The Gullet

Since the virus came, everywhere and everything is quieter, these times, I can sit back, take in the sounds that have been suppressed for so long. Growing up on a country road we were so aware of our surrounding environment. In particular I have vivid memory of bird song and the ever present sound of

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The Gullet

The gullet is a small stream of water that runs under the boreen where I live. It flows in to the Camogue River near the village of Emly. In winter it floods up so much it is barely able to get through the eye of the bridge. When I was a young lad it had

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The Historic River Nore

The author recollects the river Nore at John’s Quay, Kilkenny, over fifty years ago – the fishing for eel (now a conserved species), and brown trout, the brickeens brought home in bucketfuls, tadpoles in April, working artists by the waterside, pleasure boats in summer, the occasional otter, quayside houses flooded as winter rains blew in.

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The Holy Sea

Growing up beside the Irish Sea in South County Dublin, it was not surprising that as a child I viewed the sea as something special. My mother brought us children down to Sandycove harbour every sunny morning of our childhood summers for a swim, she would bring a flask of coffee and we would play

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The Hut

The summer of 1945 signalled the end of the terrible conflict that was World War II, with millions of displaced persons wandering helplessly through war- ravaged Europe in search of a home and missing relatives. In contrast, a whole new world was opening up to us with the purchase by my father Joe of a

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The Island

Our river didn’t have a name. It still doesn’t. Though fed by a large spring and several farm drainage pipes, I suppose it wasn’t a river; more of a fast-flowing stream. But to me, as an undergrown child, it was a river. It was the obstacle I had to jump over on little legs. I

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The Kiss

The time: 18th August, 1983 The place: Lismore Strand I’m going to bring you to a beautiful part of West Waterford called Lismore and to a spectacular spot along the Blackwater River overlooked by our Castle called The Strand. This particular day was very special because it was my 16th birthday. I had on my

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The Lake

My memory of my summer holidays in France Puivert lake is in France. I go there every year. When I see Puivert lake, I see a huge lake, lots of trees behind it, I see gliders going around in the sky – and sometimes a plane pulling the glider. I also see the cafe –

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The Last Ship to go down in The Great War

When I was a young fellow growing up in Tarbert, a small village and sea port in the Shannon estuary there was an old man who lived beside me in Chapel Street. He lived in a little cottage with a thatched roof and a tidy back garden. It was one of those small yellow washed

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The Broadmeadow Estuary

The Broadmeadow Estuary between Swords and Malahide is a natural amenity that attracts a lot of visitors daily. Growing up in Swords in the late fifties it was the place my parents often took me for a walk, to see and feed the swans, to meet my Uncle Denis, togged out in his waders as

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The Call of the Sea

Living by the Irish Sea for most of my life; the poem ‘Sea-Fever’ by John Maseifeld strikes a special resonance for me and has a particular place in my heart. “I must go down to the sea again For the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call That may

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The Camac Clondalkins big river

The Camac is a 24km river that runs through county Dublin. The source of the river is Mount Seskin , Saggart the mouth of the river is River Liffey at Heuston staiton. Over 100 years ago many mills such as sawmills, papermills, woollen mills, grain mills and gun powder mills all lined the riverbanks. Although

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