Ocean beaches

Last week I took off for Donegal in search of wool yarn and whatever the day would bring. It had rained for several days and this promised to be a good one so I headed north. As I passed through Grange, I saw a beautiful beach off in the distance with a castle on a bluff...a side trip took us to a dead end with little boats tied up in an inlet but not to the beach I'd seen. Flan loves to walk so I let her stretch her legs and use the restroom/grass... Then it was back in the car and another side road to Mullaghmore. I'd wanted to save this little area to share with a friend, but I'm not sure the friend will make it here so I decided to go explore. I'd read an amazing book called "From a Clear Blue Sky" written by Timothy Knatchbull, the great-grandson of Lord Mountbatten. The family had a holiday castle on a bluff overlooking the sea near Mullaghmore. One wonderful summer day they gathered on Lord Mountbattens little fishing boat for a day on the water. Little did they know that IRA operatives had planted a bomb under the floorboards. Lord Mountbatten was killed along with Timothy's twin brother, grand-mother and a young man from the village who helped on the boat. His mother and father, as well as himself, were horribly injured. The book recalls happy times at Classibawn. But centers on the sadness of losing family members as well as recalling the months of healing emotionally and physically following the bombing. It's a very good book for those who love history. So, as I approached the castle I realized it was Classiebawn..this was an unexpected find. We took a long walk along the bluff overlooking the sea, talked to a farmer giving a mom sheep expecting twins some additional calcium, then into Mullaghmore for a walk along the harbor, visiting with a lobster fisherman checking his boat. It was a beautiful day, but time to move on. We drove on up to Donegal, got some yarn, stopped by a craft shop where a woman was using an old loom to make fabric. A long visit with her was great. She has a degree in weaving and natural dying. We then headed back toward Sligo and home with a stop at Smuggler's Creek pub for seafood chowder then a walk on the Rossnowlough beach. Flan just loves to chase the birds, smell the seaweed, explore every cave or waterfall...she doesn't let a thing pass her by. As it got dark, we headed south to Cootehall and bed. A long, wonderful day.