Off to Ireland, and Yeats country. His homeland 
and the landscape that inspired some of his poems such as ‘Under Ben Bulben’ and ‘I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree.’ The latter was written in London where he was homesick for Ireland and seeing just a corner of it for myself I am not surprised.
It was three weeks ago that I was on a retreat with a friend, not a silent one, anyone who knows me would know I couldn’t keep my mouth shut for an hour or two let along three days! We were based at the ‘Star of the Sea’ in Mallaghmore, previously a convent and still run by a sister. After two days of circles of trust and ‘Courage and Renewal’, an unusual experience to say the least, but heady with tender loving care we set about enjoying the landscape and the textures for another day or so. Just remembered we also jumped into the freezing cold Atlantic and climbed just a tiny bit of a mountain!
The Lake Isle Of Innisfree
I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.
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