Traveling to Ireland?

If So, Visit an Unspoiled Corner of the Country - the Beara Peninsula

Spectacular aftermath of gales along the Beara Way

How many people have I met (Americans in particular, for some reason) who dream of visiting Ireland. When I run into these folks (most often through the Internet of course), many ask the same questions: Where should I visit? When should I go? What's interesting?

When I virtually chat with these good people, I find that most are naturally influenced by what they've read and heard. So invariably, their possible itinerary leaves them stuck on the tourist trail, herded like cattle among the obvious destinations: Dublin, The Ring of Kerry, Galway, perhaps Cork City. While these locations have much to offer (Dublin can be fascinating, the Ring of Kerry spectacular though often loaded with tourists, Galway a fabulous city, and also the oldest chartered city in Ireland), they aren't for everyone. Which brings me to my point:

If you're considering a visit to Ireland in 2014, I hope you'll consider visiting the Beara Peninsula and Eyeries Village in particular.

The Beara is one of the best kept secrets in the country. Few know about it. Often, tourists (either from abroad or from Ireland) stumble upon this little corner of the world by complete accident. I know I did. About ten years ago, and looking to get away from it all, I visited Anam Cara, an Artists Retreat located about a mile from Eyeries, owned and managed by fellow American Sue Forbes-Booth. I stayed for a week to work on a screenplay. Struck by the overwhelming beauty of this area, I dreamed that one day I would live here. Now I do.

The Beara Peninsula is located way, way down in the far South West of County Cork. Bantry, the gateway to Beara and a wonderful seaside town, is at the far east of the area. Drive to Bantry (a 5 hour journey from Dublin by car, 2 hours from Cork), head due west, and you'll enter an area of magic.

Beara sticks out into the Atlantic like a lost finger pointing west. A series of high craggy hills forms a spine all the way down the peninsula. These great blocks of granite and basalt thrust up into the sky, their balding sacred forms blasted by wind and rain. In the summer, the Irish sun casts them in a golden glow of wonder. In winter, many are peaked with white blankets of snow. During all seasons, wisping fog can curl between valleys, turning them into ancient lands where the spirits of the long dead just might still wander.

But while the peaks of these hills are fantastic, it is the sea that makes the journey magical. Drive down the coastal road, still heading east toward Glengarrif and you'll behold the Wild Atlantic in all of its might. Islands dot the sea near the coast. And if you're lucky, a setting sun will transform the sea into sparkling diamonds.

Stop for a bit when you get to Glengarriff. Until recently, famed actress Maureen O'Hara called the place her home. If you have some time take a local boat out to Garinish island and walk in the magnificent gardens. Then grab a cup of tea and a bun, visit the many woolen shops you'll find there, climb back in the car and keep heading west.

Forty minutes or so later you'll reach Castletownbere, one of Ireland's largest fishing ports. Maybe stop for a meal or talk a walk along the pier and watch local fishermen off-load white fish catches from a row of huge trawlers. Finished with Castletownbere, keep going west. Stop in the Buddhist Centre (Dzogchen Beara) for an hour of meditation in stunning rooms that look directly out over the Atlantic, or have a cuppa in their wonderful tea room. When you're spiritually replenished, continue west: next stop Allihies. This village - one of the most westerly in the country, is home to an old copper mine. When the mine closed almost 100 years ago, many of the miners emigrated to Butte, Montana, not only helping America to become a powerhouse of industry, but also adding the distinctive cultural heritage of West Cork to the local melting pot of immigrants.

Allihies has one of the best beaches around, as well as some of the nicest pubs, many serving an amazing selection of local foods, in the area. So stop awhile and enjoy yourself.

Then proceed to what is, in my opinion, the crown jewel of the area: Eyeries Village. To get there, all you have to do is keep following the coastal road around the tip of the Beara. Stop for a minute as you drive over the rugged hills to look back on the breathtaking view of the Skellig Islands riding like tall ships on the Atlantic. Keep on driving and 15 minutes later you'll enter the village of Eyeries.

Eyeries Village is one of the best-kept secrets of the lot. The village, a picturesque collection of early-20th Century terraced houses all painted in a variety of pastels, is perched above Coulagh Bay like sanctuary. It is so pretty that Bord Failte (Ireland's tourism organization) uses photos of it in many of its brochures. And it is so clean that over the years Eyeries has won a variety of Tidy Town awards.

I live here, so I'm biased. But I'm convinced that there's magic in this place. When I walk down to the sea I could swear that older residents - now long gone - watch me with a mixture of approval and horror at an American blow-in.sauntering along. There's a tranquility here that I've found no where else. The breeze blowing gently onto the village carrying the musky smell of the sea with it. The occasional surprise of walking along the coast's Beara Way, turning a corner, and finding a seal swimming in the gentle waves. Yell to him and he'll return a stare of nasty contempt. In poor weather, sit in the local pub with a pint at your elbow, watching the Bay turned to broiling whitewater that smash waves against the rocky shore below, hurtling salt spray heavenwards.

And at night in clear weather, walk out into the back garden and gaze at the carpet of stars and the Milky Way that sweeps unobstructed and unperturbed above this coastal sanctuary.

If you're thinking of a visit to Ireland, I hope you'll consider the Beara Peninsula and Eyeries. It's a secret corner of Ireland that you're sure to enjoy. But please - don't tell any of your friends about it. Otherwise my local friends and neighbors will get annoyed at me because the secret of the area will no longer be a secret.

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

A Cottage Christmas

'Tis the Season, etc etc etc. If I was still living in the United States I'd invariably be doing what any full-blooded American consumer would be doing at this time of year: shopping. Preparations for this Yuletide brand of hand-to-hand combat began, of course, months ago and I too would be drawn into it like a fly to honey.

I would plan the itinerary like Patton, mapping my route to Malls in hopes of gaining a strategic advantage on fellow shoppers to grab those bargains at the first light of dawn. I would charge into battle armed only with trusty plastic, with little regard for my own safety. I would storm the Name Brand Bastions, capturing my prizes with glee, knowing that my scarce resources were being diminished by the second but paying no heed because It's the Season to be Crippled by Debt.

And I would make my way back home through the maddening hordes, on the one hand pleased with my small victories but also feeling a headache coming on because I'd know that I'd have to do it all over again next year - assuming I could pay for this year's extravagance.

But I don't live near a Mall. Not anymore. The only traffic I might fight on the narrow roads of the Beara Peninsula is the occasional tractor pulling fodder to a nearby field, or a flock of sheep that has escaped through torn fencing and wanders stupidly across potholed roads without worrying that they might be mown down by a mad American intent on getting to where he is going. Yes, I still shop for Christmas but now I wander through the quiet fishing port of Castletownbere only 4 miles distant from my home in Eyeries. I'll poke my nose into Wiseman's and sort through the small selection of two year old fashion to see if I can find something for him and her, and then walk down the street to Harrington's hardware to pick up a tool or a fishing boat model handcrafted from wood for Dad. I'll stroll over to the square and chat with the locals minding the outdoor stalls that pop up during the holiday season, bursting with brightly colored local flowers still in bloom or perhaps selling hand-crafted Christmas cards, or offering assorted fat chocolates individually wrapped in sparkling papers to better conceal the sweet stuff within.

As the days march toward Christmas, and perhaps needing a better selection, I'll journey the few miles up the road to Kenmare and visit its fine woolen shops filled with hand-knitted jumpers and rugs, and wonder why I don't buy one for myself while I'm at it? Or drive further to Killarney and walk down the festive main street made joyful with holiday shoppers rushing to purchase fresh turkeys from the poulterers or fish from the fish mongers or cheeses and wines from the shops nestled neatly along the town's narrow roads.

But Christmas in Eyeries isn't only about the shopping. On the 8th of December or so, I'll visit the stand of wild holly bushes that grow only down the road, harvesting a selection of dark boughs strewn with red berries there for the picking. These adorn the lamps that hang from the walls of my living room, and the deep recesses of the front-of-house window wells. Within the dark forest of holly, I'll place bright candles and Christmas toys to tease the children who look in with wonder upon those simple scenes.

Next, I'll buy a tree grown just over the hills in County Kerry. Not a tall tree, not anymore. My cottage's ceilings are barely 7 foot, so a low tree will do nicely. I'll buy it from the fellow at Harringtons, in town, and throw it into the back of the pickup and place it outside to be washed by the winter rains for a few days. Then I'll drag it through the back door and past the picture window that frames Coulagh Bay a-surge with whitewater from wintry storms, and up the two small steps into the living room. There it is bedecked in ornaments that go back to my parent's very first Christmas, almost 60 years ago now, and given to me as a present when my mother passed away. These are mixed with those from my Irish Christmases and remind me of children and grandchildren who are now such a large part of my life. The lit tree glows through the small cottage windows, warming passers-by with its beauty.

Then as the day falls toward darkness, I'll haul in a bucket of coal and a few wood blocks and make up the fire in the tall cylindrical Swedish stove that graces the living room. A bunch of paper at the bottom. A few sticks of kindling with a mix of solid fuel fire lighters. Next the bucket of coal and a block or two. And when I light it, the living room grows snug as the flames turn the cast iron stove red hot.

If it's a cold night, I'll treat myself to a hot Irish whiskey: a jigger of Irish best poured into a tall glass followed with a belt of boiling water that's been simmering in the kettle. Then 2 teaspoons of sugar, and add a lemon slice made fragrant with clove thistles and stir briskly.

And I'll sit warm and cozy in the living room that has now become a Christmas Den and watch the tree lights reflect off the old family ornaments to stir memories of Christmases long past, in another country, and with friends and relatives that really are still there, at least in my mind's eye.

I'll sip my Irish whiskey in the snug cottage, embraced by the simplicity of the Irish Christmas and the blessing of love that I have been allowed to share with so many throughout my life.

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Wonderland Just Outside My Window

Just over three years ago now, and due to a number of factors that I'd rather not go into here, I moved to Eyeries. This little village, located way down in County Cork (southwest Cork to be exact), is one of the best kept secrets in all of Ireland. It has to be because so few people seem to know about it. I discovered the place quite by accident. About ten years ago, I was looking for a secluded part of the world in which to hide and write a screenplay (that's not yet been produced by the way, though I live in hope). I discovered Anam Cara, a delightful artists' and writers' retreat run by Sue, a wonderful American who also seems to have lived in Ireland for what seems like forever. (Go to http://www.anamcararetreat.com/ for more information).

Sue was a marvel, as was the retreat. She takes care of artists and writers as if they were members of her own family. You work. And while you do, she makes dinner, organizes entertainment, acts as a shoulder to cry on and as a constructive critic if you're looking for such help, and otherwise carries the load while you get busy. And her house! Well that too is magic. Wonderful living quarters. Beautiful gardens complete with a waterfall and small river. Homemade food that is scrump-diddly-delicious. Nearby walks down narrow lanes, past a windswept cemetery. But for me, the best part of it was: all of this is situated right next to Coulagh Bay on the Beara Peninsula, with stunning views of the Atlantic to the west, the Kerry Mountains to the northwest, and the Beara hills to the south and east.

I was hooked.

Of course, ten years ago there was absolutely no way that I would be able to move in this direction. It was impossible. But then things changed.

Just over three years ago I stayed at Sue's house for about two weeks. During that visit, I happened to walk into the village of Eyeries, a 20 minute stroll up to the High Road, down past Teresa's place (the Coulagh Bay Bed and Breakfast - go to www.eyeries.ie for more information on her place and the area), and eventually turned left at the sign for Eyeries.

From there, it's pretty easy because there's only one road into the place. I walked down the main street, past the small Eyeries River that gurgles beneath a bridge, and into a virtual fairyland lined with terraced houses painted in every pastel shade you can imagine. It's beautiful. Quiet. Comforting. On that day the sun was out, painting the trees in gold. Fuchsia bushes, all wearing small red flowers, bloomed along the way. A dog came up to me. I patted it and the collie seemed to lead me to the local pub, Causkey's, one of only two in the village.

Needless to say I asked Donal, the owner and barman, for a Pint. When it settled, I took it to the large window facing west, and looked across the Coulagh Bay and the amazing picture of beauty that it offered. In the distance, a fishing boat strolled across the gentle waters. Seagulls glided nearby. And then the sun set, and as I watched I beheld a magic of nature that I have seen in few other places. It sank beneath a far off line of low cloud, lighting them from beneath. Scattering then across the waters like tiny, sparkling jewels. I wished I could have more.

"I sure wish I could live here," I whispered. And Donal heard me. "Place for sale down the road," he uttered. "Why not have a look?" So I did. I walked out the door and turned left. Walked six doors down, so I did. And saw the For Sale sign.  The house was Robins' Egg blue. I looked through the window. Across a large open living room, I could see the sun as it beamed its last rays through a large back window. The house had the same amazing views that Donal's pub possessed. I got out my mobile and phoned the agent.

Six months later I moved in.  And now I wake to the view of the Bay every day. I walk out onto the back deck. I watch more. When the weather is nice, I walk down to the nearby Beara Trail and breath deep of the sea smells and listen to the roar of the waves coursing in. Sometimes I'll see a seal playing in the surf.  If the weather's bad, I'll sit in the back room of the house, watching as the breakers as they smash onto the rocks, tossing mares tails of mist as much as thirty feet into the sky.

It wasn't supposed to happen, my ownership of the Blue House along the main street of Eyeries. It shouldn't have happened at all. But it has. And when life might seem a bit blue - as blue, sometimes, as the house in which I now live - I look at the wonderland just outside my window. And pinch myself.

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

A Musical Jewel in the Beara

Ah, what does one do on a Sunday afternoon? Read the paper perhaps? Follow the Bears (mind, I find it difficult to do over here. American Football is only available via SKY Television - and I won't pay their enormous fees). Take a walk? (Beautiful, of course, and incredible walking is available only minutes from my front door).

You could, perhaps, go to see a Concert Pianist. But in the Beara? 250 miles from Dublin? Another 150 miles or so from London? Thousands of miles from Carnegie Hall? Not likely, you'd think. Not on the Beara Peninsula. But you'd be wrong.

Meet David Syme: neighbour (he lives less than 10 miles from me); a fellow that hails originally from Detroit but who also lives part-time in Houston; and an incredibly talented concert pianist. Like this guy is gifted! David has had the good fortune to play all over the world: Japan, Mexico (for the President, naturally!), the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion... and with some of the best (including the Royal Philharmonic, the London Philharmonia, and the Vienna Symphony, to name a few).

So what do you do on a Sunday afternoon in the Beara? Why you go see David play, of course.

Hospitality, Houston Style (and all in the Beara)

I'd learned about David from a wonderful masseuse, Heaugott (a Dutch native who's lived here for over 10 years) just a few days ago. She told me to go along...it would be an experience that I'd never forget. She was right!

Arriving at an incredibly beautiful home with stunning views of Bantry Bay, guests are greeted by David's wife Suzanne. Entry at the door was 20 euro - the price of a couple of pints. But for that small sum you receive an afternoon of entertainment that beats even Carnegie Hall.

First, and having paid your entry fee, Suzanne invites you to select one of David's CDs - on the house of course: "With our compliments. We're just glad you're here," she says, her wonderful eyes full of down-home Houston warmth. I select a CD entitled Missing You. I should explain that David has an eclectic range of musical interests. This incredible CD was filled with a wide range of wonderful love songs that we'd all recognize: From You Are So Beautiful, to When I Fall in Love, to (and a personal favorite) When Sunny Gets Blue. What a CD! I bought another one, of course, just to demonstrate some Yankee support. Then - along with 35 or so other Guests - sat in Suzanne's beautiful house awaiting the star attraction.

And is he ever! On first sight, David doesn't look like a Concert Pianist, at least not my vision of same. He's a rather big man (he jokes about it); he's Jewish (he tells incredibly funny Jewish jokes); his hands look big enough to lay bricks (not that he's a brick layer).

And then he sits. And his fingers reach out. And he plays. And the notes that emanated from his Yamaha Baby Grand were absolutely magic.

For an hour he treated us to a feast of amazing classical music: from Ravel to Liszt to Beethoven. After the first hour he took a needed break (David puts his heart and soul into his concerts, and the energy that requires is astonishing). For the next half hour, we're invited into the Syme's kitchen to sample a scrum-de-la-licious assortment of Suzanne's baking. Personally, I liked the oatmeal cookies the best! Add a glass of wine, a cup of coffee, and Guests are more than ready for more captivating music from David Syme.

The next half hour is also pure heaven...David flexes his repertoire by playing a wide variety of artists and composers: Gershwin (David's interpretations of that Great Composer have received accolades from all over the world), traditional Irish Music (his rendition of Danny Boy had tears coming to our eyes), and contemporary artists that all of us recognize immediately (such as David's wonderful interpretation of Elton John hits). He even had time to play When Sunny Gets Blue, just for me!

The concert ended with a standing ovation. And shouldn't it? Amazing music, great food, wonderful company...and all available 4 miles east of Castletownbere, 8 miles from my front door, and with the breathtaking vista of the Beara Peninsula surrounding this place of musical magic. Who needs to go to Carnegie Hall?

If you're in the Beara Peninsula, why not stop by for a visit with David and Suzanne? It's a musical jewel that you'll never forget.

Oh, and by the way: if you'd like more information on David, his upcoming global concert tours, and the opportunity to purchase any of his many CDs and DVDs, why not visit his website: http://www.sympepiano.com/. I'm sure that he and Suzanne would appreciate it!

For more information on living and surviving in Ireland, why not purchase Tom's book, A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. You'll love it!