Eyeries County Cork: A Little Corner of Heaven

As I write, I gaze out the window at the beauty of Coulagh Bay. Its waters glisten in the late-morning light, framed by the Ring of Kerry to the north and Beara Peninsula's Mishkish Mountains to the south. 

Beyond, to the west, is Scarriff Island, rising like a magical whale, hiding the mysteries of the Skellig Islands from my view. Further west rests only the deep Atlantic, with Nova Scotia and Labrador the next stop. 

The view is captivating. Here, I have found peace within solitude. Here I have made fast friends. Here, I have finally learned what rural Ireland is all about.

Escaping the Big Smoke

For  almost 30 years I lived and worked in the Dublin area. For almost 20 of that, I made the daily commute from Navan in County Meath to my place of work in Dublin. When visitors to my new home in Eyeries ask me about the Dublin area, thinking it still an enclave of restful business practices, I can't believe their ignorance.

"Certainly it is not as crazy as my place of work in Chicago," an American visitor will state categorically. "Dublin is part of Ireland, after all. And Ireland - well the whole country is so, so...backward, isn't  it? Surely, it must be more sane than any American big city."

Ah the silliness of such comments. So I work to set the facts straight. City life in any Irish big city is just as crazed, just as mad busy, just as stressful, as working in any other large US or European country. "It could take me up to four hours a day to get to work and home again," I explain. "The traffic was a curse. Road rage common. We'd shake fists at each other, cursing like a navvy, such was a commuter's life to Dublin."

I'd have to point out that Ireland has changed drastically since the day I immigrated here in June 1982. Back then, when first setting foot on Irish soil, I couldn't afford a car. I couldn't afford a phone. I couldn't afford many of the items I took for granted back in the States. Commuting to my place of work 20 minutes south of Navan was a matter of sticking my thumb out and praying for a lift from some generous automobile owner. 

Back then, I was not alone. Many of us living in Ireland couldn't afford such things. 

But then it all changed. As I've previously written, Ireland's economy blasted off like an Apollo rocket bound for the Moon. As pay increased and money poured into  previously bare bank  accounts, we all bought things: cars, houses, phones, computers... the list was endless. It all fell apart in the 2008 recession, of course. But once again Ireland's economy has  blasted off into the stratosphere. 

And once again, life in much of Ireland has gone mad with the business of making money. Irish people sacrifice their lives just as many do across the world, spending hours every day in the coffined life of their automobiles. They work hard, save hard, take care of children and elder parents, and otherwise do everything they can to make good and safe lives.

But of course, in the process they've lost something. Perhaps it's the lack of time to look at the beauty of the life around them. I know what that's like. For years, I lived a similar life. I lost my soul in the process.

However, I abandoned that  world almost 10 years ago. Instead I moved to Eyeries. And here, I have once again found my soul.

A Village of Tranquility

Eyeries (historically spelt Irees or Iries, from Irish: na hAoraí) is a village and townland on the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Ireland overlooking Coulagh Bay and the mouth of the Kenmare River in the south-west. It lies at the base of Maulin, which, at 2,044 feet (623 m), is the highest peak in the Slieve Miskish mountain range that forms part of the backbone of the peninsula. (https://latitude.to/articles-by-country/ie/ireland/104119/eyeries)

To say the village is isolated is to perhaps minimize its distant location from what many would define as civilized. 

Just over 60 souls live in the village. We are served by the friendly owners of only a few amenities: a restaurant. Two cafes.  Three shops. Two pubs (of  course). The Catholic Church. And that's about it.

Want to go shopping? If so, we  travel  four miles south to Castletownbere (the largest white fish deep water port around). If we want something a little more sophisticated than the Town SuperValu grocery store, we must travel to Kenmare, about 60k northwest. If we want a major shop, then it's to Killarney we go (an hour and 20 minutes from here), or Bantry (about an hour), or Cork City (just over two hours).  

I doubt Eyeries is for everyone. Many simply couldn't survive here because it does not have the 'amenities' most people take for granted. That said, I now know I'll never  live anywhere else. Why?  The beauty is staggering. And what matters in my world now rests either in my house, or right outside the  back door.

For instance: yesterday I decided I needed a break. I pulled on my hardy wet suit, climbed in the car, drove a mile south (yeah, I know. I should have walked) and went swimming at our local Strand. For a half hour I was surrounded by a world of wonder: jelly fish, pollack, mackerel. A few years ago I was joined by a local seal. 

Finished, I  stood on the shore and marveled at the life I now lead, and the miracle that had brought me here. No longer do I fight my way through traffic. No longer do I struggle to survive the rigors of a global economy. 

Instead, I breathe the solid sea air. I listen to the cry of seagulls. I watch  the sun setting, golden, beneath a far horizon.

And on those nights when I am especially lucky, I reach up to the glory of stars swimming in the sea above me; stars so close I think I might grasp a bunch in both hands.

Surely I am a lucky man  to have found this place. With any luck, I will stay here the rest of my life, my ashes finally scattered in Coulagh Bay, mixing with this tranquil bit of Ireland forevermore.

For more information on Eyeries, go to their website: https://eyeries.ie/all-about-eyeries

  Want to learn more? A Survivor's Guide to Ireland 2019 edition is Now Available.

     This travel memoir of about 80,000 words follows this erst-while American who has lived in Ireland since 1982. If you want to know more about what you can do to get a work permit, get a job, buy a house, and otherwise live and enjoy life like the Irish, I hope you'll have a look at A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Happy Trail - Tom 

Five Reasons Why, Even After 36 Years, I Still Choose to Live in Ireland

Scariff Island, off the coast of Eyeries

Recently, during a visit with my father in a Sun City, Florida, active retirement community, a rather nice woman approached me. We chatted for a bit and as inevitably happens my foreign residency came up:

Her: "It's so lovely talking to you, Tom. But you haven't told me where you live."
Me: "Ah, somewhere  overseas."
Her: (eyes twinkling) "Really? Are you in the military? Where are you posted?"
Me: "No Ma'am. Actually, you see, I live in Ireland."
Her: "Oh I love Ireland! How long have you lived there?"
Me: (gulp) "For thirty-six years."
Her: (after a shocked beat of silence) "Is someone forcing you to stay there? Don't you want to come home?"
Me: "Actually, Ma'am... I'm an Irish citizen now. You see, Ireland is my home."

She studies me closely. 

Her: "How can you say that? You told me you were born in Chicago." (she bristles a bit). "Don't you like America anymore? It's the greatest country in the world. We're making it even Greater! (glaring hard at me). "If you're a REAL American you'll come home right now!"

Then she turned on her heal and walked away in a huff. And all I can do is sigh.

This sort of conversation comes up with my fellow Americans again and again: when I'm in the States visiting; on airplanes when I'm travelling; even in my local pub where I'll be having a quiet pint and engage in conversation with an American tourist or two. 

So why have I stayed in Ireland for all these years? The answer is: because I've fallen in love with it.

Five Reasons Why This Yank Stays In Ireland

Many Americans I meet simply cannot (or choose not to) understand why I continue to call Ireland my home. It's about time I came clean:

1. A Future for my Children and Grandchildren

When I first moved to this country in 1982, Ireland was just shy of a banana republic. The country was in the depths of a horrific recession. Over 17 percent of the workforce was out of a job. Infrastructure was non-existent. Interest rates approached 20 percent. Hell, I couldn't even get a telephone. The plight of the country made me think I'd made the biggest mistake of my life.

And frankly, I was worried for my children. I wondered: Would they ever be able to carve out a future in Ireland?

Over the years, however, Ireland has pulled its socks up. Today, it is one of the most successful countries in the world. Unemployment is at an all time low. Infrastructure (at least near major cities and towns) has been fully modernized. The country is renowned for its diversified industry. It is a center of excellence for I.T., pharmaceutical, food, agriculture, and a wide range of other industrial segments. The country's artistic endeavors (everything from painting to creative writing to the film industry) are flourishing. 

Today, I can even get a telephone!

But back in 1995, desperately homesick for America and fed up with my life as an Ex-pat, I came very close to loading my family onto a plane for a move back home. Before taking that irreversible decision, however, I compared notes with friends living in the United States. What I found changed my life.

Ireland has some of the best education in the world. The country's primary and secondary schools ensure that students become truly literate in the fundamentals to succeed. As importantly, they begin the process of learning how to think for themselves. Ireland's universities and technical colleges offer students a wide range of first-rate subjects that are crucial for success in a growing world economy. Depending on the major, they also receive practical, hands-on education and training. 

Since making the decision to stay permanently in the country (like forever) my children have fared well: a daughter with a degree in business studies; another daughter with a degree in marine science; a son with a PhD in the Irish language. My kids' success are a reflection of the educational opportunities available to anyone living in this country.

And the cost? Recently I had a conversation with an American friend of mine who is facing the daunting financial task of putting his own children through college.

Him: "We've been saving forever and we're almost there. By God we can afford to send the kids to college!"
Me: "Why that's terrific! Do you mind if I ask: what's it costing?"
Him: "Well, one of the kids is going to an Ivy League college. The second will follow in two years. They'll attend an in-state school where tuition is a bit cheaper. So..." he breaths in deeply, "it should only work out  to 250 or so."
Me (impressed): "Two hundred and fifty dollars a year, each? That's terrific!"
Him: "No. Two hundred and fifty thousand. For the lot! Of course that's only for the tuition and fees. We'll have to work on room, board and spending money.  Fortunately, the kids are both eligible for student loans. We'll take a 2nd mortgage on the house. But at the end of it," (I can hear him grin victoriously) "the total debt will be less than a hundred grand. Which is amazingly low compared to many."
Me (shocked): "Well hey Fred, that's just terrific."
Him: "Sure is. Ah, Tom, do you mind if I ask... what did it cost you over there in the Emerald Island?"

I think hard, trying to figure out how not to destroy him. 

Me: "Well, you know, all the kids have finished college now. But it was pretty affordable."
Him: "Affordable. As in?"
Me: "Well, ah, er, about 10K per kid per year."
Him: (a moment of deep silence) "Do you mean like three kids x four years x 10k per year? That's a total of $120 k for them all? But that's just tuition, right?"
Me: "Actually, Fred, that's the whole taco. Tuition, room and board, spending money..."
Him: (getting a bit ridiculous) "But, and I'm not saying anything bad here, the colleges were sort of, what, sort of third rate? They're a bit dumb?"
Me: (my turn to bristle): "Actually, Fred, they're some of the best around."
Him: "What kind of loans do the kids have? What kind of loans do you have?"
Me: "Well, we don't have any loans. None. Nothing. Nada."
Him: "Oh."

And he hung up.

2. You Ain't Going to Go Broke if You Get Sick

A few years back, Dad had keyhole surgery. Obviously, he went to hospital. What was supposed to be a simple out-patient procedure grew a bit more complicated: he was force to stay two nights.

A month later he received the bill. I saw it and was astonished: $80,000. Fortunately, Dad has excellent medical insurance. 

In Ireland, we all bitch and moan about our health system. However, seeing Dad's bill got me thinking. I checked with a local medical practitioner and asked the question: "If I had to go through the same procedure as Dad, what would it cost me in Ireland?"

The answer: A little less than $1,500. And that includes everything. 

Like the UK, Ireland has socialized medicine. We pay a great deal in taxes for this privilege, and the down-sides of public health can be frustratingly cruel (complete disclosure: we have a very high incidence of troubling 'trolley-times' - meaning that those coming into hospital can wait days for a bed and are forced to wait  on a trolley, often in a public area. It's an outrage that health professionals are trying to address - but it will take forever). However, despite this I have the comfort of knowing:

Drugs - no matter what I'm prescribed, it will cost me a maximum of a little less than $200 per month

GP visits - average approximately $70 per visit.

Hospital visits - on public health, max out at about $1000 per year no matter how many days I may have to stay in hospital.

Public health services have many challenges. For instance, Ireland would not have the most advanced healthcare sciences or procedures in the world. For those, by all means go to America!  But here, and particularly as I grow older, I know one fact:

No matter what my body or mind might face, I know I will not go broke. 

3. It's Safe Here

Open an American paper or any online News site and you'll invariably find a report of the latest daily shooting, with scores of people - often children or teens - dead.

In Ireland we don't have that problem and for a simple reasons: most weapons are outlawed. 

As a gun owner in the United States, and a used-to-be fervent supporter of the 2nd Amendment,  it took me years to get my head around this. However, as the years passed I grew up.

While Ireland has murders (and the murder rate is increasing), most assaults do not involve guns. Certainly, Ireland has never experienced a mass school killing. No one walks into a newspaper office with an assault rifle. Here, guns are the exception rather than the rule.

Yes, you can apply for a permit to hold a shotgun or small caliber rifle. But automatic weapons and handguns of any kind are verboten. It's that simple.

Here, I don't have to worry that my grandchildren will die when they attend school. Here, I will in all likelihood never be assaulted by a thief holding a Glock. 

Here I know that my loved ones are safe. 

As time goes on I find I simply do not understand many American's obsession with guns, or their die-hard attitudes of protecting so-called rights associated with extreme views of the 2nd Amendment. For me it's simple:

Kids first. Guns decidedly second. In Ireland, our gun laws uphold this simple value of protecting life. 

4. The  People

It's true. The Irish are probably some of the most friendly bunch of people in the world. I like these good folks. Heck, I've come to love the Irish.

Their good humor, welcoming nature, intelligence, and caring attitudes entranced me years ago. There is a gentleness in these people that is hard to describe or define. 

All I know is I'm comfortable with these folk. And while I am not Irish at all (except by naturalization), and have no Irish blood in me, I can finally say:

I feel one with the people of this country because they have given me my home.

5. The Beauty of Finding Home

Eight years ago I moved to Eyeries, a small village of just over 60 souls located on the Atlantic coast, way, way down in the southwest of Ireland.

It is magic. 

Each morning I sit at my dining room table, sipping a cup of coffee, gazing out at the serenity of Coulagh Bay and the Atlantic beyond. If I sit at the outside table I can hear the surf crash onto the rocky coastline only a half-mile away. I hear gulls scream as they search for their morning meal, and smell the fragrance of salt spray mixed with budding gorse and fuchsia. 

I close my eyes and take a breath. I feel the sun on my brow and the wind in my face. I'll spend the day writing upstairs then eat with my partner and go out for a pint or two with my mates up in Causkeys. 

Here, there is little divisiveness over political issues. Here, we do our best to listen and make a bit of room for each other because most are reasonable creatures. Here, we do not call each other names (except in jest) and do not embrace hate.

Yes, Ireland continues to face many challenges. Its housing costs are once again astronomical. Its debt mountain intolerable. The cost of living is once again soaring.

But... and a big but...

Here, I think I've finally found a little corner of the world to call my own. A place, me-thinks, that approaches heaven. 

Here, I have found my home.

2018 Edition: A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND NOW AVAILABLE!
A Perfect Gift for Saint Patrick's Day.

If this blog interests you and you want to learn more about Ireland why not consider purchasing A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND 2018 EDITION.

Are you thinking about living and working in Ireland? Would you like to move to Ireland? Do you want to know how to get an Irish Work Visa? 

Do you need to know how Brexit and Trump policies may affect your plans? If so, consider purchasing the 2018 EDITION OF A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND by Tom Richards. 

Now almost 90,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for  those interested in this wonderful country. Over 14,000 people have now learned how to live, laugh, and drink like the Irish by reading this Kindle ebook. I hope you enjoy, and my very best - Tom

Writing in Paradise: Living on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

As of next month this Chicago-born Yank has lived in Ireland for 35 years. For much of that time I called County Meath – an hour’s drive north of Dublin – my home. Then I got sense. Seven years ago I moved to the small village of Eyeries, a stunning coastal location way down in southwest County Cork. 

Here I live in wild tranquillity which many call Heaven.  Irish marketing folks now call the coastal route upon which Eyeries is nestled the Wild Atlantic Way. Whatever it’s called, I hope you’ll take a moment to discover this little corner of the world for yourself.

2500 Kilometres of Beauty
Running from Malin Head way up in County Donegal all the way down to Kinsale in County Cork, the Wild Atlantic Way is a breathtaking Irish version of America’s Route 66. I’m not sure who came up with the idea to market this coastal journey but whoever did managed to get it spot on.

It’s a wild run where ever you choose to join it be that in Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, or even here in Eyeries.  Taking a car journey along the western coast of Ireland is one of the most exhilarating uses of vacation time you’ll ever experience. You’ll encounter small villages and larger cities; rugged mountains and immense cliffs; micro-climates containing forests and boggy glades. 

Around every corner along sometimes twisting narrow roads you’ll bump into new surprises: a sparrow hawk diving for its prey; seals basking on harbour rocks; a new pub with new food and new friends and traditional music.

It’s a huge drive, is this Wild Way – the longest of its type in Europe. I’ve not done all of it so instead I’ll limit the rest of my thoughts to one of Ireland’s glorious secrets: The Beara Peninsula.

Stunning Scenery and Almighty Craic

Not many have heard of Beara. Certainly not me, not before I came for a visit over 10 years ago. Indeed, many of my Irish friends curiously scratch their heads when I mention the location of my new home. “The Beara Peninsula?” they’ll ask perplexed. “Where in God’s good name is that?”

I’ll tell them it’s a secret because those living way down here want to keep it that way.

Unlike the Ring of Kerry or Dingle where roads are choked during busy summer months by global tourists anxious to experience ‘real Ireland’ (whatever that is), Beara continues to sparkle like an isolated jewel. The Slieve Miskish and Caha Mountains form a rugged spine which runs right down the Peninsula, all the way from Glengarriff (a lovely coastal town for years called home by actress Maureen O’Hara) to Allihies, the location of ancient copper mines. (When the mine was worked out almost a hundred years ago, the out-of-work locals packed their bags and immigrated en masse to Butte, Montana. There they pulled enough copper out of the ground to keep America going for a good few years).

The Peninsula being a Peninsula, it is framed by water: on one side Bantry Bay gives shelter to dolphins and seals. Because it is one of the deepest bays around, back in World War I the British hid their entire Atlantic fleet in this isolated location from German U-boats prowling along the coast. If you’re travelling down that side of the Peninsula, start in Bantry – truly a gateway to Heaven. Treat yourself to this wonderful market town, then climb in the car and start your adventure. Drive through Glengarriff, stopping to take the local boat out to lovely Garinish Island and its unique tropical plants growing in stunning gardens.  Once through the town, turn left down coastal R572 and open your senses to real pleasures: trawlers steaming up the Bay to market with a belly full of fish, the smell of salt spray tossed up by raging waves, and the call of gulls as they sail overhead.

Stop in Castletownbere, one of Ireland’s largest deepwater white fish ports, for a spot of tea and some fresh fish n chips. Then take a right on the R571 and discover one of the prettiest Irish villages in the country: Eyeries.

Heaven-by-the-Sea
I’m biased, of course, but Eyeries truly is one of the loveliest villages in all the country. Multi-coloured terraced houses grow along its single main street overlooking Coulagh Bay, the body of water which frames Beara’s north side. Here, you’ll be treated as if you’ve relatives here, made as welcome as if the place was your home.

Take a walk along the Beara Way, a loop of quiet solitude which allows you to march along the rugged coastline. Watch out for seals and delight at Cormorants plunging for a morning meal. If you’re lucky you’ll see families of otters paddling in quiet pools, or dolphins hunting schools of mackerel trapped by the incoming tide.

If you’ve a mind, drive down the road a mile or so to Ballycrovane Harbour. There, you can visit the tallest Ogham Stone in Western Europe (it’s thousands of years old and scored with deep lines which are some of humanity’s first hard scratching toward a written language). Then travel further on to Kilcatherine and stop at the Hag of Beara. It may appear to be only a large boulder, but squint your eyes and you’ll see the figure of Brigid, ancient goddess of fertility, frozen there for all time. There’s a wonderful Irish legend to go with the visit, one of fun and misadventure, but I’ll leave the tale for another time.

If you bring along a fishing rod, drive all the way to the end of Kilcatherine point and try your luck for pollack, sea bass, and mackerel in the wild coastal waters. If you’re staying at a local B&B, the proprietor just might make a meal of your catch for you.

Back in the village visit one of our two pubs for a welcome pint and a chat with the locals. Perhaps have a memorable meal at the Bistro then take a walk to the local Strand and contemplate the beauty of such remoteness. Or if you want even more solitude climb back in the car and head across the Peninsula to Dzogchen Beara. Here at this Buddhist retreat, take real time-out with an hour’s meditation in silent rooms overlooking the Atlantic.

Eyeries may seem quiet to you – and it is. Only 60 or so people call the village home. But come here during the third week of July and watch the population swell as over 3,000 visitors join us for the Eyeries Family Summer Festival.  The craíc is mighty as musicians, traders, and vast armies of culinary experts fill the single street.

A Writer’s Paradise
Though I’ve lived in Eyeries for almost seven years now, I still have to pinch myself thinking that perhaps my journey here is still all a dream. Within the peace called Eyeries my senses are filled with a joy of living I’ve found nowhere else. Here, in this tranquil village by the sea, I let my imagination soar with the beauty of the summer months and the chaos that are winter gales along the coast. 

Here I can close my eyes and imagine myself a gull drifting upon the sudden updrafts or a dolphin slicing through rough water or a basking shark hunting plankton on the rising tide. Then I am a pirate smuggler, looking for a hidden cove in which to hide golden booty or an ancient Viking making landfall for the first time on this rugged edge of the world.  Here, I can become anyone or anything at all, and I can do so because Eyeries contains what we can rarely find in this bustling world: the peace of mind which comes from a bit of tranquil magic.

Here, like nowhere else, I can work. I can play. I can appreciate a joy of living simply by watching the sun setting across the sparkling Bay. You can too.

And truly, I hope you do.

For more information on the Wild Atlantic Way visit their website.   And to learn more about Eyeries, go to www.eyeries.ie.  Slan abhaile.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2017 Kindle Edition Now Available!

If this blog interests you and you want to learn more about Ireland why not consider purchasing A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2017 Edition. Are you thinking about living and working in Ireland? Would you like to move to Ireland? Do you want to know how to get an Irish work visa in this country? Do you need to know how Brexit and Trump policies may affect your plans? If so, consider purchasing the 2017 edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland by Tom Richards. Now almost 90,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for  those interested in this wonderful country. Over 14,000 people have now learned how to live, laugh, and drink like the Irish by reading this Kindle ebook. I hope you enjoy, and my very best - Tom

In 2017, Why Not Visit Us in Eyeries? We'd Love It

I don't think I've ever mentioned it but here where we live, in the small village of Eyeries, way out on the Beara Peninsula in Southwest Ireland (just about as far southwest as you can get), we run a small tent camping operation. And when I say small, I mean small.

Each summer we turn the back garden into a campground. Visitors from all parts of the world make their way here mostly by foot, bicycle and even kayak (yes, we've had visitors come to us that way). God knows how they hear about us or learn that we even exist. We don't advertise nor do we want to. Most see the small sign which hangs on the front of the house. These poor souls, usually exhausted by their staunch efforts of journeying to Eyeries, often set up tents in the backyard, then stagger the few feet up the hill to Causkey's, our local pub, for much needed refreshment.

Not many stay with us. And frankly that suits us just fine. That way we can spend real time getting to know the people who live in our garden if only for a night or two, and along the way we've made so many friends - guys and gals travelling on their own from Holland or Germany. Couples hiking the Beara Way along the coast who came from South Africa and made it over the rugged hills between us and the coastal village of Allihies further down the peninsula. The older couple from New Zealand who stayed with us for two nights, went on their way, then came back to us a few nights later because they missed it so much.

We've had families from Dublin and painters from France. College students taking a break from their studies in Spain, and retired people visiting from England. We've had Americans, Canadians, Egyptians, folks from Israel, Scouts from Switzerland, a bunch of German lads who sent us bottles of Pilsner when they returned home to thank us, and even a family from the Isle of Man who unfortunately did not bring along their Manx cat. All are people with good hearts and good tales of their travels, and each one has provided us with a memory we cherish.

People like Johan (pictured above), a Dutch traveller on a bicycle who landed in Dublin and made his way down, down, down into the Southwest to finally land on our doorstep to spend some time with us. Fully rested, he continued his tour around Ireland. His trip was obviously rewarding. Only today, on this final day of 2016, he sent us a video of his travels.

What a trip! And if you want to see what you could be enjoying on a visit such as Johan's' simply view his YouTube slide show by clicking here.

Sometimes I forget how fortunate we are to live in Eyeries. The people who visit with us constantly remind me of the natural glories which surround us: The startling views of nearby Coulagh Bay in the first light of dawn. The shrill voices of gulls crying as they circle overhead, gliding on the soft winds without effort. The curtained gales which march in from the west, blasting the village in a ferocious frenzy.

Then the sunset, and a glory rarely beheld. Only to be bettered by the darkness of the night. The sky bejewelled in a million glittering pin drops of starlight. The Milky Way a gossamer curtain painted with a telling brush across the firmament. Sometimes, standing in that quiet, I truly believe I can reach up  through the night sky and touch the face of God.

That's what it's like, living here in Eyeries. We don't have to travel far to be one with nature. Instead, we live in it. I guess that's what people remember when they visit us. They remember the humbling views of the Bay and the soft evening song as birds fall asleep. They remember, I think, the starkness of the white cumulus clouds rolling overhead. They also remember the people of this small village nestled between rocky hills and a vast ocean. And for a moment I like to think that we can all simply breath.

Thank you for visiting us, Johan. Thank you everyone who has visited with us and stayed in our small back garden. We hope your travels here have given you peace. Certainly, you all have given us memories to treasure.

I hope many more will visit us in 2017 and for years to come. Tom :)    For more information on Eyeries by all means go to www.eyeries.ie.http://www.eyeries.ie

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2017 Kindle Edition Now Available!

If this blog interests you and you want to learn more about Ireland why not consider purchasing A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2017 Edition. Are you thinking about living and working in Ireland? Would you like to move to Ireland? Do you want to know how to get an Irish work visa in this country? Do you need to know how Brexit and Trump policies may affect your plans? If so, consider purchasing the 2017 edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland by Tom Richards. Now almost 90,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for  those interested in this wonderful country. Over 14,000 people have now learned how to live, laugh, and drink like the Irish by reading this Kindle ebook. I hope you enjoy, and my very best - Tom

Mid-Summer in Beara

The sun shines down on this isolated part of Ireland. A huge contrast to the gales and winds of up to 160 KPH that we huddled against only months earlier. Summer sun is never guaranteed in Ireland. In my 32 years in this country, I can count the good Summers on one hand. Often it rains and blows with temperatures reaching only into the mid-50s, and we grouse and shake our fists at the heavens and wish we had the resources to fund a quick trip to the Med to bask under bluer skies.

But then there are other years. Like this one. We count our blessings because last year was glorious too and the odds of two Sunny Summers occurring back-to-back are as improbable as the United States winning the World Cup. It is during Summers like this that the residents of Beara stretch and smile and bask in the glow of health to be found here.

At Mid-Summer the Peninsula has come alive. Strawberries grow in the raised planters in my back yard, blushing red in the summer heat. Swallows perform impossible aerobatics through the exposed rafters of the tumbledown house just down the small borralion that leads from my home to the lumpy overgrown pastureland below. They compete with seagulls that soar effortlessly overhead on the gentle onshore breeze that caresses my cheek.

The fields and hills are full of wild flowers. Fuchias, as red as blood, hang like Christmas ornaments among hedgerows, growing within the wild thickets of blackberries. Soldiers stand tall, their swelling buds making ready to burst forth with spiky orange blossoms that will line wild lane ways as Autumn approaches. Wild roses spatter hidden corners of deep green fields with palates of purple, coral, and innocent pink.

Beyond in the Bay half-deckers motor out from Ballycrovan Harbour through glassy waters intent on white fish catches that will be found a few miles out into the Atlantic. The pulsing throb of their engines echo as far as the house, mixed with the gentle wash of the tide as waters play over the rocky shoreline.

Eyeries Island, only  a few yards from shore, acts as my tidal monitor. From my dining room, I can gauge the waters and know when the Moon has done its job and pushed the Atlantic to High Tide. It is much less expensive than a Tide Table and far more accurate. My eye will catch the silhouettes of walkers moving like living ghosts along the Beara Way and I get a kick out of knowing the joy that they are experiencing as they push along the coastline and through the Summer Sun.

It's Mid-Summer but the village is still quiet. A few freshly polished cars nose along main street obviously lost and I wonder if the tourists within might stop or might not and I always ponder where they are from and where they might be going and what they'll think of Eyeries when they get home and of the memories that they will have.

Occasionally, I'll get my act together and ignore the laptop for once; packing a few things together I'll head for the Strand. At low tide I'll walk along the rocky beach searching for perfectly formed scallop shells while keeping an eye peeled for the seals that sometimes come in after the mackerel. If high tide, I'll take a swim. At High Summer the waters are usually warm enough but if not I'll pull on a wet suit and face mask and snorkel through the clear lapping waters looking for pollack and mackerel and the small jellyfish that look like saucers, their opaque forms decorated with thin plum lines, pulsing gently through the sunlit sea. The ocean sluices through the rocks that jut like small islands and I'll get a hankering to swim farther out and into the rich life that the sea harbors.

Now and then a friend of mine will knock on the door. We climb into his truck and run down the narrow road to the Harbor and board his rib. He cranks up the ninety horsepower engine and speeds out the inlet into the Bay proper and across it to the snag just off the Peninsula and within spitting distance of Urhan village. We try our luck with hand lines, a simple rig of twine tied with ten or more hooks and a sinker at the end. We toss them in without bait, the glittering silver of the hooks enough for the job. Last time, we filled the boat with enough fish for a few weeks eating. If ever I ran short of cash I know that I won't starve. All I need is a small punt and a hand line and I'd be in business.

I'll sit on the back deck then and maybe have a beer and light the Barbecue, cooking up the mackerel from the trip or a small fillet perhaps and serving it with the lettuce that I grow from seed. And I'll sit there listening to classical music from the radio, the shed door open so I can hear it, and wait for the sun to go down. It's Mid-Summer and so far north the sun doesn't set until almost ten o'clock. And I'll have another beer and watch as the summer clouds are turned red and gold, Scarrif Island spotlit like an old wild thespian, and the Kerry Mountains at last back lit as the sun sinks behind them. I'll not wait until the stars come out because I'd have a very long wait at this time of year; twilight lasts until after midnight, and I've risen at three in the morning to see the foreshadowing of dawn flicker in the northern skies.

Summer in Beara fills my senses with a gentleness that I've not found anywhere else.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2014 Kindle Edition Available Now

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. 

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 Winter's Peace in Eyeries

A number of years ago - 3 now, to be exact - I decided to move away from the Big Smoke of the Dublin area to the small and tranquil village of Eyeries way down in West Cork. The village, with a population of only 60 or so, is located on the Beara Peninsula, one of the last corners of Irish solitude. The peninsula, a finger of land that juts out into the Atlantic, is a place of wilderness. Barren, rocky mountains form a spiny line that marches all the way from Bantry to the east (and the gateway to Beara) all the way to Allihies, a small windswept village to the far west, and one of the most westerly centers of population in Ireland. In the spring, surging falls of white-water cascade down across the face of the stony hills as the water from spring rains seek the ocean. Heathers bloom, dotting sheltered areas in vibrant yellows. In the summer, glorious rainbows arch across rocky chasms, and in early mornings when conditions are right, wispy tendrils of fog twist and turn across green valleys, almost hiding massive boulders left during the last Ice Age.

In September, the weather turns to autumn. The swifts which make their home here in the summer twist and turn in the fall skies as they gorge themselves on insects for their return crossing to Africa and their winter grounds. Blackberries grow ripe within their nettled protective confines of curling bush that surge low along many roadways. Heather and gorse again bloom, as do some wild roses, adding brilliant colors to long walks. As autumn turns to winter, the weather caves in. Huge low pressure systems storm across the Atlantic, finally making landfall in this westerly corner of the country. Gale winds sometimes breaching Force 8 or more push massive seas onto the rocks below my house, and geysers of whitewater sometimes taller than 30 feet surge skyward in breathtaking beauty. Fishing boats make way for shelter in nearby Ballygrovane harbor, snuggling like litters of kittens along protective piers. Village residents, wearing all manner of coats and hats, dash between showers intent on getting to the small shops and back home in one piece.

As we approach winter solstice on 21 December, darkness closes in. The sun, which in summer had lit our lives from as early as 4:30AM to final twilight as late as 1AM, now plays hide-and-seek. On stormy days, our world seems to reside only in twilight. But the darkness also treats us to special gifts. On clear nights the stars glisten like fireflies. Astral formations such as Orion and its belt march playfully across our skies. The Milky Way - the center of our solar system - stretches like a glowing carpet within a field of obsidian darkness.

The village of Eyeries, located on the northern side of Beara and perched on a rocky ledge a hundred feet above Coulagh Bay, hunkers down for the winter. The small main street along which so many tourists walked in summer is now often deserted, as if taking a few months off for much needed rest. But though it appears to be asleep, Eyeries is still very much alive. During the week, villagers go to work as fishermen, farmers, shopkeepers - and writers - driving through the dank mornings in pursuit of a much needed wage. Trailer-loads of firewood are backed down small boureens to be stacked by grateful homeowners as winter fuel. On Saturday nights, the main street is choked with cars as the faithful flock to the weekly Vigil Mass.

Winter in Eyeries is also a time for social activities. Of participating with the church choir if you've a voice. Or joining the local history club, or finding a moment's peace with the Yoga group, or learning to paint from local artists, or taking a walk along the coast despite the weather to fill your lungs with fresh sea air and watch the sturdy cormorants and gulls dive for their winter's breakfast.

It is a time, too, of reflection. And as we hurry toward Christmas, it is a time of anticipation as we await relatives to make their travels back to us from far-off distant lands. Here in Eyeries, the winter gives us time to weigh up what is most important. And often, we can ditch the complexities of the world simply by looking out onto the surging Atlantic or up at the night's sparkling, majestic skies, and know a bit of peace.

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. 

The Eyeries Family Festival July 2011

And apologies once again. I've been busy - too busy!, unwell, and simply not up to writing. If you've ever experienced a traumatic event, you'll understand what I mean. However, I'm starting to feel a wee bit better, and must say that residing here in Eyeries is helping. In fact, it's so peaceful here that I'm thinking of setting up the Richards Official Sanitorium to offer anyone that needs it a welcoming rest.

Now that that's done, I thought I'd best get down to business which is as follows: now that I've managed to almost-settle in this small corner of Ireland, the local committee has informed me that for the first time in 30 years, they've getting with the program by launching the Eyeries Family Festival. This event, taking place in late July of this year, is chock full of fun for the entire family: from live music on the small streets of the village to a Busquing Competition and - get this - screenings of some of Maureen O'Hara's classic films, including The Quiet Man - made possible by the Maureen O'Hara Classic Film Foundation.

So if you don't mind, and if you know anyone that's around these parts in late July, would you spread the word?

She Lives Right Up the Road, Didn't Ya Know?

I should explain: now 90 years young, Ms O'Hara has retired in Glengarrif, a beautiful small town located about 45 minutes north of here. I've not had the privilege of meeting her yet, but I understand that not only is she able to recall the tiniest detail of her many films, but that she's also a wonderful human being. Now and again - or so I'm told - she ventures out onto the streets of Glengarrif, greeting passerby's as if she's simply another human being - rather than one of the greatest actresses around.

Apparently, Ms O'Hara has been retired in these parts for years. I am also told that she has established a Foundation that will promote the arts in the area (as well as her film classics). Shortly, and as funds become available, she is organising the construction of a Foundation Centre. This will not only act as an Arts Centre of some kind, but also provide a location for her extensive archive of costumes and memorabilia, as well as her film collection. I can't wait for it to open in that I must say that she is one of my favorite actresses.

So forgive my absence. Oh - and for more information on the Eyeries Summer Festival, please go to www.eyeriesfestival.blogspot.com.

My best to you all - Tom

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!