Having fun in Ireland

As we meander thru the tiny back lanes of Ireland you can imagine the lepricorns peaking out from the hedges and the fairies fluttering around in the flowers. There are hedges that go on for miles of red fushias along the roadsides and purple heather and loads of white cala lilies and orange montbretias, very pretty. From the folklore with the fairies and the lepricorns to the Guinness , the people, the music, the history and beyond this island is lovely. Although its not very big it would take months to really see it all as there is so much history and beauty here, maybe even a year or two, each coast is so different.

There is a real sense of pride that comes from the people of Ireland, they are proud of their country even though their government has made a ballsup of it of late, papers read 150,000 to leave Ireland looking for work, the recession hit hard here. The local people even if they leave Ireland for a while all still seem to want to come back at some point and they cant stay away for long, its in their blood, its a nice feeling actually, very much community spirit here. Being in the local pubs when the musicians are playing is a feeling of having family around in your living room, there are all ages from new borns to the very elderly dancing away and tapping their heals, there seems to be an acceptance about things the way they are and yet there is also a sadness in their music, an honesty of tough times, i think the music probably takes their minds off the seriousness of life. Its like they know and accept what is because they have done so for many generations before. In Ireland the kids are allowed in the pubs till 9:30pm at night so its nice because you don’t see anyone drunk or be noisy and loud.

Shop I bought myself a lambswool sweater to send home and they gave us both an Irish coffee for free, dont get that kind of service at home!

I took these fun pictures while i was here, so this is a page for just that, things that made me smile about Ireland. The music shops of which there are many have so many instruments in them and cds of irish musicians, every child learns the tin whistle in school and then most have music in their blood so they go on to play something else too, very musical bunch. We went to Doolin which is the music capital or Ireland and bought some Irish music to send home.

A pig I met at the farm, too cute!