are being carefully stowed away, like these rocks filled with prehistoric fossils.

Photo: Bertje Hogervorst

Radical Renovations

STOP PRESS: Right now the Folly is surrounded by a barricade
of scaffolding in preparation for a brand new roof! To be continued...

Photo: Bertje

The Neighbours...

... are always happy to pass the time of day with you!

Photo: Riny

Accidents Will Happen...

... but fortunately not very often! Photo: Riny

In the Eye of the Storm

It makes you feel very, very small...

Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial Photography

Built by Bunny

A rabbit palace in the dunes of the Currane peninsula.

Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial Photography