The Long Evening of SummerNotebook No 14August 2024
When the bog colours turn and the heather catches.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
A late July afternoon in Connemara reveals the bog shifting colors. By the second week of the month, the heather noticeably blooms, and at five o’clock, the lakes across the region take on a deep violet cast. This seasonal progression marks a quiet transformation in the western landscape.
Slea Head in June
Our preferred route through Connemara follows the N59 via Maam Cross. We always stop at Kylemore this time of year, making the short walk down to the lake itself. This offers a moment of quiet contemplation for us.
An afternoon spent this way calls for dinner in Cashel.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.