Having been brought up following Shannon Rugby since I was knee high to a grasshopper,
“There is an Isle” still puts hair on the back of my neck.
But there is another Isle it’s called Valentia.....

From Portmagee 2009	From Portmagee 2009
From Portmagee 2009	From Portmagee 2009

What a fantastic location with its unspoilt beauty, rugged seascapes and unparalleled dive sites.

I had the good fortune to spend last week exploring the different and various dive site it offers,

From illaunanesk, Bassalt, Murreagh Pt on the north to Cul diarmuid and Bray Head on the west.

The north side of Puffin offered some excellent diving  specifically from Bulligacrowig to the  Bluecave Rocks.

And always with the Skellig’s looming in the background reminding you of the isolation.  



You can have your Sharm el sheikh’s and Bikini Atolls but this was exceptional diving afforded by Aiden McNulty and Met Eireann who give us the superb weather.    

It’s just as well since the lure of creamy Guinness was never too far from our thoughts, in Sean McGlynn’s case he couldn’t wait.

I think it was the puffins that confused him… he thought there were toucan’s.

So Friday came and someone said ‘pint’, now in other cultures this would have meant nothing but to us the was like the Wailing Wall to the Muslims – a sacred event*.

Bridge Bar it was then.  ‘3 pints young man ’ I said and out came 3 creamy Guinness – let the games begin.

As the drink flowed, the lobsters got bigger and the dives got deeper...

40m for 68min and still came up with 120 bar that sort of thing

We were like a shower of teenagers after mitching from school only we were now ½ steamed.



Myself and Dave tried to recite the Isle but couldn’t remember a sausage. So here it is……

There is an Isle
A bonnie Isle
Stands proudly from
Stands proudly from the sea
And dearer far than all this world
Is that dear Isle
Is that dear Isle to me
It is not that alone it stands
Where all around is fresh and fair
But because, it is my native land
And my home, my home is there
But because, it is my native land
And my home, my home is thereFarewell, farewell
Though lands may meet
May meet my gaze
My gaze where e're I roam
I shall not find
A spot so fair
As that dear Isle
As that dear Isle to me
It is not that alone it stands
Where all around is fresh and fair
But because, it is my native land
And my home, my home is there
But because, it is my native land
And my home, my home is there

Ps did I mention that I locked myself in my room and have to climb out of the window twice during the night for a P  - but that’s another story.

*No Muslims will be offended by this as my colleague Muhammad said it was no problem.