Simple But Effective

The essential details of the bathroom door...
Photo: Annie

Land of the Giants

This may look like some slightly weather-beaten sculpture installation; in fact it's part of the extraordinary rock formations of the Giants Causeway in Country Antrim. The official explanation has something to do with volcanic activity during the Paleogene period. But personally I prefer the stuff of legends and that Irish warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner.
Photo: Annie

Corraun Diary (13) Checking the Takings

Despite the uncertain future of their pub, Pirate friends and neighbours Jane and Al are determined to look on the bright side, as Jane writes in her diary entry of 29 July 2005: "The Currane Yawl Race takes place at the front of our property over the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

Bar takings for last night, the Thursday before the August Bank Holiday, were €153. The same night last year it was €420 and the year before it was €2919! Of course the reason for the huge takings on the equivalent day in 2003 was the opening of the Currane Failte Abaile (Welcome Home festival). We moved our bar license to the community centre for that event. You have to go to court to do that, so there were legal fees to pay not to mention the large number of staff we had to employ for the occasion.

There was, however, a play in the community centre and a golf event in the Compass last night so hopefully things will improve over the rest of the bank holiday.
Photo: Jane

Irish Weather

In Ireland, they say that the weather changes every 15 minutes...
Photo: Annie

In the North, Even the Creches Can Be Sectarian

This photograph was taken in Derry's Waterside, a Loyalist district.

Click for the full picture.

Photo: Annie

Corraun Diary (12) What to Do Next?

In her diary entry of 21st July 2005, Pirate friend and neighbour Jane had some tough issues to consider regarding The George, the pub she was running with her husband Al: "Long discussion with Al today regarding the future of the bar. This year's business is 20% down on last year, which was 20% down on the year before. We have heard that all bars in Ireland are having similar problems. We have always maintained that we will do everything we can to keep the bar open but that was assuming that it would cover its costs. We are getting very close to it costing us money we don't have. In September, our insurance money is due - approx. 6,000 Euro. If August does not go well and we don't have the money we will have to break into our emergency money. I think we'll probably do this and give it another year but we have to face the fact that any serious business person would say it would be better not to pay the insurance and close the bar. We both really hope it doesn't come to this."

Photo of happy days in the bar: Jane

Irish Wolf Hound

These gentle giants may have arrived in Ireland as early as 3500 BC with the first settlers, who bred them as war dogs. On average, they are the tallest dogs in the world and are known to be unconditionally loyal to their owners. Sadly they only live for between five and ten years.

This beauty is the lordly canine at Lissadell House (see the entry below).

Photo: Annie

Lissadell House and Countess Markiewicz

Lissadell House in County Sligo was the childhood home of Countess Markiewicz, who became a Sinn Féin revolutionary nationalist and the first woman to be elected to the British House of Commons. Following her involvement in the 1916 Easter Uprising, she was sentenced to death but eventually served just one year in prison. Countess Markiewicz also fought actively for the Republican cause during the Irish Civil War and helped to defend Moran's Hotel in Dublin.

As the dramatist Séan O'Casey said of her: "One thing she had in abundance—-physical courage; with that she was clothed as with a garment".
Top photo: Annie

Drumcliffe

This magnificent swan graces the door of the church in Drumcliffe where the poet WB Yeats lies buried.

The rather Zen-like epitaph on his gravestone is taken from the last lines of "Under Ben Bulben", one of his final poems:
Cast a cold eye
On life, on death.
Horseman, pass by

Photo: Annie

Corraun Diary (11); The Afternoon the George Stayed Closed

In her diary entry of 17 March 2005, Pirate friend and neighbour Jane describes the evening that the George, the pub she was running with her husband Al, stayed closed for the afternoon. There was simply too much musical competition elsewhere: "No point in opening the bar until this evening so we went to Dookinella to watch the pipe bands."
Photo: Jane

Votive Offerings

Objects tied to a tree at Tobernalt Holy Well in Carraroe in County Sligo. The Well was also worshipped in pre-Christian times.
Photo: Annie

Just Stop and Admire the View

Climbing the Slievemore on Achill Island can be an arduous experience. The good thing is that the view becomes more magnificent with each step you take!
Photo: Annie

Stick to the Straight and Narrow!

An interesting bridge construction in North Mayo. While the wall on the one side is nicely reassuring, its absence on the other promises an iminent dunking!
Photo: Annie

Corraun Diary (10); Ju Ju Comes to Visit

Writing her diary in January 2005, our friend and neighbour Jane records the day that Ju Ju came visiting: "Ju Ju Anderson comes to visit. Her father, William Anderson was one of the gardeners at Corraun House. She has wonderful stories to tell about the gardens here. She is shocked at their decline and has very kindly brought some pictures taken in the 1920’s/1930’s for us. I’ve scanned the pictures and put them on the Currane web site (http://www.currane.net/aboutpages/pastpicspre50sjuju.html) for all to see. This makes me keen to try and save the gardens. It would be wonderful for them to be restored for the community to enjoy. I've tried several times to get some help/grant aid but failed. I feel motivated to try again."
Photo: courtesy of Ju Ju Anderson

The Mythical Badger

The garden here in Polranny is enormous, and includes a stretch of woodland where a badger is reputed to live. Not that anyone ever sees him...
Photos: Annie

Different Strokes for Different Folks

The Catholic and the Protestant churches to the right and left of the 19th century lunatic asylum in Sligo. Now a major hotel.
Photos: Annie

Literary Life

Nearby Achill Island has its own writer's group. From left to right: Anne Cattigan, Dan McDonald, Marjorie Wallace, Pirate Peti,Doutsje Nauta,Anne Shannon and Kathleen Pevler.
Click to enlarge.

Corraun Diary (15); After the Christmas Bash

Writing in her diary on 25 December 2004, Pirate friend and neighbour Jane records a hectic Christmas night at the George, the pub she was running with her husband Al in nearby Currane: "It's about 4am an Christmas Day. Our Christmas Eve customers have gone and after a very busy evening all is now quiet and we've finished clearing up. The bar will be closed tomorrow. The bar looks so pretty tonight. I'm very pleased with my decorations."
Photo: Jane

Changing Colours

Nature's colours transformed with the changing season. The garden in early spring (top photo) and a month later (bottom photo).
Photos: Peti

Spring

Like something out of "The Secret Garden", you know that it's finally spring when bluebells and yellow daffodils dominate the floral colour scheme.
Photo: Peti

Small World!

Here is our friend and neighbour Mrs. Masterson with Spot the dog and her daughter Annette in Ougterargh, Connemara. Annette is a regular reader of this blog. How? Through her Auntie Bridgie, who lives in America. Enterprising Auntie Bridgie discovered our blog by googling Polranny. And the first thing she saw there was a photo of Spot the dog!



Meanwhile, Annette's son Alan, who lives in Australia with his girlfriend, has also become a Polranny Pirates regular. Nowadays he's a chartered accountant, but this is him back in 1982 when he was snapped by Pirate Peti while visiting his grandparents here. We're sure he hasn't changed a bit!
Photos: Peti

Leaving Present

A prize addition to the Polranny Pirates' collection of artworks: this stylish rustic seat/ woodstack. Who made it? Was it Michel, Laura, Bas, Mark or maybe the leprachauns? Whoever it was, thank you! We love it!
Photo: Peti

Polranny Guests; The Final Evening

After cleaning the house and a supper of omelette with stew, Laura, Bas, Michel and Mark relax with a Guinness and set the self timer for a final portrait in Polranny. Tomorrow they will be back in Dublin before flying home to Holland.
Photo: Mark, www.mimia.nl

A Few Days Later...

A few days later, Polranny guests Laura, Bas, Michel and Mark decided to explore nearby Achill Island. Mark writes: "Today we took the Land Rover and drove around Achill Island. Starting at Achill Sound we headed southward, then went along the Western shore before turning off for the beaches in the North, where we met a young and enthusiastic dog called Bruno.

Later we had lunch in the dunes on a deserted beach. Refreshed, we climbed to the top of a mountain to admire the view below and visited a lake with a dam. By around half past four we were sitting in a pub in Achill Sound, drinking two extremely-deserved Guinnesses. As if that wasn't enough, Bas and I drank more Guinness outside the house in the afternoon sun. We ate pasta with stew and guacamole, and Michel baked two loaves of - what else? - Guinness bread!"
Foto: Mark, www.mimia.nl

Polranny; The Third Day

On their third day in Polranny, guests Bas, Laura, Michel and Mark start exploring nearby Achill Island. Mark writes: " We follow a walking trail on the western part of Achill Island. We drive up a steep, mountain road, then down again towards a beach. It's a beautiful beach. There's a number of islands off the coast, and a river runs over the beach and into the sea. There is a car park. But no path.
Immediately behind the beach is a steep mountain. We start to climb it, sometimes on all fours. From afar we can see a house on the top of the mountain, and we decide to first head for that. It's a very rough climb for us, and all four of us are tired when we reach our destination. It appears the house is no more than a ruin, and is used by sheep as a place to crap. On the edge of the cliff is a rusted pole with a lamp socket in it. Nearby is a dead sheep. But the view of the beach below is beautiful."
Photo: Mark,www.mimia.nl

The Next Day in Polranny

While Michel goes for a run and Bas collects the wood, Laura and Mark go for a walk: "We walk behind the house to the sea and back again. Peat, peat and more peat. We don't dare to leave the path, fearing it will be boggy. Spotting a meadow with sheep, I call them and they come trotting towards us. At the shore there's a ship caught in the mud. On a path between two large gorse bushes Laura smells something that's vaguely like a mixture of Bailey's and coconut. Here and there are deserted houses made of large bricks. Some look like they can be rebuilt without too much effort, but others are hopeless ruins. There are almost as many large, newly-constructed houses and estates. In twenty years time this place will be filled with expensive property. Ireland is quickly becoming rich. We buy our groceries and return at around five o'clock."
Photo: Mark, www.mimia.nl

Polranny; First Impressions

Going back in time a little, here are the first impressions of Polranny's most recent guests Bas, Laura, Michel and Mark: "At around four or five o'clock we arrive at the house in Polranny. It's a beautiful house with wonderful surroundings. There are many books and a lot of dust. In the living room is a wood stove and in the kitchen there's a coal cooker. Bas gets both going. Michel connects the laptop upstairs. We eat omelettes with bread and vegetables."
To be continued...
Photo: Mark, www.mimia.nl

Spring Has Sprung!

Over the past few months, there has been a steady stream of visitors to the house in Polranny. Most recently Bas, Laura, Michel and Mark jetted in from Holland. Mark writes: "Here is Laura and the view from the back garden. As you can see, spring has reached Polranny. For a week, the four of us lay on beaches, and walked through bogs and fog. And, of course, we drank plenty of Guinness.
Read all about it at www.mimia.nl.
Photo: Mark

A Final Glimpse of Ireland

It's time to plan your next trip...
Photo: Annie

Corraun Diary (14); Banishing the evil weed

On 28 March 2004, Jane recorded a momentous occasion in her diary: "The night before the smoking ban takes effect in Ireland. How will it affect our business? Only time will tell."
Photo: Jane

What To Do on a Wet Saturday Afternoon

Go to the nearby Mulranny hotel and watch the latest wedding reception. Champagne will flow, families will feud and the bride will be snogging the bridesmaids before the day is out.
Photo: Annie

The Bar at Newport House

The deliciously unpretentious bar at the otherwise chic Newport House is one of the Pirates' favourite watering holes. Newport is a small town and about a half-hour's drive away from the house in Polranny.
Photo: Annie

After the Walk...

... comes the well-earned Guinness!
Photo: Annie

An Historic Moment

Having your new walking shoes recorded for posterity.
Photo: Annie

The Best to Prepare for a Walk...

... is with a cup of tea, a Guinness and a dodgy map. Here begins the adventure...
Photo: Annie