This was a special trip with some new and some old friends. We began our journey in Dublin visiting many places associated with James Joyce and Ulysses. Bloom’s day was a treat, breakfast in the Gresham Hotel with the usual dignatories, Lord mayor etc. and excellent excerpts from Ulysses, well performed.
Our second stop was Inishmore in Galway Bay, here we visited Dun Aenghus, meditated on JM Synge’s Play “Riders to the Sea” while on Inishmeann. and enjoyed the tranquility of that island.
Yeats brought us to Sligo where we enjoyed a boat trip on Lough Gill, saw Innisfree, Dooney Rock, Hazel Wood, and climbed Knocknarea, where
“The wind has thrown the thunder on the stones for all that Meave can say”
Our trip was completed with a tour of Kavanagh Country, Inniskeen County Monaghan. We were received royally at the Kavanagh centre, enjoyed seeing
“Billy Brennan’s Barn”
where Kavanagh watched…….
“The bicycles go by in twos and threes”
All along they way we had readings, reflections, discussions, on each author. This was cultural and literary paradise. The fellowship worked well, everybody contributed to the experience. and so a special thank you to everybody who made the journey so enjoyable.
