Polranny Pirates

Humpback whale off Achill Island

2012-02-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

On Sat 11th Feb Michael Patten and friends went surfing off Keel beach, Achill Island, Co. Mayo. Out beyond the surf towards the Bill Rock, they observed a large whale surface on at least 4 occasions, that was in the 30-60ft length bracket; clearly too large for a minke whale. Its surface behaviour suggests a species that was creating a lot of disturbance and then several of the surfers saw it clearly lift its tail fluke vertically out of the water, before diving. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, after discussing the encounter with Mark during validation are confident that this is a humpback whale.

Photo and text: the Mayo News

Gale Force Ten

2012-02-11T00:00:00.001+01:00

Stormy waves of grass cover this ancient graveyard at the Mullet.

Photo: Willem van Goor

The Road to the Bay

2012-02-11T00:00:00.000+01:00

Behind the house there's the road to the bay. If you look carefully the sea, you may find oysters.

Photo: Riny

Looking Forward to the Spring

2012-02-04T00:00:00.001+01:00

This is the moment we're looking for: when the frost recede and the first shoots come out of the ground.

Photo: Riny

The Advantage of an Irish Winter...

2012-01-28T00:00:00.003+01:00

... is that although you may be freezing, the landscape is unbelievably beautiful!

Photo: Riny

The Intrepid Traveller...

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000+01:00

... striding across a snowy, Mayo landscape.

Photo: Hank

Ruined Houses

2012-01-14T00:00:00.001+01:00

In Mayo, there are ruined houses everywhere that slowly subside into the landscape.

Photo: Riny

Christmas Storm

2012-01-07T00:00:00.002+01:00

After too much Christmas dinner, a much needed breath of fresh air on Keel beach.

Photo: Peti

Enlightened Christmas

2011-12-31T00:00:00.005+01:00

Pirate Peti writes: "Hank was responsible for the Hanukkah candles, José for the Christmas lights and I read the Koran."

Photo: Peti

Pirate Dog

2011-12-24T00:00:00.004+01:00

Spot the Dog has been our guest for the past four weeks. Like all our visitors, he came with a strict schedule of activities, which he followed with unwavering devotion. Each morning, he would work on his fitness by racing around the garden while in the afternoon he would concentrate on stamina and strength by dragging Pirate Peti on endless walks along the Greenway. But even small dogs get tired sometimes and Spot spent his evenings lying in front of the TV watching... football!

Photo: Peti

Interesting Combo

2011-12-17T00:00:00.001+01:00

Ireland is full of interesting combinations: in this case: a farm building, an ancient monument and a flock of birds.

Photo: Riny

The Neighbours

2011-12-10T00:00:00.003+01:00

This is where Pirate friends Jane and Al live.

It gets quite exciting when there's a storm and you're huddled up in the living room!!

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Mystery Surrounds Achill Island's Stonehenge Project

2011-12-03T00:00:00.004+01:00

A massive Stonehenge-esque structure appeared on an Achill hilltop last weekend. The man behind the clandestine project, the purpose of which remains unclear, is Achill native Joe McNamara, also known as ‘The Anglo Avenger’. The structure – dubbed Achill-henge – was built without planning permission. Towering nearly 15 feet from its base, it is 30 metres in diameter and has a circumference of close to 100 metres. It is believed that the project is based on Stonehenge in more than just appearance. Reportedly it has also been built to sync with sunrise on the summer and winter solstices and March and September equinoxes.

Photo: Michael McLaughlin. Click here for more information about Achill-henge and the Anglo Avenger.

Submerged Treasure

2011-11-26T00:00:00.002+01:00

A shattered Byzantine mosaic half-submerged in the warm waters of the Eastern Mediterranean? Or the ocean bed off the coast of County Mayo on a silky soft summer's day?

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

In Ireland...

2011-11-19T00:00:00.001+01:00

...always to take a dog with you. You'll have much more fun!

Photo: ©Profoundly Superficial

The Holy Family...

2011-11-12T00:00:00.003+01:00

...spotted in a shop window in Derry, Northern Ireland.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

A Poem for the Pirates

2011-11-05T00:00:00.002+01:00

The Pirates' guests often leave momentos of their visit, which are always much appreciated. This time, Huib Fens wrote a poem in our honour while his colleague Nico contributed a delightful drawing. Many thanks to both of them!

A Velvet Path...

2011-10-29T00:00:00.001+02:00

... of dappled sunlight.
Photo: Profoundly Superficial at Achill Secret Garden, Ireland

Tree from the Dawn of Time

2011-10-22T00:00:00.002+02:00

Almost 5,000 years ago, this scots pine was part of a mighty forest in Stone Age Ireland. Then it tumbled over and was preserved to this day by the local peat bog. I love its swirling ripples. They make you want to stroke it, which of course I did.
Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Suviving the Storm

2011-10-15T00:00:00.002+02:00

Instead of curling up in the safety of his nice warm burrow,this bedraggled bunny ventured out into the storm in search of food. He spent at least an hour solemnly munching his grass in the pouring rain before lolloping off back home again.

Photo: © Profoundly Superficial, Ireland

Autumn trim

2011-10-08T00:00:00.002+02:00

The front lawn has just been mowed for one last time before winter.

Photo: Mike Wilson

Hunger Road

2011-10-01T00:00:00.000+02:00

This stunningly beautiful road alongside Killary Fjord was built in the 1840s. It was part of a project to create work for people who would have otherwise starved during the Great Hunger. They received food as payment.

Photo: © Profoundly Superficial

Manic Weather

2011-09-24T00:00:00.000+02:00

In Ireland it alternates between pouring rain and bright sunshine. Sometimes the weather gets really manic and does both things at the same time.

Photo: © Profoundly Superficial

Artwork

2011-09-17T00:00:00.000+02:00

In Ireland, even the wall of a barn can take the form of an artwork.

Photo: © Profoundly Superficial

Floating World

2011-09-10T00:00:00.001+02:00

Seaweed in Killary Fjord in beautiful Connemara.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Meteorological dramas...

2011-09-03T00:00:00.002+02:00

... they happen all the time.
Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Divine Intervention?

2011-08-27T00:00:00.001+02:00

Dramatic light effects are not at all uncommon in this part of Ireland.

Photo: Hank and Josée

New Shoots in the Undergrowth

2011-08-20T00:00:00.000+02:00

With fallen leaves providing a nutritious mulch, the garden provides a fertile paradise for a vast variety of plants.

Photo: Riny

Apocalyptic Scenes

2011-08-13T00:00:00.000+02:00

... are the order of the day in Ireland. They say that the weather changes once every 15 minutes. And it is often dramatic!

Photo: Riny

Wonky Gravestones

2011-08-06T00:00:00.003+02:00

Maybe the occupants of the graves are continuing a family vendetta...

Photo: Riny

A Beautiful Sight

2011-07-30T00:00:00.001+02:00

Kindling for the fireplace in the living room. Beautifully stacked up and ready to burn!

Photo: Riny

Artistic Sheep

2011-07-23T00:00:00.002+02:00

Even the sheep know how to pose artistically in front of a spectacular Irish landscape!

Photo: Riny Meijer

The Drive

2011-07-16T00:00:00.005+02:00

With its elegant tunnel of trees, the drive is one of the most painted and photographed parts of the grounds. It marks the beginning of countless adventures and also the final farewell as you leave to return home.
Painting: Reina Keislair

Dugort Beach

2011-07-09T00:00:00.003+02:00

The area around the house in Polranny is full of dramatic countryside and scenic views that are ideal for landscape artists. Some locations are within walking distance while others can be easily reached by bike or car. This watercolour of Dugort, a sleepy harbour village, was painted by Reina Keislair, who was a recent guest.

The Continuing Online Exhibition...

2011-07-02T00:00:00.003+02:00

... of work by Pirate guest and artist Reina Keislair. This time we're featuring a watercolour of some handsome local cows.

Views from the Kitchen Window

2011-06-25T00:00:00.002+02:00

The little white house belongs to our friend and neighbour Mrs Masterson.
Paintings: Reina Keislair

Another View of the House...

2011-06-18T00:00:00.003+02:00

Painting: Reina Keislair

The House Immortalised...

2011-06-11T00:00:00.007+02:00

... in this stunning water-colour painting by artist and Polranny guest Reina Keislair.

Leprachauns?

2011-06-04T00:00:00.000+02:00

An anonymous drawing left behind by an anonymous visitor to the house in Polranny.

Just Another Day at the Office?

2011-05-28T00:00:00.002+02:00

Artist Reina Keislair hard at work during her recent visit to the house in Polranny.

Nature and Technology...

2011-05-21T00:00:00.005+02:00

...combine in this breathtaking shot by Monique Besten, an artist and a recent Polanny guest.

Rugged Coastline

2011-05-07T00:00:00.003+02:00

Sunny or stormy, Pirate guest and artist Monique Besten gets to grips with Mayo's rugged coastline.

Photo: Monique Besten

Lonely Sheep...

2011-04-30T00:00:00.002+02:00

... and the encroaching sea mist.

Photo Monique Besten

Spotting the Similarities

2011-04-23T00:00:00.001+02:00

Artist and recent visitor Monique Besten at work in Polranny and Achill.

Photos: Monique Besten

On Looking and Landscapes

2011-04-16T00:00:00.001+02:00

Monique Besten, our most recent guest, writes about her visit to Polranny in her blog:"The Giant* and I went on a trip along the Atlantic Ocean today. We did well together, steep hills, amazing cliffs, sheep staring at us wherever we went. The sheep reminded me of something I read just before I went to sleep last night: 'The eyes of an animal when they consider a man are attentive and wary. The same animal may well look at other species in the same way. He does not reserve a special look for man. But by no other species except man will the animal’s look be recognised as familiar. Other animals are held by the look. Man becomes aware of himself returning the look.' John Berger, About Looking (p. 4/5)."

* Giant = the brand of her bike

Photo: Monique

Over Hill and Dale

2011-04-09T00:00:00.000+02:00

The Irish landscape is always changing and always unpredictable. So you will just have to climb to the top of the next hill to see what you will see.

Photo: Hank and Josée

Life's A Journey...

2011-03-26T00:00:00.001+01:00

... is the thought behind this bench placed alongside the cycle path that links Achill with Newport.
Photo: Hank and Josée

Well Done, Charlie!

2011-03-19T00:00:00.001+01:00

(The invitation can be enlarged by clicking it)

Charlie Tyrrell, whose mother and grandparents lived at the house in Polranny, is having a major exhibition of his works on canvas and aluminium. The show will be held at the Solstice Arts Centre in Navan, County Meath, from 24 March to 6 May. It then moves to the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork where it can be seen between 13 May and 2 July.

Icicles

2011-03-12T00:00:00.003+01:00

A row of vicious-looking icicles framed this wintery view of the back garden a few months back. Fortunately spring has now sprung and Monique Besten, the first of the year's guests, will be arriving shortly. Before coming over to Polranny, she will be working on an artwork in Dublin. You can follow her progress on her blog.

Astonishing Colours...

2011-03-05T00:00:00.002+01:00

... and typically Irish. Photographed on the cycle path that runs through breathtakingly beautiful landscapes between Achill Island and Newport.

Photo: Hank and Josée

Ewe Can't Get Lost Here!

2011-02-26T00:00:00.000+01:00

Friendly local sheep just waiting to point visitors in the right direction on the old train track from Achill to Newport, which is now used for walking and cycling.
Photo: Hank & Josée

Optimism...

2011-02-19T00:00:00.002+01:00

... is hoping that the warmer weather will last and not turn Arctic again!

Photo: Hank Kune

Sunset

2011-02-12T00:00:00.001+01:00

Sunset over Currane Peninsula.

Always different, often dramatic.

Photo: Henk de Lange

Creative Inspiration

2011-02-05T00:00:00.000+01:00

One of the many lakes hidden amongst the hills and mountains near the house in Polranny, and an artwork by Henk de Lange, a recent visitor.

Photo: Henk de Lange

Where the Clouds Touch the Earth

2011-01-29T00:00:00.000+01:00

An everyday occurrence in the Wild West of Ireland.

Photo: Henk de Lange

Clouds formations...

2011-01-22T00:00:00.000+01:00

... in Ireland are frequently as extraordinary as the landscapes beneath them.

Photo: Henk de Lange

The Angry Sea

2011-01-15T00:00:00.000+01:00

Always a force to be reckoned with... there are rocks under those waves!

Photo: Henk de Lange

Snowy Roads

2011-01-08T00:00:00.002+01:00

It's easy to get snowed in in this part of the world. So you have to be careful how you drive...

Photo: Doutsje Nauta

Happy 2011!

2011-01-01T00:00:00.000+01:00

Currane on the Shortest Day. Beautiful, snowy and very, very cold.

Photo: Doutsje Nauta

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-25T00:00:00.006+01:00

The Christmas spirit as embodied by a colourful family of snowmen including a couple of kids and a lady in a bikini top. They were spotted outside the house next to the chemist's in Achill Sound.

Photo: Hank Kune

A Crock of Gold?

2010-12-18T12:14:00.001+01:00

In this part of the world, torrential rain can change in an instant into bright sunshine. That's why Irish landscapes are littered with rainbows. Is there a crock of gold waiting at the rainbow's end? With the luck of the Irish, quite possibly!

Photo:Henk de Lange

An Extraordinary Experience

2010-12-11T00:00:00.001+01:00

During his recent visit, Pirate guest Henk de Lange was about to climb Croaghaun Hill when he experienced something extraordinary."What looked like a pair of tramps were waiting for me as I set off from the car park. They were playing violin and flute in the apparent hope of encountering tourists. And I was the only one. I gave them €5 and they played for me until I disappeared from view. That was great. They also told me that I would find plane wreckage when I reached An Corrimore Lake at the top. Although I didn't actually find any, there were some markings."

Drawing: Henk de Lange. It was made on Croaghaun Hill above An Corrimore Lake and looking out towards Achill Head.

Croaghaun Hill...

2010-12-04T00:00:00.001+01:00

... is like a fortress above the sea.

Photo: Henk de Lange

Perfect Beauty

2010-11-27T00:00:00.001+01:00

Sunset at Clare Island and Achill Beg.

Photo: Henk De Lange

The Living Room Immortalised

2010-11-20T00:00:00.001+01:00

This drawing of the living room in Polranny was made by the artist Henk de Lange, who was a recent guest. He descibes his stay as follows: "I used the slightly less than two weeks that I spent in Polranny for reflection and inspiration. It was the ideal base camp for exploring Achill Island and its surroundings, and for roaming around the hills, cliffs, beaches and ruins. Sometimes I didn't see a single person.
S P A C E and mysticism: it purifies the mind!"

Photo: Henk de Lange

Bog Oak

2010-11-13T00:00:00.001+01:00

Thousands of years ago this used to be a mighty tree, now it's slowly fossilising on Fahy Beach, about thirty minutes drive from the house in Polranny.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Costa Mulranny

2010-11-06T00:00:00.000+01:00

Sometimes the seaside village of Mulranny looks positively tropical... when it's not raining of course!

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

There's a Whole World Underwater

2010-10-30T00:00:00.000+02:00

There's also a lot going on above. The boat is a currach and is first mentioned in writing around the time of Julius Caesar. Saint Brendan is reputed to have crossed the Atlantic in one in the 6th century, which would have definitely been an act of faith.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Badgers Were There...

2010-10-23T00:00:00.000+02:00

According to people who know about these things, these are the signs of badgers attempting to dig up the front garden. For years there have badgers in the back garden, although nobody ever sees them. Personally I was beginning to think that they were mythical, much like the leprachauns.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Rabbits Were Here...

2010-10-16T00:00:00.000+02:00

... lots of them. That's why these sandy dunes and accompanying bay are known in Pirate parlance as "Bunny Beach".

Photo Profoundly Superficial

Weird Beastie

2010-10-09T00:00:00.000+02:00

Is this some rare and endangered Irish creature? No, its a red hot poker in the garden after a rain storm!
Photo: Profoundly Superficial

And the Winner Is...

2010-10-02T00:00:00.001+02:00

Just make sure that you don't sail down wind of him...
Photo:

The Height of Fashion

2010-09-25T00:00:00.001+02:00

Wellies by Barbour!
Manolos and Jimmy Choos should be left at home.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Puppy Love

2010-09-18T00:00:00.001+02:00

Trudi - a Irish Setter/Border Collie cross - greets Buster Brown, her big love. Trudi lives with Pirate friends Al and Jane at nearby Corraun House.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Always Changing, Always Beautiful...

2010-09-11T00:00:00.001+02:00

... the beach at nearby Mulranny.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Pirates to the Rescue!

2010-09-04T00:00:00.002+02:00

While driving around the craggy coastline of Currane Peninsula, an eagle-eyed Pirate recently noticed a sheep in trouble. It had got its head well and truly stuck in a gate. What to do? The guards (police) don't normally respond to calls for stricken sheep. Fortunately other drivers stopped to help and eventually a neighbour turned up with a formidable pair of bolt cutters that soon did the trick! Although shaken, the sheep was fortunately none the worse for the experience.
Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Treasure Trove

2010-08-28T00:00:00.000+02:00

Neolithic treasure discovered by Pirate Annie on the ancient coast of Clew Bay.

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

The Day of the Auction

2010-08-21T00:00:00.002+02:00

It's September 1944 and the house is about to be auctioned. It would pass through several other hands before ending up with the Polranny Pirates. Some the men in the photo are related to the Sweeney family, who had lived here up to now.

Photo: Courtesy of Charles Tyrrell

The Family Car

2010-08-14T00:00:00.001+02:00

And a magnificent beast it is too! Artfully posed in front of it are previous residents Peter and Margaret Sweeney while their daughter Gretta sits behind the wheel.
Photo: Courtesy of Charles Tyrrell

Sewing Machine

2010-08-07T00:00:00.002+02:00

I love this photograph of Margaret Sweeney, sitting outside with her sewing machine and the turkeys or geese behind her. Margaret was the mother of the Sweeney family who lived in the house in Polranny many years ago.
Photo: Courtesy of Charles Tyrrell

The Drive Seventy Plus Years Ago

2010-07-31T00:00:00.001+02:00

The house and the wall are unchanged but nowadays there's far more foliage around the drive.

The demurely smiling lady is Margaret Sweeney, the matriarch of the Sweeney family that used to live here.

Photo: Courtesy of Charles Tyrrell, Margaret's grandson.

Things Have Hardly Changed

2010-07-24T00:00:00.001+02:00

The house in Polranny, the porch, the kitchen on the right, AND that all important car. This photo was taken sixty plus years ago when the Sweeney family lived here. But essentially not that much has changed... except the car is slightly more modern.

Photo: Courtesy of Charles Tyrrell

Eileen (2)

2010-07-17T00:00:00.002+02:00

Here is another image of previous resident Eileen Sweeney; this time shown as a proud graduate.

Photograph courtesy of Charles Tyrrell.

Eileen

2010-07-10T00:00:00.001+02:00

A sweet photo of Eileen Sweeney, a member of the family who lived at the house for most of the first half of the 20th century.

If the house could speak, what tales it would tell...

Photo courtesy of Charles Tyrrell.

Palm Trees in Ireland?

2010-07-03T00:00:00.000+02:00

No this is not Spain. It's County Sligo in August!

Photo: Profoundly Superficial

Little Faces from the Past

2010-06-26T00:00:00.003+02:00

Two more historic photos of Tonragee National School, which is still located just down the road from the house in Polranny. In fact next year the School will celebrate its centenary and there are plans for a book about the last hundred years. Doubtless many descendants of these kids still live in or around the village, while others will have been part of the "Scattering", the successive waves of Irish emigration to countries such as England and the United States. Hopefully they too will make their way back to Mayo in time for the festivities.

Photos courtesy of Charles Tyrrell.

Tonragee National School

2010-06-19T00:00:00.002+02:00

This is Tonragee National School where Peter and Margaret Sweeney taught, the couple who lived with their daughters Patty and Gretta at the Pirates' house in the early 20th century. Peter is standing at the back on the far right-hand side. But Margaret's absent. Maybe one of her girls had just been born. In her place - and standing to the left - is their aunt Bridget Flynn.

Many thanks to Charles Tyrell, Patty's son, for the use of this photo. Click to enlarge. It's well worth it!

Patty's Parents

2010-06-12T00:00:00.006+02:00

Here are Patty's parents, Peter and Margaret Sweeney, photographed in Westport in approximately 1906.The little girl isn't Patty, it's her big sister Gretta. Were they already living at the house in Polranny? Had they just started teaching at the National School in the neighbouring village of Tonragee? Whatever the truth, it must have been a busy and exciting time for them and their young family!
Photo courtesy of Charles Tyrrell, Patty's son

A House With History

2010-06-05T00:00:00.002+02:00

The house in Polranny is more than a hundred years old, so many people have lived here before the Pirates and their friends. This is Patty Sweeney with an armful of kittens including a princely Siamese. She lived here with her parents, Peter and Margaret, who were teachers in Tonragee National School just down the road.

Many thanks to Patty's son Charles Tyrrell for the use of this photo.

Magda, Prosper and Stanley

2010-05-29T00:00:00.000+02:00

In the house, we've cooked each day on the Stanley range. You need thirty minutes to get the fire really going, but after that if you add some wood once every twenty minutes and poke it around a bit, you'll end up with a really hot hot plate. You have to light the fire from above: just lift up the left-hand hot plate and you can get to it. By opening the small door beneath the fire, you will let in more oxygen and make it burn more intensely. The hot plate on the left-hand side is really warm, and is suitable for frying and roasting. The one in the middle is good for boiling potatoes, and the right-hand one is slightly cooler and can used for simmering or keeping yourself warm. Turf briquettes keep the fire going, and wood gives the heat that's needed to get the food cooked properly. And after the meal, it's still warm enough to make tea and coffee. The rest of the evening you can keep the fire smouldering. If need be, you can open the oven door so as to let more heat into the kitchen.

Photo: Magda

ET in Mulranny???

2010-05-22T00:00:00.000+02:00

As Magda writes in her journal: "One day, when we were standing next to the Spar supermarket in Mulranny, gazing at the magnificent spectacle of storm clouds and sunshine, an old man with a roll-up between his fingers peered at us inquisitively. He'd also seen that it was beautiful. Then he began to talk to us. It sounded like he was drunk, but after a while we began to get used to the sounds, and we could make out words such as "beautiful!" and "universe". He made sweeping gestures in the direction of the water and the clouds. Patches of blue sky were reflected in his eyes. Suddenly Prosper understood what he was talking about and repeated his words: "There must be life on other planets". "Yeah!", the man replied and they threw their arms around each other. From that point onwards, Prosper and the man understood each other perfectly.

Not so long ago, Prosper had made a documentary of the "science" of extraterrestials (www.callinget.com). So that's why they got so well. The man had to take the bus that was waiting in front of the petrol station. But Prosper and the man could just as easily have rushed to the nearest pub and had a great night together. Perhaps it's just as well that the man caught the bus..."

Photo: Magda. Click so that you can spot extraterrestials

New Guests at the House

2010-05-15T00:00:00.000+02:00

Artist Magda and documentary film-maker Prosper recently stayed at the house in Polranny. In her journal, Magda describes her first impressions: "For us Ireland was terra incognita, so we were dying to explore it. Once we arrived at the house, we looked at the map and decided that we would first visit the seaside village of Keel on Achill Island. It's located on the southerly part of the Island, so with the sun hovering above the water just as it does in the Netherlands. As we drove to the Island, dark clouds and brief showers alternated with rays of sunshine. We passed mountain tops that were hidden by mist. Breathtakingly beautiful. Then we arrived at a tiny harbour littered with abandoned boats, fishing nets, piles of rubble and crab skeletons. A small boat appeared out of the waves and headed for the harbour. Men in wet suits got out of it. They were tidying up their gear; we didn't ask them what they'd been doing but it was a fascinating sight. And there were sheep and lambs everywhere! I wanted to make a photo of the sheep because they have such pretty black heads, but they're difficult to approach. The only way to get closer to them was in the car. Finally I managed to get a picture of a fleeing sheep!"

Photo" Magda

The Old Car

2010-05-08T00:00:00.000+02:00

The Pirates' Old Car - seen here with friends Astrid and Floortje - which has now been replaced with the New Car, or rather the Slightly Less Ancient Car.

Photo: Annie

Where's Summer?

2010-05-01T00:00:00.000+02:00

Pirate Bert with our friends Jane and Al in a desperate search for summer.
Photo: Annie

The Galway Hooker

2010-04-24T00:00:00.000+02:00

When taking the train from Dublin to Polranny, thirsty travelers always drop in at the Galway Hooker, since time immemorial the watering hole at Heuston Station. It's also famous for its Carvery Lunch, loving cooked by Ivan, a globe-trotting Russian who now presides over the meat and two veg.

As for the name, it's not what you think it is: the Galway Hooker is a sailing vessel, as depicted in the painting on the wall.

Words and photo: Peti

Cliché

2010-04-17T00:00:00.002+02:00

A recurrent moment in driving through Ireland involves a rainy view of a graveyard.

Photo: Annie

Peti's Arrival

2010-03-13T00:00:00.003+01:00

On her last day in Polranny, Pirate guest Bernadette writes: "Just as I was sitting down at the kitchen table with two sandwiches and a cup of tea, Peti arrived from the Netherlands after taking a few detours. It was the first time we'd met face-to-face.

As we divided up the sandwiches and I made her a cup of tea, she told me about not only how she came to own the house but also the origins of the Polranny Pirates. It turns out that I'm the very first guest to rent the house on her own!

In the afternoon, we drove around Achill Island and climbed the highest mountain where our heads were almost in the clouds.

Photo of Peti and Clew Bay by Bernadette

A Quiet Day

2010-03-06T00:00:00.004+01:00

After all her bike adventures, Polranny guest Bernadette decided to take it easy: "Today I cycled to Mulranny; it's dry, sunny and there's lots of wind. Right from a distance, I could see a painting palette on a red easel at the side of the road. Indeed the landscape is extremely painterly. Once I arrive at the School of Painting, I take a look inside at paintings of this landscape by a variety of different artists.

Back home and tired from all the walking and cycling of the last few days, I opt for an early night."

Photo: Annie, the view from the bedroom window.

Bernadette's Bike Adventures (Part Three)

2010-02-27T00:00:00.002+01:00

Polranny guest Bernadette Paternotte is continuing her cycle tour of Achill: "Cycling alongside the Atlantic Ocean was becoming increasingly difficult. Struggling against stormy, torrential rain, I tried in vain to cycle up a mountain. Finally I just pushed the bike to the top.

When I arrived back in Polranny soaked to the skin, Ray the builder came indoors, bleeding profusely from a gash in his wrist that was covered with a hankie. I ran upstairs to the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit that I always stared at when sitting on the loo.

With a little help from my own medical gear, Ray's wrist ended up looking quite professional. However, I did make a point of telling him to go to the doctor to get it sewn up, which he immediately dismissed and went straight back to work.

Then it occured to me that Ray and I were now quits: me with my bike tyres patched by him, and him with his wrist bandaged by me.

Photo: Annie

Beyond the Secret Garden

2010-02-20T00:00:00.001+01:00

Polranny guest Bernadette has borrowed a bike from Pirate friends Willem and Doutsje, the owners of the nearby Secret Garden. She writes in her journal of 24 August 2009: "So I set out on my adventures on a old-fashioned, rusty Gazelle bike. Willem told me to take the left-hand turn at Achill Secret Garden so that I could cycle around the most southerly tip of the Island. For most of this trip I was surrounded by water, and for half the time I had a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. I wanted to get as close as I could to the point where the rocks and the sea fight it out with such violence. I wanted to capture the most spectacular moment of this battle with my lens. But each time the combatants were too quick for me; each click was too late. It was as if it were set-up. Yet I didn't mind that what I saw could not leak out, that I could keep it all for myself as the splashes of water on my lens and my glasses obstructed the view and I was forced to abandon the scene of the battle".

Photo: Annie