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| Beacon Point, Baltimore. Sherkin Island Lighthouse in the background |
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| Baltimore Beacon |
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| Sherkin Island and Cape Clear |
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| Baltimore Cliffs |
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| Beacon Point from the Sherkin Ferry boat |
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| Sherkin Island |
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| Sherkin Island |
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| Mizen Head |
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| Mizen Head cliffs from the bridge |
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| Old Mizen light signal |
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| Different light signals, the small one top right with stainless steal backdrop is the current working LED light. |
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| Always close to my heart: the lighthouse keepers window view |
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| Uillinn West Cork Art Centre building |
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| Basement space with art by Matthew Lanyon (painting) and Tony Lattimer (sculpture) |
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| Art by Philip Booth |
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| First floor, Art by Matthew Lanyon and Tony Lattimer |
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| Tapestrie by Matthew Lanyon |
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| Painting by Matthew Lanyon |
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| Painting by Matthew Lanyon |
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| An Altarpiece for West Penwith, stained glas by Matthew Lanyon |
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| Deelish Garden Centre just outside Skibbereen, http://www.deelish.ie |
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| Only a few of the many flowers that are for sale at Deelish Garden Centre, http://www.deelish.ie |
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| Clerke´s shop that became a stamp picture 2016 |
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| Buildings at town center Skibbereen |
I spend the first week of July with my wife and two grand sons in Baltimore, County Cork. We have never been in that part of Ireland before. The landscape is mostly smalls hill farms divided by roads, lakes and forests and lovely coastal drives along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Baltimore is a small seaside village with a lively harbour and some good restaurants and pubs. The pizzas are rather good and you enjoy the view over the harbour while you eat and drink. My daily place to check emails and messages since there is wifi outside the bars.
Another highlight is the community swimming pool, complete with sauna and jacuzzi. A real asset for the village that should be more appreciated and used. We went there 5 times during the week, the boys loved it.
Another great place near by is the town of Skibbereen. A buzzing 3200 people town with an fantastic art centre and a great selection of shops, pubs and galeries. The Uillinn Art Centre is a wonderful art space right in the center of Skibbereen with an attached cafe bistro that serves delicious food and really tempting cakes. The art centre was showing an exhibition by three leading artist from Cornwall. The paintings by Matthew Lanyon dominated clearly the show but the sculptures from Philip Booth and Tony Lattimer added another dimension to the exhibition. I liked it so much that I went twice to see it. I was suffering from art fatigue, obviously. Whenever you are in the area, go and have a look inside, please. No regrets promised. My grandchildren liked the elevator too.
Another colourful place is just outside Skibbereen: Deelish Garden Centre:
Deelish Garden
You are greeted by a friendly lady there, who likes to laugh as well as my grand sons noticed. The plants and flowers are good as well, we had to little space in the car but brought our shopping safe to Kerry.
Another highlight of the week was the trip to Mizen Head to visit the lighthouse keeper dwellings and the signals. The view from the bridge is amazing and dramatic, even on a dull day. The visitor centre is very well done, very good exhibition and video screenings about the history of the place and the importance of lighthouses in the past and present. Kind of funny when you watch a video on Mizen Head just to see my friend Richard Foran, lighthouse keeper from Valentia Island making an appearance on the big screen. Its a small world.
©Michael Herrmann 2017
