Friday, June 20, 2008

The Mullet



Yes, just like the haircut. We spent the afternoon
exploring this northwest island, and stayed in Belmullet
for a Dick Gaughan concert in the new
Belmullet Arts Center -- Aras Inis Gluaire.
Situated in the Gaeltacht, this area is bilingual,
so the signs are all in Irish, and Dick Gaughan,
who is a Scot, was introduced in Irish and English.
A song he sang in a Scot dialect moved me to tears --
even though I couldn't understand a word!
The power of music....

We left Belmullet around eleven -- just past
the gloaming hour. The fifty miles back to Westport
were lit by an ebbing glow on the western horizon
behind us, and strings of reflectors on either side
of the narrow road in yellow, and a line of white
reflectors down the middle -- beads of light strung out
for miles before us to guide the way home.
(No overhead streetlights!)
On the last bit of country lane down to Carrowholly Point
a fox scurried beside us, visible for only a single glance,
then disappeared into fuschia hedgerows.

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