It was also a chance for me to see the country from which I’ve drawn inspiration for much of my writing. I’m sure that many of you have noticed that I pull place names, descriptions, and even merge in a little mythology from the Emerald Isle. My interest results in part from a couple of the authors I read when I was in college:
- Morgan Llywelyn, who wrote such works as Red Branch, which focused on the Irish warrior Cuchulain, and Finn MacCool, the story of the leader of the Fianna army.
- Kenneth C. Flint, who wrote about Conaire Mor in Isle of Destiny, as well as The Sidhe series that told the tale of Lugh Lamfada.
Both writers built many of their books on Irish legends.
My family and I prefer to explore the countryside rather than spend time in the cities. I've included a few pictures that I hope you enjoy.
My favorite hike? Dursey Island.
The very tip of Dursey Island is the westernmost place in Europe. To get there, you have to take a cable car, which is safer than braving the tidal race running through the channel that separates the island from the mainland.
The primary rule for the cable car? No more than six people at a time or one cow. There’s a weight limit. On the isle, there is a signal tower built during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, the remains of an ancient church built by the monks from Skellig Rock, and a plethora of prehistoric sites.
Will we go back to Ireland? Of course.
First, because as we learned, you never have enough time to do everything that you want to do in Ireland. If it says that it takes an hour to get somewhere, plan on two. And we still have so much more to see.
Second, I spent just as much time typing notes into my phone for future stories and books as I did hiking.
