Life Is Full of Sweet Spots

“Invisible threads

are the

strongest ties.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche

The best preserved early Christian church in Ireland, this iconic Gallarus Oratory was built on the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula between the seventh and eighth century. An example of dry-stone corbelling techniques first developed by Neolithic tomb makers, the stones were laid at a slight angle, lower on the outside than the inside to allow water to run off.  (1)

According to local legend, if a person climbs out of the oratory via the window, their soul will be cleansed. This is, however, thought to be impossible, given the window’s small size. (2)

An historic port and fishing town along the 1,500-mile-long coastal road known as the Wild Atlantic Way, Kinsale lures in visitors with its candy-colored homes and buildings. (3)

Decked in swaths of hot pink, bright yellow, bold orange, and chartreuse greens, Kinsale is said to be the perfect home of fairies. (4)

Back in Covid 19 pandemic days, a Kinsale Covid 19 volunteer, wanting to bring some joy to those cocooned at home, answered an offer of the Irish Fairy Door Company to send fairy doors throughout the country. The result: 50 fun creative doors popped up all over Kinsale. Landing on building walls, in gardens and trees, wherever fairies might make their homes, many remain in place today. (5)

As portrayed by the Kinsale 9/11 Garden of Remembrance, the people of Kinsale will never forget Fr. Michael Judge and the 343 firefighters who died so heroically in 9/11. The name and company of each lost responder is inscribed on a memorial sign along with a small American flag at the base of each tree.  (6)

Further 9/11 tribute may be found in various locations throughout Ireland, such as in this posting of memorabilia in The Fifth Ward Bar at The White House guesthouse. The pub was named after the Irish neighborhood of the same name in Newport, Rhode Island; the towns share an official “sister city” relationship. (7)

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Ninth of a continuing series of Ireland travels through words and images.
Photos 1-5, 7 by Jan Logozzo • Photo 6 by Mary O’Connor

© 2023