Friday, 8th August                     BALLYDEHOB

Robyn writes: A very easy 'down' day today. We were up around 8 o'clock and after a leisurely breakfast, we put on a last load of washing and headed out for a walk around Ballydehob. We walked across the bridge and around the path near the river, then up the hill to St Brigid's church there. It's a lovely old church - renovated and in very good condition, but the same church that we believe Lex's great-great grandfather was christened in. Then we walked down to the town area and back home across the traffic bridge. As it was just beginning to rain, we hung the washing out inside, then got ourselves organised to go out again. First, though, we rang Lex's mum to see how she was - it was lovely to talk to her and catch up on all of the family news.

The historic 12 arch bridge crossing the river at Ballydehob



Adorable baby robin in Chapel Street

Ballydehob is built on a big hill

Ballydehob's most famous son, Jimmy O'Mahoney the wrestler

Post office and matching van!

St Brigid's Church in Ballydehob

This time we headed back into Ballydehob to the Community Centre where they have a charity shop several days a week. We gave them some books we've finished with, and found ourselves some more to take with us. I'm continuing on my quest to reread all Maeve Binchy's books while I'm in Ireland - have two more now! We went downstairs where they were having a market stall, and bought ourselves some nice homemake biscuits. Then we went on to Golleen, where the tourist information centre has free wifi (third time we've been there this week - the only place we can get decent internet access and it's free!) I was finally able to get the week's blogs on and send some emails, which took about an hour. By then we were ready for some lunch, and the girl at the centre recommended the local pub, The Fastnet (named after the local island lighthouse). We had a lovely, huge lunch there then went for a drive around the area, before heading back towards Schull. We stopped there and had a nice time wandering around the town there - some lovely little craft shops, and we did a bit of souvenir shopping. We bought ourselves a beautiful locally made pottery bowl with a fuschia pattern on it - the fuschia is the floral emblem of Cork County and we see them everywhere. They are a beautiful red flowering bush and are lovely at this time of the year. Now we just have to get it home in one piece....

Lunch was at this lovely pub in Golleen

Lots of yachts practicing for this weekend's regatta at Schull

The fuchsia bush is the floral emblem of County Cork, an!d no wonder - they are everywhere!

Our lovely 'fuchsia' bowl
 

By now the skies had cleared completely and it was a glorious day. We headed back home and moved the washing back outside (where it dried in just over an hour). We had a nice cuppa and biscuit, then put our feet up for a while. Finally I decided I'd better wash my hair and get on with some packing, and Lex went off for a walk. He got as far as the Stouke Cemetery, about a 4km return walk. Since then we've had tea (leftovers) and are watching "Ghostbusters" - about the best thing that's been on Irish TV since we got here! We're missing the huge range of channels on British TV. Off to Galway tomorrow so we have to be up fairly early.