Strange, is it not? That of the myriads who
Before us pass'd the door of Darkness through,
Not one returns to tell us of the Road
Which to discover we must travel too.
~ Edward Fitzgerald
Derreenataggart stone circle. In my head I keep rolling the R's with a Scottish accent.
I've mentioned more than once that Dario and I LOVE the Beara Peninsula. Since we are planning on heading back to Italy in mid-December, we want to soak up as much Beara-y goodness as we can before our departure. We recently went for a drive out there, opting for a bit of random exploration in the Castletownbere area.
We let ourselves get lost on some back roads and took in the pastoral scenery. Soon we spied signs for a stone circle and a ring fort. We visited both, one in a cow pasture and one in a sheep pasture, respectively. The stone circle, Derreenataggart, was in a cow pasture and was blessed by sacred cow flops all around. Fortunately, the cows were in the next field over and didn't seem to mind that we were poking around their dinner table. (Also fortunate was that we managed to avoid the cow flops.)
While looking for some online info about the site, I chanced across the Isle of Albion website. They have a lovely way of describing the scene, as well as some gorgeous photos taken on a day when the weather was bit nicer:
"The few visitors who drift in with the wind seem inclined to respect the site, perhaps humbled by the rough dignity of the stones. They explore briefly, walking with soft steps and whispers, and depart with surprising swiftness. For those of us who feel inclined to loiter, this leaves extended periods of solitude during which the stones can be enjoyed with quiet reflection."
We were in the latter group. Thankfully, there weren't any "No Loitering" signs about. Although I have more of a tendency to loiter than Dario. Probably something to do with my camera-carrying obsession. …ok, and the fact that I admittedly felt a sense of awe and reverence. And I love Ireland. And I don't want to leave.
Have you been somewhere so beautiful
you nearly cried at the thought of leaving?
I'm not a tearful person but on our recent trip across the US there were numerous spots where I was saddened by the thought of moving on. Sometimes you find a spot where you can relax and be at peace; and it hurts to leave but at the same time there are always other places to explore.
Looks like a very tranquil setting :-)
Indeed it was, although I'm sure it's a bit different with the cows milling about and the farmer and the hearding dogs… ;)
Simply beautiful. There's something about the stones, their placement in the middle of a field, that draw you in. Can understand why you'd want to loiter. Thanks
Hi, Linda. Yeah, I have the photo as my desktop background right now. We are in Italy for the time being, but I’m already missing Ireland. Well… maybe not the icy sidewalks and high electricity bills, but definitely missing the scenery. We plan to go back and buy a house on Beara in the next few years. :)
I feel this way everytime I leave Cusco, and I always cry. Cried both times I left Machu Picchu. Places do that you sometimes, I understand.
Thanks, Mica. The first time I went to Italy, I cried all the way from Palermo to Seattle. I knew I had to move there. I'm glad I did, and when it was time to leave, it was the right thing to do. I'm just not sure my time in Ireland is up. Sigh. Will definitely have to come back and live here again.
Yes, I did cry as we left KawZulu Natal, South Africa after our stay in a Zulu village there. After jamming with a musician at night by the bonfire, they gave me a Zulu name, iThemba. That was actually the trip that inspired me to start Green Global Travel, though it took me another 10 years to actually do it!
That's pretty touching, Bret. Music has a way of transcending all barriers and speaking directly to the soul. And to be given a name, well… there's not much I can add to that. Wow. I can imagine how wrenching it must have been to leave. I'm glad it inspired you create something, no matter when that happened.
Yes – Switzerland! But we'll be back…
Really? Dario's been itching to go there for a while. We'll have to see about a visit. And yeah, I think we'll be back. Have to be. I love it here too much.