Wednesday 28 June 2017

The Emerald Isle


Overheard in a conversation about Croagh Patrick:

Hay: "Croagh Patrick is a metaphor."

Chairman: "I think you'll find it's actually igneous."

The Irish seem to have a strange relationship with their lawns, You see lots of houses set in about an acre of unblemished lawn, with hardly a plant to adorn it. Vast swathes of green with a tiny bungalow in the middle.

When you think about it, the lawn has been a status symbol for as long as we've been living in houses. The poor can't afford the time to look after them and those living in high-rises can only dream of them. How long will it be before we hear Jeremy Corbyn calling for lawns for all?

Ireland certainly is the Emerald Isle and, whereas mountains in Scotland and Wales are a forbidding black, the mountains here are covered in green from top to bottom.

Went to Achill Island yesterday - stunning scenery! Found a gorgeous beach at Keem.









3 comments:

A Heron's View said...

Achill island is to my mind a real gem and indeed it has provided visitors with it's own variety of amethyst too. I have spent many happy days on Achill visiting most of the ancient sites and also the deserted famine village too. Did you see the beehive huts on the north eastern side ?

Chairman Bill said...

Not enough time, unfortunately, to get to see all the sights. Must come for 2 weeks next time.

I am concerned about all the peat cutting though - it takes 12,000 years to produce just a few feet of the stuff. You'd think the EU would pay them NOT to cut it. Ideal place for wind farms (what with the variable weather, I don't think solar would go down well).

A Heron's View said...

Do Not discuss the Turf Banks it is a sore subject. Suggest instead selling the Tower of London to the Trump Hotel Group :-)