Hello again my lovelies! I hope your week is going well? I have been feeling very productive, and I've been very much enjoying going through these photos from May when I first moved into my new house. As you might imagine, I spent a lot of time that first week admiring my new views, and taking walks around the area.
First morning cup of tea in my new house. This is the face of a very happy woman!
Pollan Strand with Binnion in the background. Almost all those houses belong to my family. This was my Great Granny's land!
I feel like I have come full circle. I always wanted to live here, I spent every summer here growing up, I learned to swim here, and I even took my first steps just up the road from my new house! My Great Granny, whom I sadly never met, lived on the shore here at Pollan Strand, and the land has passed down within the family ever since. There are a lot more of us these days, of course, but it seems like everyone in our family has such a strong connection to this place, even if they never lived here. Most of us came back to visit when we could, no matter how far away we ended up. I have cousins that live all over the world, as far as Australia, and I lived in America for eighteen years myself, yet Ballyliffin always called us back. Many of my family were married in one of the local hotels here, and have stunning wedding photos taken on this shore. It has always felt like home to me, and I cannot express how happy I am to finally be living here!
Pollan Strand with Glashedy in the background.
Glass of wine at Nancy's Barn. And why not?!
While I will miss the convenience of the Centra shop and several pubs that were all very close to where I lived in Clonmany, I was looking forward to living closer to Nancy's Barn and the hotels in Ballyliffin, since it's nice to go out for a meal every now and then. And since I didn't have any kitchen utensils yet, and was living off charcuterie style meals that week, I made a point to visit the Ballyliffin Hotel and Nancy's Barn as well. It's a healthy walk to the village and back from my new home, including a pretty steep hill, but I am so lucky to have found a place that is still within walking distance to places, since I don't have a car currently. I was looking forward to doing a lot more walking and building up some strength!
Carrickabraghy Castle, Isle of Doagh.
Carrickabraghy Castle, Isle of Doagh.
Carrickabraghy Castle, Isle of Doagh.
Me. At Carrickabraghy Castle, Isle of Doagh.
Blow Hole at Carrickabraghy Castle, Isle of Doagh.
On the Sunday that week, I took a long walk along the shore to Carrickabraghy Castle, known locally as "the Castles", for the first time since I moved to the area last November. When I stayed at the shore in the summer growing up it was a favourite walk of mine. When the tide is out you can cut some of the distance off, but when it's fully in it takes longer to walk around the curve of the bay. Either way, it's a fantastic walk, and then you get to explore the castle at the end of it! And if you manage to time it right, you can witness the blow hole in the cliffs behind the castle. I was so happy to see that I'd come at the right time that day, and spent a very happy time trying to capture the spectacle, while getting sprayed with salt water kisses. It felt like a welcome to the area, and I couldn't stop smiling. The castle was built in the 16th Century, and you can read more about the history of the area HERE.
At Carrickabraghy Castle, looking across the Five Finger Strand, Isle of Doagh.
Since I usually visited Ballyliffin during the school summer holidays growing up, I had never seen the area at this time of year. So I was pleasantly surprised to see the swathes of pink sea thrift carpeting the grass beside the castle. I was used to seeing a few here and there in August, but nothing like the masses that were growing in what was obviously their peak season. A couple of weeks later, I bought some at the plant nursery in Carndonagh to grow on my porch, as it seemed only fitting to have local plants growing.
I have always considered myself very lucky to have this place in my life. To have grown up coming here is an incredible gift, but it did spoil me for other beaches, haha! This one had everything; soft sands, clear waters, rock pools, cliffs, and even a castle and a blow hole! There was always something to see and do here, and I spent so many happy hours exploring. Ever since, any time I have gone to a beach, no matter how beautiful and exotic a location it might be, I have always felt like it was distinctly lacking something. Having the family connection here of course only made me love it more. I know I keep saying it, but I am SO happy to finally be living my dream here in Ballyliffin!
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