For 2 wonderful weeks, we lived on a small island on the northwest coast of Ireland. A friend generously loaned us a beautiful but simple cottage on Omey Island, just across the "strand" (pictured below) from Claudaghduff in Connemarra. The strand is an elevated and relatively solid portion of a tidal estuary that is covered by water when the tide is high. We have to time our travels to and from the island at low tide, which comes twice a day. The first word of advice that our friend gave us about living on Omey, was to "surrender". In the case of the tide, this word of wisdom became particularly important.
When we got stuck on the mainland because of high tide, we were "forced" to drown a few Guiness at "Sweeney's Strand Bar", where many of the locals and all of the bartenders know us by name. The walk to Sweeney's from the cottage is about 45 minutes. When it was raining , the bartender would drive us home.
While there, we participated in a number of community events, including the Omey Horse Races and a huge seafood buffet that was scheduled to raise money for the local cultural center.
Home sweet home. We both greatly miss this wonderful cottage.
Just a stone throw away, there is a 3000 year old holy well.
. . . and a buried church from the 8th century.
Plus, the dunes nearby are perfect for dune-jumping.
. . . and the graveyard is full of men and women who perished at sea, during the famine, and under brutal colonial rule.
Old Omey House - destroyed by a terrible storm long ago.
And the milkshake-maker - proof that the ocean is not always your friend.
For 2 wonderful weeks, we lived on a small island on the northwest coast of Ireland. A friend generously loaned us a beautiful but simple cottage on Omey Island, just across the "strand" (pictured below) from Claudaghduff in Connemarra. The strand is an elevated and relatively solid portion of a tidal estuary that is covered by water when the tide is high. We have to time our travels to and from the island at low tide, which comes twice a day. The first word of advice that our friend gave us about living on Omey, was to "surrender". In the case of the tide, this word of wisdom became particularly important.
When we got stuck on the mainland because of high tide, we were "forced" to drown a few Guiness at "Sweeney's Strand Bar", where many of the locals and all of the bartenders know us by name. The walk to Sweeney's from the cottage is about 45 minutes. When it was raining , the bartender would drive us home.
While there, we participated in a number of community events, including the Omey Horse Races and a huge seafood buffet that was scheduled to raise money for the local cultural center.
Home sweet home. We both greatly miss this wonderful cottage.
Just a stone throw away, there is a 3000 year old holy well.
. . . and a buried church from the 8th century.
Plus, the dunes nearby are perfect for dune-jumping.
. . . and the graveyard is full of men and women who perished at sea, during the famine, and under brutal colonial rule.
Old Omey House - destroyed by a terrible storm long ago.
And the milkshake-maker - proof that the ocean is not always your friend.
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