Making Muckish..

Tuesday, 22-Sep
We had our hearty Irish breakfast this morning, and gathered in the stable yard at 11a. We were led off today by Neve, with Clair bringing up the rear.

The weather was sunny, with a bit of a breeze as we started off, and had a wade through the water, then a couple of long gallops along Kilahooey Strand.

Then across the road, and up past both holiday and farm houses. Lots of sheep and cows, and green land like you would not believe. Green like Seattle could be if all developers were penned up and torched so they couldn't keep building over it. But I digress....

Up up up, forever winding up, startling the sheep along the way. We passed a famine graveyard, with both the mass grave for those who were unknown to the area, and those named from the workhouse. We finally left behind the homesteaded portion, and were now riding along the famine track. Literally the track where the evicted and dispossesed travelled by horse or foot or pushing carts to try to get to family, or the coast to emigrate, or anywhere they thought they might find work or food. Ireland lost (depending on the accounting) somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 of its population during the muliple famine times; to either death, or emigration.

As we neared Muckish, the only other living things we saw besides our own horses were the sheep dotting the hillsides. I don't know (or terribly care honestly) about plant life, but riding through the purple heather was an experience.

We broke for lunch near a Loch, and the horses got a good eat as well. The little car drove up the farm road(s) and brought camp chairs, a collapsable table, and our packed lunches from the hotel. That hot soup never tasted so good! We had a brief shower while we ate (of course!) and then we packed up and headed out again.

We now followed the old railroad track, but it was so muddy from Monday's downpour that we kept it to a safe walk. Lots of sheep, some cows and some lovely donkeys! were our company as we rode along the crest of a hill, and then down toward the sea, where we eventually left the horses to stay the night. The little car came with their blankets, food, and halters.

In all it was an extraordinary day. Not just for the scenary, but seeing history from the perspective NOT written by the winners.

Wednesday (tomorrow) we pick up the horses, and ride back toward Dunfanaghy.

Note: if any of you are following/interested in international politics - the Lisbon Treaty vote is HUGE news over here. Ireland + 2 other nations in the EU voted no the first time it was brought to a vote. Apparently it requires a 100% yes vote to pass. The second round, Ireland was the only hold out. So they are forcing a vote again. I don't pretend to completely understand it, their own EU minister said it was unreadable. It will be very interesting to see if they force Ireland to its knees to vote yes this time.