Léim Uí Dhonnabháin

A vile day weatherwise, it hasn't stopped raining all day. Floods, mist, murk but we were intrepid and ventured out for a blipmeet to see Bat and CarolineL . The rendezvous was at the Celtic Ross hotel where a craft fair was going on. We had a good mooch, particularly eyeing the photography that was sale, and then went off and had a delicious lunch at the Pilgrim's Rest in Rosscarbery. The rain was lashing but undeterred we headed out to Galley Point but we were all a bit nervous of exposing our cameras to the rain and salt air. We vowed to come back in fine weather for the cliffs were dramatic, the caves large, and not far away were the enticing walled remains of a castle and beyond that a ligthhouse. Today's blip was taken in the car on the way back. This is Leap - a tidal estuary, very scenic and a bird lovers' haven. The full name of the village is Léim Uí Dhonnabháin, so called because an Irishman (on horseback ) was being persued by English soldiers and leapt across the ravine to escape them. Quite a jump.

Philomena. Well, please go. Wonderful performances from Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. A heart-breaking true story about an eldery Irish woman trying to find her son who was given away without her permission by nuns way back in the 1950s - her sin, to have had a baby out of wedlock. Ghastly as that story is, there are other layers to the film, mainly exploring the relationship between the supposedly naive old Irish woman and the cynical world weary English journalist. The film is based on a book written by the journalist, Martin Sixsmith , and I think this might be worth reading. The film has been critised for being too soft and Hollywood, but maybe more people will see it and be appalled at the cruelty and ferocious and uncompassionate attitude towards these women. Her story is just one of thousands.