Beach Head

The Cunnigar

"The sharp wind blowing around An Rinn from Helvick is bracing and iodine-filled. And the strangeness of the name, the Cunnigar, still lingers. My mother used to say it had something to do with hounds, and a Portlaw cyclist resting in The Railway Bar, Cappoquin, said that it had something to do with rabbits. Goats and donkeys grazed there on the little vegetation. Today the Cunnigar - best seen across Dungarvan Bay from "the lookout" of the old Stokes Baths - is a refuge for sea-birds. Rabbits were introduced into the area at the time of the Desmond Geraldines, hence the name, An Coineagéar" 

Thomas McCarthy - original text here  

The first beach I ever came to in Waterford was The Cunnigar.  I asked in the Sue Ryder charity shop for the closest beach and was directed here.  It was misty and raining and felt other-wordly.  I found a rusty enamel bowl which I still have, on the shelf in the spare room.  The second time I came it was sunny and there were black cows grazing the strip of grass alongside the beach.

Today it was sunny and overcast, warm and still with oyster farmers being ferried by tractor to the oyster beds and evidence of their industry washed in all round me.

 

Clonea Strand in The Rain

Finds from a few days ago on Clonea Strand when the grey skies and persistent rain made the colours sing.  I even stopped looking for plastic for a little while and took in the natural beauties of the sea weed and crab claws, in particular this gorgeous one.  There are certain times of the year when crab claws seem to be washed in all the time and this is one of them and the range of colours from yellow to dove grey and bright red are wonderful.

The Beach in B & W

Whiting Bay and Ballyquinn Strand

These poor un-beach combed beaches.  So much litter and rubbish and among it all, these treasures

Ballydowane On A Sunny Day

Today was one of those days when you know Spring isn't that far away, when there is real heat in the sun and the beach is suddenly filled with people who walk on, get out their phones make videos or take sweeping panoramic shots and then walk back to their cars.

My bucket and I took our time - there wasn't a lot to collect - but there were faces, fish, a yellow cactus and a chair leg, pea pods and an arrow pointing back the way it had come.

New Year's Eve Combing

On the last day of 2016, I walked from Ballyvoile to the end of Clonea and this is what I found.