Saturday 5th September - Newcastle - Attical

I'd asked the Belgian lad to wake me up and say ta ra before he go go (song in there somewhere). The hostel is so close to the beach, you could almost spit in it. The morning sun wriggled its finger at me and I went for a walk, hoping the library would be open so I can get a quick posting. It was closed. No matter.

The Shimna river was still there pushing out to the sea and it didn't matter that I couldn't find someone who could tell me how to pronounce the name of my next hostel -Cnocnafeola Centre. The hostel keeper said she wasn't really interested in the Irish Language. I went a-pootling to a still stretch of tourist water where giant swans masqueraded as boats. Or is that vice versa?

below the mournes from newcastle
(their side of the river)
an entertainment rests
it is a corrugate slope

you climb up
and as you go down
your arse is pushed
into your spine

slope's placement
(from this vision)
seems as if it is
fixed to the mountain side

my eyes making jokes
out of nothing

I found Newcastle's life at the bus station. There was a boy's football team - full of sugar, excitement and joie de vivre (how would you say this in Irish?). The chocolate wrappers were off, sweets skidded across the floor and the leaders weren't too jumpy. There was also internet access perched on the counter of the refreshments stall. Northern Ireland's attitude to internet access is stunning. Well done!

The bus was pretty much on time and eventually I was fed with the Welcome to the Kingdom of Mourne sign. There's truth for you. The hand made signs issuing extracts fro mthe bible are still around; in Annalong for there is no difference - for all have sinned'

safe ride to kilkeel
old bus - swaying - rocking - me
dropped at orange hall

I'd been warned that the bus service didn't reach Attical (accent on the al)so I needed a taxi (after I'd blogged at the library) to get me there from Kilkeel. He advised on where to go for the best Guinness and kept assuring me that there shouldn't really be any places that are a bit more risky than others - nowadays. Though you never know - he seemed doubtful.

Kilkeel I'm told is losing a lot of its industry (beef and fishing) and is missing out on the regeneration going on in other parts of Northern Ireland. There's obviously a Loyalist community here with Union Jacks and a fair sized Orange hall. It seems busy enough with its smaller shops sitting alongside its Safeways.

The sign on the hostel (also a community cetre) said 'talk of the things that make people better for listening to you'. Oh - you can pronounce it Crocnafoil (Ulster Irish) or Kernok-na-foil.

Beautiful welcome.

low and squat we are protected here
lapped in sunshine (soft combings of time's beard)
they know i seek my peace (peace is my seer)
the door came greeting wide when i appeared

lapped in sunshine (soft combings of time's beard)
now i can fall apart - all taps on-turned
they know the precious lifting of the heart
where sunshine shines - there's movings from the birds

they know i seek my peace (peace is my seer)
the cities i have walked have worked me hard
my nerves were fraught - my tensions baying sheer
i'd written every friend on every card

the door came greeting wide when i appeared
lapped in sunshine (soft combings of time's beard)