Discover Dursey by Penelope Durell
Discover Dursey by Penelope Durell
CHAPTER 1Welcome to Dursey
Location
Where is Dursey Island, also known as Oileán Baoi? A signpost close by on the mainland announces that it is 5,280km from New York and 3,310km from Moscow. If you wish to discover Dursey, head for the extreme tip of the beautiful Beara peninsula, 24km west of the fishing port of Castletownbere (or Castletown Berehaven), until the road terminates at the Dursey Sound. There, within shouting distance across a narrow channel, lies Co. Cork's most westerly inhabited island, whose outlying rocks are second only to the Skellig rocks in being the farthest land points from the centre of Dublin in the whole country.
The Fastnet Rock so the story goes, needs no signpost to direct it to Dursey. Even before the earliest glimmer of dawn light on the first morning in May, the rock unfurls its magic sails and sets forth on an annual journey to pay respects to its relatives, gliding across the sea from its solitary outpost off Cape Clear. After a cruise around Dursey, it visits in turn the nearby Bull, Cow Calf and Heifer rocks; then, before the rising sun has dispersed the wisps of sea mist the Fastnet skims back over the waves to its lonely home remaining there until next year's excursion.
With their varying shapes and sizes, the Fastnet's relatives present an oddly assorted group. They stand as Atlantic sentinels at the mouth of Kenmare Bay and overlooking the entrance to Bantry Bay, where Dursey is acknowledged to have command of one of the most majestic seascapes in Europe
From a distance the island appears to be almost jointed to the mainland separated by a mere hop and jump of water. Viewed from Reen the promontory to the south Dursey's outline suggests a long leviathan at rest, gazing out at the boundless ocean uptilted nose, smooth domed head back formed by the curvaceous contours of five hills….
page 1
opinions expressed on this site are those of the authors and are not endorsed by allihies parish coop or bearaweb. All content © the authors All design © BearaWeb