I decided yesterday to go to Galway for the afternoon. It was driven by a few things, such as an urgent desire to see the Atlantic Ocean and, more importantly, to escape the harsh reality of newspapers that are bemoaning the property crash, which the Independent attached more importance to than the lacklustre documentation coming out of the Vatican on Saturday. Sometimes, escapism is called for.
and then other times….
I can’t remember the last time I did anything other than pass around Galway on the road to somewhere else so it has to be at least 15 years ago.
Yesterday I went to the shores of Lough Corrib and also to Salthill, two places I spent quite a whack of my early childhood. This memorial is near the pier in Annaghdown to commemorate a boating tragedy in the 1890s I think:
Salthill interests me. I couldn’t remember that much about it, but they seem to have the whole seafront thing sewn up a bit better than most other seafronts in the country. Certainly it whips the ass of all the beaches in Dublin anyway. And it’s really lovely. And all the amusement arcades and stuff; they were way classier looking than the ones in Tramore. No. Really.
I miss Atlantic sunsets.
I didn’t get one yesterday because the haze that allowed me to light photographs the way I did got in the way and provided me with some rain later on in Spiddle. But still sunsets in the city never seem to be quite as special as sunsets in the west and the south west…I don’t know why. Even when you cheat and go to Howth or Skerries which might have the two best sunset locations in Dublin, it’s just not the same.
I’m glad the road to Galway has opened. Tragic and all as it might seem, it provides an easy way to the Atlantic which when you need a bit of soulfood is good. Handy.
Of course, the start of the GAA championships may feic that up on me, but for the summer au cas ou…tis there.
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You have just reminded me of my first trip to Salthill in 1973. I was parked outside a hotel waiting for a friend. Then a garda sergeant walked out into the road and stopped the traffic.
About 30 seconds later, the then Bishop of Galway, Dr Michael Browne walked across the road. The garda snapped to attention and saluted. His Lordship raised his walking cane in acknowledgement and headed off along the footpath. I wonder would that happen today?
Apparently, the late Dr Browne used to patrol Salthill and express his displeasure at “immodest dress” and public drinking! In 1976 he was succeeded by Eamonn Casey.
That was a very different Ireland!
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