Walking in the dark

After leaving Galway on Saturday I headed in a more less ESE direction for home, but it was a gorgeous autumn day and I dawdled across the country scabbing cups of tea from friends-and-relations.  Then I somewhat abruptly realised that we had promised to take part in a moonlit walk to boost prostate cancer awareness.  So I zinged home, picked up The Beloved and we headed South for Russianside, Cheekpoint, Co Waterford.  We haven't been to Ros an sídhe together since our squirrel-walk in February.  Something in excess of 30 people from 4 to 74 years old met at Cheekpoint Cross and walked up to the top of the Minaun, the local hilltop, in a communal straggle.  That must be a welcome change from being sacked out in front of the television of a Saturday night.  It's a little adventure for the tots and it cements the community.  The fact that €150+ was raised for the night's designated charity, is just the icing.

Next time I'll go on my own (the view from the top, day or night, has layer upon layer of interest) because I was so busy yakking to Sunny South-Easters that I didn't pay any attention to my surroundings.  In what seemed like an eyeblink we were back in the Cheekpoint Reading Room being regaled with butterfly fairy-cakes, cookies and hot chocolate.  The eponymous Russianside is almost the only person who comments on The Blob, indeed I've been at him to start his own, so I can return the favour.  Hats off! to him and his family for so often making this sort of event happen  . . . and serving up hot chocolate

On most Thursday nights in the Winter the hard-chaws of the local rambling club go up our mountain with head-torches to yomp through the woods and over the heather for a few hours.  There's a lot less earthshine and streetlights up there, so you get to see stars that are completely invisible from The City.  One night I'll go up there with them and see if they take off all their clothes when they reach the dolmen.