Recently, with the hours of daylight being surpassed by those of darkness, every fine day before winter becomes ever more precious. Thankfully Margaret Dineen volunteered to lead a walk in The Gearagh and amid many dodgy weather days she picked a fine one on September 26th.
The Gearagh (An Gaorthadh) is a submerged glacial woodland that was flooded in 1954 to facilitate two hydroelectric dams at Carrigadrohid and Inniscarra. The displacement of people, the felling of hundreds of ancient oak trees and the flooding of the region was a heavy price to pay for the power produced and the ghostly “lunar” landscape now on view. Yet it is a magical place, Cork’s own Everglades without the alligators and a nature reserve of outstanding merit.
To ensure the highest standards in every aspect of the walk it was a “ Three Margarets’ Production” Margaret Beausang drew up the Rolla and kept a tally of who was coming. Margaret McCarthy, ever without a sharp stick, played sweeper and shepherded us safely to the finish. Margaret Dineen took on the challenge of leadership and the potential for blame if anything came unstuck! Nothing did and it was bouquets all the way! How blessed we are that people who volunteer to serve their fellow members go to such pains to ensure all who turn up have a happy experience.
Some walkers commented that the number of those who walked was less than two thirds of those who signed up to come. This must have been a disappointment for the leader and potentially a cause of friction with the food provider post walk. Perhaps this aspect of the walks needs to be looked at again??
Walking in the parish of Kilmichael it was not unnatural to think of “The Boys” and ”The 28th Day of November” and sure enough, like the Crown Forces on a bend in the road, we too were duly ambushed. Happy to relate that it turned out to be a RTAI member who knew the route in reverse and who joined us unavoidably late.
Some naïve souls thought the day’s adventure ended when we returned to the cars and headed for downtown Macroom. With a labyrinth behind its front door, anyone who could enter the Castle Hotel, visit the toilet and reach the dining room in under 2 minutes 18.5 seconds was inside the old Olympics’ qualifying time. The excellent buffet had a very wide offering and, while “multiple choice” brings its own challenges, nobody was left in tears. The desserts were on a grand scale and of the highest quality and could have withstood a two-spoon attack.
In conversation after the meal Covid and flu jabs were mentioned. Some members were shot up to the gills in GP approved pharma potions while others had almost empty upper arms. The “gee-up” afforded by The Gearagh and the convivial company was a “shot in the arm” that all embraced!
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