I woke up on Friday and made myself a breakfast of cereal, NY style bagels and some instant coffee. I sat in the cozy kitchen and nibbled away. When Brendan came in we started getting ready for a day out. The day was grim. It looked like the coming of the apocalypse. Sheets of rain, dark skies, biting cold winds. I could barely see Benbulben through the fog.
We started our day with a quick drive to the monolithic cairns. It was too wet to hike way out into the fields to see the biggest ones but the museum had a fascinating exhibit. The cairns pre date Stonehenge by something like 3,000 years. it is unbelievable. They are scattered all over this area of Ireland. In fields, along the side of the road. There is a big one on the top of one of the mountain known as Queen Meave's (see also Queen Mab) Grave. There are lots of stories about Finn McCool. We got to see one right on the side of the road. It was amazing to be so close to things that are that old and man made.
Next, we hiked up to this gorgeous waterfall. Apparently at certain times the waterfall runs up hill. Like, backwards or so Brendan told me. I really couldn't tell if he was pulling my leg but I believed him. We also drove to Strandhill where I had planned on going surfing. After standing out on the cliff looking over the treacherous, stormy sea I was glad I had not booked my lesson. Yes, I may have surfed a half dozen times or so but I was not ready for this level of difficulty!
We took a drive out to Yeats grave. I took a walk around the grave yard and it was here that I first started truly feeling my Nanny's (great grandmother Molly, she was my best friend until she died when I was 15), presence. She grew up in the shadow of Benbulben and all of the stories she used to tell me started flooding back. Brendan and I got some lovely soup and sandwich at the gift shop and when we emerged the sky had cleared. It was a dazzling and sunny blue and it had warmed up quite a bit. We started driving to Nanny's old house. I looked at Brendan and said that I thought Molly sent the clear skies and he said he was thinking the exact same thing.
We arrived at the cottage I had always heard about. The one nanny grew up in. I could imagine her and her 12 siblings growing up here. i saw the field with the cows and donkeys where the black and tan shot at them. I saw the rose bushes. The school where they all went was right next door. One half for the boys the other for the girls. It seems to be a big artists studio now.
I was totally overwhelmed with emotions. I felt nanny with me more than usual. I started talking to her. Picked up a rock from the path. I wished I had been able to go inside but sadly the cottage is not in our family any longer.
From there we went on to drive all around the area where nanny grew up. We went to this massive estate where she used to sit by the water and play on the grounds. We drove up Benbulben and down to the sea. I picked up a smooth stone. It would become my worry stone. nanny always had one. A stone she would rub between her pointer finger and thumb to ease her nerves. We talked a bit but mostly we were quiet and thoughtful, soaking in all the beauty.
That evening we went to see Cian's Junior GAA match. Their team lost but I LOVED it! The game is really cool. Like soccer but you can use your hands and there are two different ways to score. Also, standing out by the field and looking around you seeing mountains and rolling hills everywhere makes everything better.
We had dinner at The Bistro, their favorite Italian place in Sligo town. They took Grandpa and Mandy there when they visited. We all ordered pizzas. The owner came over to say hello and when he found out I was from NYC he got very nervous. He said New Yorkers really know their pizza but he was encouraged by the fact that his pie won best pizza at the contest in Las Vegas (where Giove's from Trumbull, CT won 3rd place, random, small world!). The food was excellent and we didn't finish eating until after midnight. When dinner was through we dropped Cian off for a sleepover and the adults headed to Harry's: The pub with the well. It was a cozy spot full of friendly locals. There is in fact a well in the back with fish swimming around in the bottom. We met Fenton, the publican, who asked me for a kiss. I didn't hear him at first and he got very offended. He was a giant of a man who was wearing sandals in 40 degree weather. He was really funny and we had a grand time. I drank my first Guinness of the evening and could barely touch my second. I was so exhausted at this point that my cousins in Sligo must have thought I was a teetotaler. I wish they could have seen me on one of my proud nights in NYC or even Dublin downing Jameson and Guinness for hours like I was born to do! Ha! We took a taxi home and I fell asleep once again the moment my head hit the pillow.
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