Hey there everyone! We’re heading back to beautiful County Sligo again this week… And after leaving Plunkett surrounded by lush Irish greenery at the end of last Tuesday’s post…
… This time it’s up to Paddy to choose what they get up to.
So, that means the boys are up early! And after taking in the view from their hotel room window…
… They hop aboard the next departing car and make for the coast.
“Aaaaaah! I can smell the sea air already!”
And just around the next corner…
I think this is exactly what Paddy had in mind! This is Mullaghmore Beach, a crescent of perfect sandy shoreline that stretches for 2 miles along the Sligo coastline. Paddy can’t wait to feel the sand under his paws!
Plunkett’s happy too. He’s found the picturesque harbour, and he’s planning to take a quiet stroll among the boats.
But on the beach… Look out, Paddy! HERE BE MONSTERS!
Eeeek, look at the size of these jellyfish! Paddy doesn’t seem to be afraid of them, but maybe we’ll skip the dip in the Atlantic Ocean for today, and seek further adventures inland.
Back to the hotel we go! And eagle-eyed Plunkett has spotted something interesting in the street below.
Better go and have a closer look.
“Whose legs are these, Plunkett?”
“It’s W.B. Yeats, Paddy. In fairness, he’s better known for his poetry than his pins! Let’s climb up and get a proper photo.”
That’s more like it!
And for anyone else who’s never met William Butler Yeats before – he was (and still is) one of Ireland’s most celebrated poets. His career spanned 6 decades, and in this time he helped to spearhead the Irish Literary Revival, co-founded Dublin’s Abbey Theatre (which is still open today) and scooped the 1923 Nobel Prize for Literature.
But what’s the Sligo connection? Although Yeats was born in Dublin, and divided his youth between there and south-east England, his mother’s family hailed from Sligo. Many of his childhood holidays were spent here, and it’s not impossible to imagine that the beautiful wild countryside inspired the work that would make him famous, and fuelled his lifelong interest in the myths and legends of old Ireland.
The boys aren’t surprised to learn that W.B. Yeats is also buried nearby, so they go to visit his final resting place to round off their trip.
Then there’s juuuuuust time for a little refreshment before they head for home!
Have you had any adventures on your own doorstep recently? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments!
As for us here in Beastie Towers, we’re going to take a couple of weeks off to enjoy the delights of the Irish summer. So we’ll return later this month, hopefully with lots of new monster adventures to share!
See you then!
Then a quick stop to smell the flowers…
…And then off up the road!
