County Clare

We spent the day slowly cruising up the coasts of Kerry, Clare and Galway, on glassy waters teeming with dolphins, under unbelievably blue skies. This is a section of the Cliffs of Moher with O'Brien's Tower in the late afternoon blue haze. The English are the enemy along this coast from the time of Cromwell, and the Spanish Armada foundered here. I'm not an enemy as my father's family came from County Clare. I've already seen lots of people who look like me with fair, freckled skin and sandy red hair.

I'm so sorry I can't respond to your lovely comments. I'll catch up with those, and your journals, when I get back. For those interested, the ship is Le Soleal, part of the Compagnie du Ponant.