On sunday last I walked along the cliffs
of Doolin, heading towards the
Cliffs of Moher.
I want to try and describe the atmosphere of the place,
perched on the west coast of Ireland. A restraunt
in Doolin is apropriatly named
The last restraunt before America. Before the
discovery of America this place was
the edge of the world.
We walked and came to a large Zawn. Though the sky was overcast the sea remained a dark blue green. So clear you
could see the cliffs sliding down, down under the water
for many meters. Just before this point we had seen
people leaping off the cliff ino the sea, in wet suit, cliff divers, safe. before that again, on the edge of the path (the path never more that 2 meters from the crumbling edge) a small collection of plastic flowers. Clearly
a memorial for someone who had died from falling over the
edge.
The Zawn cut through our path, opened out to amphitheatre
proportions, and on the other side, the rock all folded,
like sheets of plasticene pressed together by some
enthusiastic child.
Gar told us, "right under you there is a cave, we'll see it as we go round". The wind chanelled through the inlet and for a while all you could see were the sides of the
rift and the water below.
As we came round the apex of the Zawn we saw the cave.
Inside the floating detritus, kelp and wood and sea foam,
all hidden in there from the current. The mouth of the cave was about 15 meters high and 20 meters wide, we were about 70 meters up from the sea. Claire said, "look it's a giant with a beard". Right in the cave the foam
had conspired to form the full shape of a man, his head
bearded. He looked like the ancient celtic stone carvings of warriors.
He lay in the water, oblivious to us, contemplating his fate as the waves slowly dissolved him.