Annual Show

There is a picturesque village about 5km to the west of us,

which early in September has it's annual show,

weather permitting. This year it went ahead, unlike the

2008 & 09 when those with clout, the Health & Safety

folk, prevented the show from going ahead. Rain

and wet ground was cause.

Mrs H thoroughly enjoys the Clonaslee show, the crowds,

the atmosphere and the animals, especially the bulls.

My first attention is always drawn to the horses, not

because I am a rider, for I am definitely not.

It is that they hold a certain majestic mystery for me.

Here they are, those magnificant animals, along with their

handlers. The younger men always seem to wear bowler

hats which rest upon their ears !

This is the supreme champion of the show,

a wonderful beast. Just look at that straight back

and the chunky forelegs, a fine specimen of bullhood indeed.

Now this is the correct way for farmers' wives

to enjoy their Sunday afternoon. Sitting in amongst

the bulls and enjoying a glass or three of wine....

and great craic !

Potatoes and onions on display, where shape, size

and colour, I presume, are important in determining the winners.

Here in the hall an assortment of exhibitions

from art to large nosegays plus breads, cakes, tarts and knitting.

From an earlier blog, you will no doubt recognise

this, our traditional fuel, that has been hard won

from the bog.

The competition here is about the straightest

block of turf and squareness of section, it must

also have weight, dryness and make a good clack

(sound) when two pieces are knocked together.

This then is the Clonaslee agricutural show, one of a number of shows

that take place in the locality. There is a far larger show in a neighbouring town

that draws in thousands of people from far and wide and each has different attractions.

Our local show is our preference of course as it is also a chance to catch up with friends,

neighbours and buy homemade goodies to take home for tea.

The Ancient Hill

We had a day off from our labours of love on the cottage,

to drive in a northeasterly direction for one and half hours.

To the ancient Hill of Tara in County Meath & recharge our

batteries. So while Mrs H sat in the cafe drinking coffee

I took myselfout with the camera to look for something

different.

I could not resist sneeking into Michael Slevin's bookstore

and taking a quick photo, while the dear man sat outside

in the sunshine with a straw hat on reading a newspaper.

It is worth a visit if only to soak up it's atmosphere. Mrs H

and I, she more so than me, are book fanatics. We spend our

winter nights with our heads stuck in books. More

entertaining you see to let the imagination create pictures

than watching TV.

This is the inside of the Mound of the Hostages and Tara's oldest

manmade structure. It is into here that the Samhain sun shines

illuminating the back wall. If you look at the stone on the left there

are some carvings to be studied.

To find this pair of newly decorated trees, dressed in finery

as a pair of Faery Trees. I suspect that there is more to it than that

and my senses are telling me that this probably where a recent

handfasting took place, for it has the feel of a wedding celebration.

On walking down from the Hill I could not help noticing

these poor visitors having lunch, alongside their expensive tour bus.

I was aghast at their audacity of parking virtually next door

to the Tara Cafe & Bookshop , which serves delicious meals at a

very reasonable price. Is it old fashioned of me to believe that part

of the experience of visiting another country is to partake of it's foods

and meet the people?