A COUPLE of weeks ago my family and I returned from an enjoyable week's holiday in Ireland.
I drove on and off the ferry from Holyhead to Dunloughaire, then on to our remote holiday bungalow-cottage along narrow bumpy lanes high up in the Wicklow hills situated near the famous Wicklow Way.
The weather was wet and cold but the welcome, hospitality and kindness from the Irish people was very warm indeed.
The view from our residence was stunning. The Emerald Isle lived up to its name with its 40 shades of the green fields, rolling hills and forests.
The sheep and the cattle sucklers in the nearby fields looked in good condition too!
I couldn't resist doing my impressions of lost lambs and the mother sheep understood what I was saying in their language: they responded by bleating and scuttling around looking for their babies.
About 300 yards away the cattle were lying down peacefully when I bellowed like a cow and a bull.
They all leapt to their feet and galloped down the slopes to me, curious to discover who this new beast was.
In the late afternoon rabbits ventured into the half-acre front garden. And one early morning about 5.30am, as I drew the curtains back, I spotted, through the thick mountain mist, three wild deer grazing on the lawn.
As I dashed for my video camera they sensed I had seen them and they quickly vanished into the nearby forest.
It may be over 40 years since I was farming but I still have my “farmer's eye” for an animal in trouble.
Scanning the meadows with my binoculars, about a mile away, across the valley, I could see a cow or bullock lying down for a long time, while its colleagues were grazing and moving around the field. It appeared to be unable to get up so I informed the neighbouring farmer.
On the Tuesday I had to drive to Sligo, the home town of my daughter's favourite boy band, Westlife. The locals told me where they lived so I was able to drive past their luxurious homes.
We stayed for one night B&B on a large dairy farm near Sligo. The lady of the house told me they ran 480 Friesian cows and it took over four hours to milk them all.
On another occasion we boarded a train from Rathdrum to Dublin and we all had to have a half of Guinness.... a neccessity for any holidaymaker!
And of course, we had to see the sculpture of Sweet Molly Malone, commonly known as “the tart with the cart” and “the dish with the fish”.
One joker said: “She would do well selling melons.” It is said that by day she was a fishmonger's daughter and by night she was a member of the “oldest profession”.
A good time was had by all. So much so that we have already booked for 2008.
