August 2023, Week Forty One.

Well hello again my lovelies! It's been a wee while since I've posted, and I still have a few months to catch up on, so I apologise in advance for the bombardment of photos you'll be getting shortly. Hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as I do!

Looking down over Pollan Strand, towards Malin Head.

Crockaughrim at Golden Hour.

Looking down over Pollan Bay, towards Malin Head.

Looking down over Pollan Strand and the Isle of Doagh.

Looking down over Pollan Bay and Glashedy, towards Malin Head.

Week 41 of my time here in Inishowen was another beautiful one. After my guests left I had a lot of work to catch up on, but the weather was so beautiful that I also made sure to get out on some nice walks as well when I had time. I rediscovered an old road near me that leads to an abandoned settlement of cottages, in an area known as Mullagh, overlooking the bay. The views from up there are spectacular, and what makes it even more special is that I took my first steps here, into my Grandfather's arms, many years ago! It really feels like I was meant to live in this area, my family has so much history here, and so many happy memories.

Looking down over Glashedy, towards Malin Head.

Looking down over Pollan Bay and Glashedy, towards Malin Head.

I still had lots of family staying down by the beach this week, so I walked down there a lot to visit with them. One of the nights there was a huge curry night organised. It became a tradition many years ago, but this was actually the first time I was able to be a part of it, and it was fabulous. So many generations of my family all gathered in one place, sharing delicious food and swapping stories. This is what I've missed out on for so long, and I was so happy to just be able to be a part of it. There were several nights where some of my cousins and I were up drinking until 05:00, reminiscing, and apart from the inevitable hangovers, I loved every moment.

Harebells.

Recently dipped sheep.

Another fantastic meal at Nancy's Barn.

I also participated in the Clonmany Festival Craft Fair, held at the Clonmany Community Centre on Thursday 10th August. It was the first fair I'd done since 2020, and it felt good to be selling some of my work again. I'm hoping to do more fairs in the area again soon. The Clonmany Festival is big deal in this area, and I used to go every year when I was younger. In fact, the first time I drank in a bar was at the Festival one year. Again, this place holds so many memories for me, and it is so wonderful to have the opportunity to relive the good times.