A Soft Day.

Tags

Rain, Skibbereen

It is a soft day in Ireland, or, if you were in Scotland, a dreich day; or in Wales mae hi’n bwrw glaw; or in England bloody miserable. In other words, it’s raining in the grey, wet, warm way that is special to these countries on the edge of the Atlantic. Happy 1st of August! you shout cruelly to the touring cyclists weighed down with soggy paniers. But wait, before we despair in an unimaginative way, let us look at the many things that can be done with joy in this moist world.

If you are lucky enough to be in the rain this week, you have the benefit of the Skibbereen Arts Festival and the West Cork Fit-Up Theatre Festival. During the day, the Arts Festival has indoor film showings, sound performances, exhibitions and installations. The Theatre Festival provides an evening’s escape from peering through steamy caravan windows (from the inside out, obviously).

There is Dún na Séad Castle in Baltimore, which features on our literary break, built in 1215 it looks exciting and piratical enough for children, and has interesting tours for all the family.

If you like historical and archeological curiosities there is the Ceim Hill Museum, near Union Hall. This is a private museum, collected and hosted by Theresa O’Mahoney, a healer and a source of far-ranging local and folk knowledge.

You can visit Skibbereen Heritage Centre, which is an award winnning attraction that includes both The Great Famine Commemoration Exhibition and the Loch Hyne Visitor Centre. And to raise your eyes up from the hardships of the famine, you can visit Schull Planetarium, and gaze on the stars. If you wish to look deep in the other direction you can travel to the wonderful and friendly Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium. It is a bit of a trip but you can count the soggy cyclists on the way.

There is a particularly adorable cuttlefish there with whom I bonded some years ago. And they have penguins, which is a good enough reason to welcome the rain.

Or you could put your anorak on and do a day of food, shops and immersion. If I were you, and not sitting in my dry kitchen looking out at the rain, I would do this in Skibbereen:A large, organic, meaty and wonderous breakfast bap in Kalbo’s Cafe, with one of their excellent coffees that have just the right amount of foaminess on top to let you know it’s got substance. A wander through the charity shops of Skib, challenging oneself to find the oddest thing donated. Remember to include John’s place out by the Castletownshend roundabout. It now being time for a bun and tea, pop into Apple Betty’s Cafe, before heading to the Time Traveller’s Bookshop and the Mardyke Magpie for a bit of serious second-hand, antique perusing. After a visit to the Heritage Centre, it must now be time for lunch in An Chistin Beag. Stuffed to the eyeballs a bit of exercise is called for, and so a gentle walk to aid digestion, around Loch Hyne, before going for a swim. Yes, I know the weather is poo, but it is still warm and you’re wet anyway so get that booty into the wonderful waters of Loch Hyne. Having had your swim, you retire to your accommodation for a quick rub down or shower, before heading to Baltimore for pints and food in The Sibin. Perfect.

Loch Hyne