Living with a disappointing solar eclipse
The solar eclipse was of particular interest to the Mayo Dark Skies Park people who had organised a viewing (which was over-subscribed).
We live in the most wonderful place in the world. I say that, acknowledging the fact that Mayo are All-Ireland senior football champions, holders of the most prestigious honour available to Irish sportspeople, but I would also make the assertion even if we were not the holders, for the next twelve months (and perhaps more) of the Sam Maguire Cup.
I took a spin the other day down by Mulranny and Ballycroy. I’m no stranger to the road and was delighted to see that the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail boardwalk has been fully restored, having been burned to a cinder in a bog fire a couple of years back. From years of experience walking the hills of the Nephin Begs, I can assure you that the Coastal Trail walk is a cake walk compared to the Claggan Mountain climb. God be with the days.
There was a time when you could not go through Ballycroy without stopping at Cleary’s but that day is gone. Some people call it progress. I’m not so sure. In any event we stopped for a cup of coffee at the award-winning Ginger and Wild café at the Wild Nephin National Park Visitor Centre where one can now get breakfast and lunch as well as the ubiquitous cup of coffee. There is also a teasing offering of home-baked treats which, on this occasion, I resisted. Unfortunately one has to think of the figure. At my age, wouldn’t you think they would leave me alone!
Of course memories came flooding back of days on top of Lettercuss, Sliabh Ailp, Claggan, Sliabh Carr and Dáithí Bháin, Nephin Beg, Corrnabinne and Ben Gorm, days when reality was suspended and free spirits roamed the mountains alongside Dáithí Bháin’s Tuatha De’ Danann warriors, bringing their slain king home on his shield. Days when the crust of a sandwich, discarded in a boghole, could be the cause of an international incident with long-term consequences for the delinquent who had feasted on the sandwich while others starved. Then, what about the dreaded and infamous Bangor Trail, cursed by first-timers, who swore never again, but were later attracted back for another go. Was it the Trail that was the magnet or was it Brannen’s snug? Impossible to say. Perhaps a bit of both.
In the Visitor Centre we were advised of the pending astronomical event, the solar eclipse, which was of particular interest to the Mayo Dark Skies Park people who had organised a viewing (which was over-subscribed) with Ronan Newman, founder of Irish Astronomy Week, providing insights into the eclipse and the significance of the event. We also met Steve, the driver of Barrett’s shuttle bus providing a service from Westport to Bangor with the Visitor Centre the main stop. And of course, you can’t visit the National Park without meeting tour guide and expert folklorist Michael Chambers who was busy adding a library to the Centre’s many attractions.
I could not stay, as I planned to be back in Newport for the viewing organised by the Newport Astronomy Club, of which your scribe is an ignorant member, though not as ignorant now as once I was on astronomical matters. Astronomy is a most magical subject to take an interest in and we are blessed here in dark skies Mayo to have experts who know their subject and the clear skies (when there are no clouds!) for studying the marvels that exist in the heavens.
I was on a mission to visit Geesala and the High Chaparral where John Munnelly had suffered the enormous loss, by a catastrophic fire, of his original premises some time ago and instead of mourning his misfortune immediately set about re-building. Within a year of the fire he was back in business with a modern, well appointed, well stocked (I thought) impressive new bar and function room as well as karaoke and billiards (I could do without!) facilities. We are talking Erris here. They do things differently. They just get on with it.
Erris is a big country and past Geesala there is Doohoma and Doohoma Head, scenic parts of Mayo that do not get the attention they deserve. But maybe that’s just as well. We would not want everyone to know about all these hidden gems. We had the lunch in the Erris Coast before heading off for Belmullet and a pint in the Lobster Pot. Padraig had a funeral on (Ryan O’Donoghue’s grandfather, who had the joy of seeing his grandson become Man of the Match in the All-Ireland final) and had left the bar to his efficient understudy.
The Lobster Pot was not as sticky as usual so we escaped to make our way back to the event of the day - the solar eclipse with a viewing organised on the Viaduct in Newport by Amy, Peter and Fiona of the Astronomy Club, who organised a limited supply of solar glasses for the early arrivals. As it turned out a huge crowd, some equipped with a variety of makeshift glasses, invaded the Viaduct for the event.
Now, the cloud cover did not play ball and the solar eclipse might be described as being a disappointment, but the multitude did not seem too bothered. They had looked up, saw what was to be seen, saw the sky darken and got on with the remainder of their day. There were no complaints. How can you complain when nature decides to do her own thing? Besides if the clouds had lifted there could have been damage to the unprotected eyes that would have peered up. Every cloud has a silver lining.
I don’t know about elsewhere but the crowds who assembled in Newport were not the complaining kind. They accepted that nature does its own thing and is not subject to the whims and demands of mere mortals. There was a few moments of stillness, of nature in control and people accepting their tiny role in the greater order of things. It was wonderful and we were lucky to enjoy the moment in Mayo, the most wonderful place in the world.
That, you might think is a biased and exaggerated claim, but when you look across the water and further afield in France, Spain, Poland, Italy and see the devastation wrought by the current heatwave, the wild fires, the destruction, the cost in lives and homes you must surely begin to think we have little to complain about.
Now, looking across the water and in particular at Clacton by the Sea where Nigel Farage won a comprehensive victory in the bye-election to elect an MP to the constituency that he deserted, I do begin to think there is something missing here in Mayo. Nigel’s main opponent in the bye-election was Count Binface, who was joined by another three or four members drawn from the Monster Raving Loony Party. Count Binface claims to be an intergalactic warrior, which was appropriate given the lunar eclipse times that were in it, but unfortunately the electorate in Clacton failed Count Binface and stood by the dreadful and possibly dangerous Nigel.
And it seems to me that we could do with a Count Binface or a Fear an Bosca Bruscair added to our election possibilities. Politics here have become too serious. There’s a lack of fun anymore. The characters are gone. Other than that we have the most wonderful county.
I’m not losing my short term memory, I’m just good at letting go of the recent past. ( )
