My Free Travel card was burning a hole in my pocket again. It was Sligo this time and, checking the map, I discovered Coney Island and Queen Maeve's cairn. Besides, the hot weather was due to end next week giving me a narrow window of opportunity. Shall I, shan't I? But sometimes you just have to do a thing, however crazy it seems.
Rumour has it that Coney Island was so named after its proliferation of rabbits, however I didn't see any. The tidal causeway to the island is firm sand under foot and good for vehicles. I think it is natural but, just in case, it is marked with 14 numbered pillars. A local told me I would hardly had been in danger wading across even at high tide. The tides vary in depth of course, and combined with Weather this would not always be the case.
Leaving home by the customary bus at the bottom of our road I got to Dublin Connolly and from there boarded a train to Sligo. Then by local bus route S2: the driver kindly dropped me at the end of the Coney Island access road from which I walked across the causeway, through the little village and thence to my destination, the beach on the far side. Which ticked all the boxes except perhaps for not being totally people free! When I arrived there was only one other person. Having set up camp in a spot apparently designed for the purpose, I asked her (she was reading or sunbathing and wasn't going anywhere) if she would have a problem should I swim naked at the other, far end of the beach. She was fine with that, so I did.
Later in the day a few more people arrived including a small camper van. You will see from my photos that I loved the place, and can thoroughly recommend it. The access by tidal causeway puts off the hesitant: on the mainland side I had spoken to several vehicle owners and encouraged them to cross but they chickened out. Which leaves a beautiful beach only to the locals (who apparently are not that interested in swimming) and to folk like me, and thankfully there aren't many of them.
I walked around the island's perimeter - a bit short of two hours - then ate my meager dinner, listened to the whole of Bruckner No.8 and then slept, waking only once to don an extra layer, until reveille at 06:30. Breakfast was a small bar of CDM (which had completely melted the day before but the new packaging prevented it leaking) washed down with lukewarm water, then striking camp and setting off southwards to Knocknarea and Queen Maeve's burial place. Apparently she was buried upright in full armour, facing her enemy in the north. One should not, and I did not climb the cairn. Thankfully it has not yet been necessary to erect a fence around it.
You can view my photos here.
