18/04/2024

There is magic in the Donegal landscape, and it reveals itself all the time. Last evening, in grey and drizzly weather, I set out under ominous skies to walk somewhere not too far from home, as the prospect of a downpour seemed inevitable. So with no real plan in mind, I wandered around the back roads of Ballymagroarty, enjoying the primrose clusters and gorse bushes splashing the roadsides with yellows- the blackthorn is flowering now, and its white blossoms look like delicate snowflakes perched on the sturdy branches.
A signpost directing me to a ‘heritage site’ had to be followed ~ and to my delight, led me to an old ruin, which was where one of our oldest texts, a sixth century manuscript, was safely kept by the Mac Robhartaigh family ( Baile Mac Robhartaigh - BallyMagroarty)
The manuscript is known as ‘The Cathach’ and it’s believed to have been authored by our local Donegal saint, Colm Cille. It’s always extremely difficult to ascertain how much of what we understand of early Christian personnel was constructed by later medieval hagiographers so I’m keen to emphasize the difference between history and folklore, but in terms of exploring the these old ruins, it is all about tradition, folklore, rituals, patterns and the inherent sense of magic that seems to inhabit the landscape.
And as if to illustrate this latent but potent sense of the otherworldly, the dark sky was suddenly illuminated alive with an intense neon rainbow, and I was reminded yet again that there is nowhere as beautiful, any day, in any weather, as Donegal.
Enjoy the ramble! #instituteofstudyabroadireland #findmyireland
#donegal