Frank Cawley
March Marine Madness
By Frank Cawley
27, Mar 2007 - 18:01

These are some pictures I took near old Head in March 2007.  As you can see the weather can be unpredictable, even though we get the same amount of daylight as we do in September, March is always a colder and blustier month.  The only sign of sun-burned completions seem to be the blood pressured alcoholic, still scarred from the Christmas feast.

This is Old Head Co Cork in black and white, with one of the most controversial golf courses in the world. The locals want a right of way through the course, and the hawkers want a monument to be erected in memory of all the lives that were lost rooting around looking for lost golf balls.

Back to Mayo but looking south towards Galway. This picture was taken St Patrick's weekend near Killadoon, or Carrowniskey Strand, world famous for its surfers and dolphins. No sign of the prince or any other brave surf heads out in the brick weather. It's hard to imagine but the sea temperature in this picture would be ~ 10°C and the air temperature was 4°C. You can see the 12 Pins are covered in snow in the background. Maybe that's what's poisoned the water supply in Lough Corrib.

Croagh Patrick in all her majesty, taken from the real Old Head, Co. Mayo. Its not too often you see a snow cap on the reek in the last ten years. I used to know a man that said he slept with women of ill repute every time the reek would be covered in snow for more than a week. He hasn't been to Thailand now since 1982.

Oh how I would love to see the Saw Doctors heading out to Clare Island in this turmoil. This is the famous Roonagh Quay, the main port of call for day trippers to Clare Island. It wouldn't be long before you would be singing (roaring). I wish I was in Clare Island. If you tried making a journey last weekend. The wind was bitterly cold and as rough as an undertaker's breakfast.

Finally it's not all bad in Clew Bay, this picture was taken in January this year from the north side of the bay. You can see a small shower sweeping its way in from the Atlantic. In general a much safer day for seafarers.