Images of Scotland

The above are photographs of the Applecross Peninsula in the Western Highlands of Scotland. They were taken by my daughter who has just returned from a week's holiday there. They remind me of Paul Henry's paintings of Ireland.


Here is a poem that I have written in response to the MEME which was entitled I am from:



I am red from their blood and the passion spent


I am red from their blood and the passion spent

I sprung from the workhouse grey and from black London smog.
From scrubbed steps and tears,
intimidation and hardship.
Magdalen years.

I am from Ireland.
From the strong ones;
fighting stock, survivors of famine,
hunger and want.
From Britain’s infiltration attempting
Irish subjugation.

I too am born of the Kerry clay.
I am from red haired kings,
from O’Connor castles and fields of green
and farms and butter churns.
From the peat and the bog
From a few acres dug.

I am from poets and artists
and singers of songs
and dancers of jigs to
a glass or two.

I am from West Cork
where purple mountains meet beaches and the roar of their sea.
Westernmost coasts,
Holy Ghosts.

I am from shipwrecked Spanish galleons,
black haired pirates and
blue-eyed wild beauties of the night.

From Druids and tinkers
and Celtic fortune-tellers
and Sisters of Mercy wearing
silver rings and rosaries

I am red from their blood and the passion spent.



Cait O’Connor