The Gearagh is special. Margaret Dineen, our walk leader, gave us local insights into how special a place it was and is. It had its own community life set in a secretive place largely unknown to outsiders. They lived in an ancient glacial woodland where their own “Robin Hood”- Seán Rua na Gaoire– could rest easy at night beyond the reach of the law.
The ESB, in our name, changed everything. Today if the dams at Carrigdrohid and Inniscarra were operating at 100% output such output must be a relative “penny candle” in relation to our electricity needs. In retrospect, have we vandalised a world class heritage site for small gains? Have we melted down the Ardagh Chalice to make pre-decimal half crowns as it were? Hopefully in more enlightened times this unique, strange and magical place can be allowed to revert to its better self.
Meanwhile, in glorious sunshine, we followed on with watchful eyes informed by Margaret’s pre-walk introduction. The walking conditions were dry underfoot, it was warm but not oppressive, the company as good as ever. Some new faces joining us were most welcome. While parking was tight it was not beyond the ability of our members.
Food and service in the Castle Hotel were excellent. The labyrinth lay out of the hotel seemed to hark back to poitín raiding police getting lost in the Gearagh, not knowing the internal logic of pathways. Meascán mearaí for the police in their searching as for us in the hotel a potential danger.
Seán Ó Callanáin
Martin Conroy photographs
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