Omey

We had walked across the causeway to the Isle of Omey. Now we set about exploring the island.

As at many places in Ireland, there was evidence of former homes, now fallen into decay.

Here’s a first view back over the knapweed to Actons.

Those were our beaches. You can’t see our tent, which was snuggled down in the dunes, nut I can see the top of the archaeologist's wigwam and the barn like building, near the end of the bays, contained our toilets and shower and Kriss also had a freezer and fridge where we could store items. On the very edge of this enlarged picture, there’s a building under construction which, when finished, will be Kriss’s eco home, complete with grass roof.

Wild fuchsia grows, which can be an indication of a homestead in this area.

But of course, on this occasion the ruin was still clear.

Taking photos of Actons, across the water, was so tempting. This time, on the left, we can see the second beach where we had enjoyed ourselves back in 1971.

But people live on Omey and agriculture goes on. Mind you, this young beast looks wary of a photographer.

We could now see Omey’s lake. It is peeping behind this tidy little cottage.

You can see that the edge of the lake is very shallow, so fences head out into the water. There’s a little outcrop here, to make an island within a lake on an island.

This part of Omey is fairly flat and wonderfully flowery.

There aren’t enough stones need clearing for walls, so the ubiquitous barbed wire fence holds sway. It makes a good perch for birds. I have yet to identify this one – a pipit, maybe?

Let’s finish with a 1971 and 2011 pair. I am right chuffed with the 2011 picture, for I staged it from memory.

But first a view in 1971.

That’s a perch on a wall with Actons to the right (not that we knew it was called Actons back in 1971, but it was owned by the Acton family) and below is the 2011 shot.

Well, as you can see, nothing has changed!