Ballycastle, day 1

I have had great weather so far, warmer than usual, sunny! But it looks like that's over; the rains may be coming (just a little in the morning) and it's not going to reach 60 today. 

I am on my way to Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, land of my grandfather and his grandfather, my cousin Catherine and her sister and brother next door.

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I took the train and had a nice conversation with a lovely 60 year old woman from Derry, on her way to Belfast, who was reading Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird.  She suggested I sit on the other side to see what Michael Palin* called the best views by train of anywhere in the world. And they were great: the sea, sheep, villages, a beautiful church which I misses.  

After the train to Coleraine I missed a bus to Ballycastle while waiting in the queue for the toilet. But another was on its way shortly and in the hour journey I was the only passenger for two thirds of it! The driver whistled, 4 of the passengers, all older, knew each other but sat in the front and the back and carried on an incomprehensible conversation.  The Antrim accent!

Catherine was right there when I got off the bus. I must not have been hard to find being the only passenger and with my "rucksack". She hugged me and we did some food shopping and she drove home, going past Corrymeela, the peace and reconciliation institute where cousin Ann Marie works to where they live which is Ballyvoy, not Ballycastle, and is on Glenmakeeren Road (which perhaps means "boggy ground on which the mountain ash grows").

Unfortunately, cousin Don waited a half hour to pick me up, too. Don and Gen came to Catherine and Michael's house and we had a grand time. I felt, THIS is why I came to Ireland. Drinking tea and having the craic (fun) with family! 

The view of the valley at Glenmakeeran from the house (and their collie, Willow, a very shy dog) where my grandfather grew up, farming

Then Don and Gen drove us to his sister Mary's where they are staying, a humble abode on the other side of Ballycastle.  Willie and Mary have had 8 children (Ann Marie and Una, who I met in Dublin, being two of 6 girls) and have 19 grandchildren which she said is not that many! They are in their mid-80's and she is still driving occasionally although both use a walker to get around. Mary is very funny, just like her brother, Don. 

She told us about my grandfather and his two brothers who immigrated to America because they HAD to, being pursued for their involvement with the IRA. I can't imagine my grandfather doing that...

Peat in front of Mary & Willie's house that their kids collect and use after it dries instead of firewood or coal (all done by machine now but Catherine grew up working with the peat)

*Michael Palin's Derry to Kerry train journey:

https://youtu.be/n_PzUzaf5uc