Listening to West Cork Radio

Irish people are generally partial to their home county as anyone would be about their own region. For example, I think California is better than Texas, although Texans would disagree. (Not to digress, but I think everywhere is better than Texas.)


People in Donegal often ask us what brought us here. They can't believe that Americans live somewhere so remote, and cold, and without a train. I tell them it was a "happy accident."

"But it's so cold," they say, bracing themselves for invective.

"I love Donegal," I say. "I love the wildness, the music, the culture, the people.…"

I see they are delighted.

"I love Donegal too," they admit conspiratorially, and I agree not to tell the other Americans.

"I didn't come here for the weather."

"What did you come here for?"

"I came for the dairy products."



A similar conversation with someone from Cork goes something like this:

"We're living in Kerry."

"What's wrong with Cork?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing! It's just that our friend found us a place to rent there."



"We're moving to Donegal."
"What's wrong with Cork?"
"Nothing! Nothing is wrong with Cork! We LOVE Cork. Up the Rebels! We just wanted to try something different."
"Cork is different!"
"Different from California."


Last week when I visited Cork City, a friend and I took a bus tour of West Cork. West Cork is the region of Ireland most like California. Which is why we don't live there — although we like it. We like it.


One stop on the bus tour was Clonakilty, a seaside town that popular with families on a holiday weekend. It won a "Best Town in Great Britain and Ireland" award as well. I'm sure that made them quite proud.


I was looking for some decent lip balm and hoped I could get some good stuff at The Olive Branch.





Let's take a closer look at those notices, shall we?





Energy Emotional Freedom Techniques.
Gentle Therapeutic Yoga from Unity Yoga.
Biodynamic craniosacral Therapy.
Kundalini Yoga Weekend Retreat.
Harmony Songs of Light singing workshop. (I have a feeling they won't be teaching "Come out ye Black 'n' Tans" by the Wolfe Tones)
Infinite Tai Chi.
West Cork Coffee mornings for moms.
(Behind it in the window display: echinacea tea.)





Craniosacral therapy again, "for pregnancy and beyond"
Benefits of drinking kangen alkaline water
Javanese gamelan
Sounds of Devotion: heart songs, mantras & poetry





Permaculture Design Course
Bake Sale
Dynamic Flow Yoga
Ladies' Day: Health and Exercise with pre-breakfast cardio





Protest of a 25% tax increase on vitamins supplements.

Inside the Olive Branch I found Dr. Bronner's hemp oil lip balm. I do miss my favorite Dr. Bronner's products.


The bus tour took us out to Mizen Head, the most southerly and westerly point of Ireland.





(The most northerly point of Ireland is Malin Head, about an hour away from Dunfanaghy. We've been to Malin head a few times. )

I took this movie from that bridge, and as you watch, you can see the image distorts because of wind. I was afraid I would drop my phone and I'm getting a little anxious watching it right now.

Bridge 2019

Bridge 1909

Station 1909

Station 2019

I was happy wandering around the cliffs and thrilling myself bending into the wind, but when my friend mentioned that the station had a "creepy museum with old radios" I rushed right over.


Roaringwater Journal has a nice essay about the ghosts of Mizen Head and its connection to early developments in radio. In it I learned that Guglielmo Marconi was Italian-Irish and Irish investors were the founders of his wireless telegraph company. (In the US the Italian-Americans have claimed him. )


I also learned that Cork City has a Radio Museum which I didn't know but will visit the next time I'm there. Irish people have long been innovators in long-range communication (now known as The Internet) going back to 500 AD when the Irish invented book publishing. (See also transatlantic cable of 1866)

Radio station crafts

The creepy part of the museum

Not as creepy, but weird. I will spare you a close-up of that plaster breakfast.

Dial reads "N. Ireland, Kalundborg, Midland, Welsh, Scottish, Brussels, Lyons, Paris, Vienna, Athlone."
(There's been a major military barracks at Athlone since 1691.)

This room blocked off but contained old radio gear I would have liked to see.



Diagnostic panel



Transmitter?

The tour continued after Mizen Head. The driver treated us to "Traditional Irish Music" but not the good kind. My friend and I were each sitting apart from each other at window seats so communicated by wireless telegraph. 





The tour catered to the interests of American tourists. While there are dozens of other ancient tombs in this part of Ireland, the tour stops at one off the highway called The Altar, a tomb that was used as a Mass Rock.









Interpretive signs at wedge tombs often highlight the Neolithic Farmers who built them and explain their mysterious grave offerings and cremains. This one emphasizes the persecution of a majority religion.





My friend captured me inventing Cork's next Big Thing: Wedge Tomb Yoga.







A West Cork mystic once told me that monuments like this one are ancient radio towers.


I tuned in and heard that "everything is going to be ok, just keep doing what you're doing." I still love Santa Cruz—there's nothing wrong with it—but I'm getting partial to Ireland.