The mist didn’t lift so quickly today. When we reached the north coast of Co. Mayo to visit Downpatrick Head, the cliffs weren’t very clear. This is the site, as legend has it, of a set to between St. Patrick and the local chieftain, Crom Dhub. He tried to kill the saint, who struck the ground with his crozier causing a portion of the headland to collapse, and stranding the chieftain on a (now) small island where he was eaten to death by midges.
I think I got that right. Funny thing was, John had told us that morning of his dream about being attacked by midges. We think it time to get him out of Ireland! There’s a large blowhole at the site as well that has a tragic history. In 1798, French troops landed here and the locals joined them in the fight to rid Ireland of the British. For a month, the fight was successful but then word came that the redcoats were approaching en masse and the women lowered the menfolk down the blowhole to hide them. Trouble was, the British stayed in the area longer than expected; a storm blew in and the 25 men clinging to the ledges were drowned. Every piece of this country tells a story or two.
Our other stop for the day was at Achill Island. This is the largest of the Irish islands. On his way up Croagh Patrick, John had been told to visit Keem Strand (Irish for beach) on this island.
Not only did John determine to visit it, he packed his budgie smuggler and a towel and determined to have his one and only swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
The rest of us just admired the beautiful views of the Corraun cliffs.
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