Anne Durity is the in-house expert on Ballincollig’s Powder Mill Park and its menu of interesting walks. With Christmas about to ambush us RTAI members, the final amble of the year took place on December 4th. The big news as we gathered in the carpark came from Scotland. The birth there of a wee girl made walk-participant PN a grandfather for the first time. We rejoiced with him and send our congrats to Scotland. At least three of the walkers on the day currently have children in Edinburgh… Alba abú!
Once the all important commissioning of the sweeper was complete, off we went. The sheer expanse of the park which lay before us made each trail a bearer of possibilities. On our left the fast flowing river was not as tempting as it might be in scorching mid-summer. The intriguing remains of buildings and the skeletons of industrial machinery fed the imagination. We embraced the “peata lae” we had found outdoors in deep winter as the perfect antidote to too much “Ho! Ho! Ho!” consumerism.
Our leader set a leisurely pace that maintained forward momentum but did not have anyone in a sweat. Two members who had missed the starting gun caught up with us. They too were welcome. As the walk was short by design (c. 1.5 hours) no picnic stop was necessary lest it spoil our meal at “Trade House Central”. Some non-walkers enhanced the buzz when they joined us for a festive lunch. One can only assume that Anne must have offered the deeds of her home to Management to get the exclusive use of a special room at this busy time of year. There we relaxed and enjoyed convivial company and our choice of excellent food dished up by pleasant hardworking staff. Unlike other establishments who make a “song and dance” of paying, we each paid on our honour as we left. Confirming that it was indeed the “season to be jolly” Anne issued each walker with a ticket for a raffle where a selection of “posh chocs” could be won. Margaret McCarthy, Geraldine Conroy and Eileen Hannigan, in that order, were plucked from the “Mála Mór”.
Hopefully our leader heard at least half of the praise and thanks that was on all the walkers lips for her as we parted.
RTAI CORK BLOG - Suíomh na Múinteoirí Scortha Chorcaí 