Under the spell of a Gaeltacht summer

Sir, – I loved reading Michael Harding’s “Going Coastal: Youthful dreams in Donegal” (Summer Living, August 22nd). It was a happy reminder of my own times in the lovely Donegal Gaeltacht of Ranafast.

To this day a warm breeze reminds of walks from Ranafast to Anagry and the Point, and the smell of burning turf. My bean an tí was Siobhan Pheadai Bhig whose daughter, Kitty, later took on the running of the house. Could it ever be the same Kitty? We convent-educated girls didn’t look at the boys, of course, but we enjoyed the céilithe in Coláiste Bhríde.

My other great delight, like Michael Harding, was to “slip away from the others and stand alone on the rocks”. It was an almost spiritual experience of marvelling at the beauty and the power of the ocean and the elements. Thank you for the memories, Michael. – Yours, etc,

EDIE WYNNE,

READ MORE

Terenure Road West,

Dublin 6W.