BelleekWell - where else were we going to camp with Bonnie out on her very first holiday?
I finally got up the street in Belleek and found it friendly and charming. Belleek straddles the border so while we were there we popped over to Leitrim to take a look at Rossinver Organic Centre. I have to say I found it very inspiring.
Rossinver Organic CentreI loved the living willow sculptures. I was jealous of the indoor (polytunnel) garden and I thought the mint garden was inspired. That's third along on the bottom row of the collage. Mint is notoriously invasive so they'd planted each variety in big tubs built ino the curving stone wall. Lovely to sit there nibbling on the different varieties of mint. Naturally chocolate mint was my favourite.
From Lough Melvin to donkeys near Big Dog MountainHere are some general observations about Fermanagh and Fermanagh people - it strikes me as a fey county, there is a sense that the fairies are not far away. I get that same feeling in Leitrim too. Garrison is full of old farmers who stand in the middle of the road so that the traffic has to drive around them. Those old guys seem to be saying, "I was born and reared in these parts and I'll stand in the middle of the road if I please!" Derrygonnelly folk are mostly very small. We watched a funeral go by and I don't believe there was a single man there taller than 5' 8". Enniskillen comes across as a gentle town. The Big Dog forest is full of donkeys.
We camped there and there wasn't a dry stick to be had. We were very glad of our bag of County Antrim turf. The fire Bert made was awesome but next time I go camping in October I'll be wearing thermal everything. Bonnie, with her thick fur pelt, was untroubled by the cold and looked like she was thoroughly enjoying her first ever holiday. That was once she was certain she wasn't off to the vet again.
Did you notice a pub/lounge called the Legless Arms in Belleek? I hope it still exists and they haven't changed its name. We played there about... too many years ago :-)
ReplyDeleteSurely I would have noticed that. No I didn't see The Legless Arms. If I had I would have taken a photo for sure.
ReplyDeleteThere was another name on the front of the pub which I can't remember probably because the other was so memorable.
ReplyDeleteThere was never a pub called the Legless Arms in Belleek, Co. Fermanagh...
ReplyDeleteThe Black Cat Cove used to be the Tavern. The Jolly Farmers used to be the Border Inn. There was Cleary's Corner Bar, Rooney's. There is the Fiddlestone and McMorrows...
That's it, afaik!
awesome pics.
ReplyDeleteThe Legless Arms could've been around the back of Rooneys?
ReplyDeleteCould've been... Don't recognise the name though. Rooney's was on the corner at the bottom of the street, left hand side, looking up with your back to the hotel...
ReplyDeleteIt's a Chinese restaurant now.
Thanks Anon, that was it:-) They had a tree in the middle of the room too, which looked strange.The night I was there I remember their was quite a few Irish soldiers in the crowd.I hope someone else uses that name The Legless Arms again soon.
ReplyDeletethere is a sense that the fairies are not far away
ReplyDeleteI always get that feeling in Amsterdam! ;-)
Thermal everything sounds like the way forward!
Wow what great pictures. You have a good eye for great shots. The place looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love Enniskillen, especially Blakes i' the Hollow on a winter's Saturday afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Leggy Kelly Inn in Redhills in Cavan. I wonder if that's where the legs are.
I remember the Border Inn there was Music and Dancing of a Sunday Night met Nice Belleek Girls there in 1972..
ReplyDeletePeople still reading this post? That's great. Sad to say Big Bonnie has taken her last holiday on earth. She went to Donegal.
ReplyDelete