Anita Mathias: Dreaming Beneath the Spires

Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art

Archives for August 2010

My Favourite Place in the World to Wander: Ireland

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I love travelling, and have travelled in well over 30 countries, and in every continent but Africa.

However, my favourite country to travel in, hands down, is Ireland.

It is beautiful and green. It is full of history, mythic, magic and mysticism. It has a poetic pagan past, those wonderful Druids, and an equally poetic early Christian history. It is tragic. It has wonderful place names, full of poetry in themselves. It has nurtured wonderful poets like Yeats and Heaney.

However, it is the people who make a place, and I love the Irish. I love their accents, their use of English, their gentleness, their good humour, and their helpfulness.

I think whenever I need a break, I will escape to Ireland if I can.

However, I would not like to live there permanently. It is too homogenous a society. What on earth would I do among all those O’Leary’s and McLoughlins? I still think England is the best place for a citizen of the world,  with a reasonably diverse population, and a fairly open-minded, tolerant and accepting indigenous population.

Wicklow Mountains National Park

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We are now in Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Going on another hike around a lake or two, and then heading for the Rosslare Beaches. We have had splendid weather, it’s never rained when we’ve wanted to hike, and it’s warm, but not hot. No need for jumpers or coats.

A lovely lake. The sound of water lapping on the shores is a natural tranquillizer. I love the ducks, just a few months old, already so tourist-friendly. Fantastic hiking, not so difficult that it takes all your concentration, but strenuous enough to feel invigorated!
We had a super refreshing morning at “Monastic City” in Wicklow Mountains National Park.
St Kevin’s monastic settlement, including a Rapunzel-like long, very high doorless tower in which they sheltered from Viking raids. Apparently, they climbed in through a window, and then pulled the ladder in. There were numerous beautiful and intricate Celtic crosses in the graveyard.
Everything was tranquil, lush and emerald green, with sheep grazing peacefully in the background. Truly an idyllic view!!