Where The Green Island Begins


Anglorama nr 1/2006 (33)

Where The Green Island Begins

Miejsce pełne mitów, magii i widoków, które przyprawiają o dreszcz zachwytu i przerażenia. Spienione fale rozbijające się o skały i porywisty wiatr tworzą idealny nastrój do tego by rzucić się z klifu w otchłań morskiej wody... lub po prostu oddać się takim przyjemnościom jak nurkowanie, jazda na rowerze, łowienie ryb lub spacer. Wszystko to możliwe jest w Malin Head, miejscu położonym na północnym krańcu Irlandii.

It was a windy and rainy Sunday morning when we left Carndonagh - a small town located in the  Inishowen Pennisula in Donegal County. Our destination was the most northern bit of Ireland,  a place called Malin Head. The landscape on the way was truly picturesque with unending green hills, sandy beaches and small cottages with thatched roofs that gave the place the air of antiquity.

After an hour and a half ride (which included frequent stops for relishing landscapes and taking photos) we got there. This was it! The beginning and the end of Eire - as the Irishmen call their country. We parked the car at Bamba’s Crown, the highest point of Malin Head, and got out of the car which was not an easy process at all. Considering the wind strength, we had to be very careful not to let the doors fly away. The place owes its name to one of the Pre-Christian Pagan Queens of Ireland. There is also a tower there, built by the British in about 1805. It was used as Lloyd's Signal Station which in those days was a major news link between America and Europe and a reporting spot for all the ships passing along this route. Just below the tower the word EIRE, arranged from stones, can be seen. It helped in navigation during World War II. Today, the tourists who see it believe that there is nothing further to the north but water.

The wind was so strong that it literally took our breaths away. There were no people sightseeing there, just sheep and cows grazing lazily as if the downpour didn't bother them at all. Malin Head is said to be the sunniest place in Ireland, but not at that time of the year, apparently. However, the breathtaking view of foaming waves whirling in the everlasting struggle against sharp coastal  rocks compensated fully for the lack of sunshine. It was hard to believe that there was nothing between us and Greenland except for the dark depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Curiosity made us go down to the rocks and watch the clash of elements from close range. No doubt, it was the most terrifying and exciting experience of my visit to Malin Head!

As the area is robust enough to withstand the whims of the ocean and wind, so are the people who live there. Malin Head abounds in myths that combine pagan beliefs with the Christian tradition. As you walk, you can easily find proof that magic and forces of evil must have haunted the place in the past. On of them is “Hell’s Hole” (a ravine attacked with great force by the tide) or “Devil’s Bridge” (a naturally formed arch). A little cave in the hillside, called “The Wee House of Malin” was believed to be the home of St. Muirdealach. As legend has it, no matter how many people he let into the cave, there was always enough room for everyone. On the 15th of August, a unique and strange ceremony used to take place there. It included both prayer and entertainment. A certain McParlan, who witnessed or possibly took part in such an event in 1801, wrote that after all the prayers were said, the ceremony ended with “good ablution in the sea” performed by naked men and women who were “all frisking and playing in the water and washing off each other’s sins”.

Another custom connected with the sea concerned the corpses of the people who drowned. Bringing them to a house was bound to deliver bad luck. There is a story about a woman born in Malin Head who lived with her husband not far from Redford Port. Two of her brothers drowned and their bodies were brought to the seashore by the evening tide. Her husband did not let the corpses be carried into his house, so the woman spent the night keeping a solitary vigil by the side of the dead brothers, waiting for relatives to come and help her.

Nowadays Malin Head is prominent from the scientific and ecological perspective. What’s more, painters and writers living in Donegal County draw inspiration from the sublime beauty of the place. Unsurprisingly, very often it happens to be the setting for some dramatic incidents. Above all, it is an attractive destination for divers. The water is crystal clear and many wrecks are scattered on the ocean floor. Enthusiasts of biking usually start their route in Mizen Head, the southern tip of the island, and ride 400 miles north in order to finish their 7-day trip in Malin Head. Furthermore, it is a paradise for anglers, bird watchers and photographers.

One more thing that needs to be mentioned is that the people who live there are renowned for their hospitality. After a hard day, you can spend time in The Seaview Tavern. Steaks (the best in the area) and delicious seafoods will fill your mouth with delight, whereas spectacular views of the Scotish coast and Inishtrahull (the island where Ireland’s most northern lighthouse is situated), will provide joy for your eyes.

Małgorzata Badorek

picturesque - malowniczy
thatched roof - dach kryty słomą
to relish – rozkoszować się
to take sb's breath away - zapierać dech w piersiach
to graze – paść się
downpour - ulewa
to foam – pienić się
to whirl - wirować
clash – konflikt, starcie
element – żywioł
to withstand - wytrzymywać
whim - kaprys
to haunt – prześladować, straszyć
ravine - wąwóz
arch - łuk
to frisk – dokazywać, brykać
vigil - czuwanie
sublime - wzniosły
ocean floor – dno oceanu
angler - wędkarz

Nie masz uprawnień do komentowania

JezykiObce.pl

Wszystko do nauki języków

Informacja

Komunikat dla użytkowników:

Od dnia 7.01.2019 zaprzestaliśmy codziennego wysyłania listy słówek.

Zaloguj się lub zarejestruj aby skorzystać ze wszystkich funkcji portalu.

Czytelnia - treści losowe

Główna Czytelnia Artykuły Artykuły z Angloramy Where The Green Island Begins
Loading ...