My Cill Rialaig Diary.

Background

Cill Rialaig Main Street

There is an artist’s retreat consisting of cottage studios situated in the deserted ruins of the pre-famine village of Cill Rialaig, located on Bolus Head, South West Kerry, Ireland.  It is a wild and beautiful landscape perched on the very edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Each cottage is designed for one artist, simply furnished and modern conveniences are not provided. The space comprises of a small kitchen, small bathroom, a sleeping mezzanine and a studio to die for. There are no street lamps on Bolus Head but the landscape is full of inspiration and the local people are warm and generous.

In 2008 I applied for a residency and was delighted to be offered a place for two weeks during March of the following year.

Day 1, Monday 2^nd march 2009.

I have been packing and loading since last Wednesday. I finally fill the van with diesel and hit the road at 1400h.  The journey takes me across the country from east to west, from County Wicklow to County Limerick before turning south towards the county known as the Kingdom. Kerry is the home of my maternal ancestors. At dusk, after four hours on the road I stop for provisions, there was no more light to be squeezed out of the day.

Pushing on for two more hours in the dark, the roads get windier and narrower until a single track leads me up to Cill Rialaig, a little further up the hill the track ends altogether. I am relieved to have arrived safe and sound and enjoy a very late bite and a glass of wine.

My mobile phone rings – it’s Mario, a special friend from my Düsseldorf days, calling for a chat. You can run to the far edge of the continent, and up a dead end track but you have to turn off your phone to disappear.

I unload the things I need most and hit the hay at midnight – a tired but happy bunny.