The realm of West Cork (Eire)
In 2016 I went to Atlanta (Georgia) in order to make a radio program on behalf of Italian Public Network.
Before flying to Atlanta I stopped in Dublin where I was interviewed by an Italian journalist Concetto La Malfa, very popular among the italian residents in Ireland, at the Italian embassy.
He had known about my trip to Atlanta and wanted to know more about my mission and, of course, we also talked about my books, my radio-television projects and my land: Sicily.
While in Dublin I went to the Guinness storehouse, had an Irish food experience in a Temple bar’s pub, and stayed at the Bono Vox hotel by the River Liffey.
Some years later, in May 2019, I came back to Ireland just for a short trip.
This time we were three: me, my wife again and Pedro, our four legged hairy faced son!
We landed in Cork and visited the South of Ireland, West Cork to be precise.
To cut a long story short, we stayed a month, fell in love with the place and decided to come back in November that same year in order to experience a whole year in this intriguing place.
To cut a long story even shorter, during this year we became acquainted with what is often described as a “world apart”, another realm, something often dreamt of but never seen.
In this “world apart” we encountered fairies, forests, rivers, Leprechauns, castles, beer, magic trees, a plethora of sheeps and cows, lakes, castles, breathtaking panoramas, we read The Southern Star, experienced the “ Sean na Gealaí”, plenty of lovely doggies, bridges, small villages, no traffic jams, no the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, thousands of multicoloured houses, lonely travellers, tireless walkers, witty women, muscular men, and the Atlantic ocean that penetrated everywhere it found an available space, giving birth to bays, cliffs, beaches and enchanting landscapes never seen before.
West Corka, West Corka, West Corka… you have broken mio piccolo cuoricino!
When I am in Sicily half of my soul waits in West Cork; and when I am in West Cork, half of my soul waits in Sicilia.
It’s a very interesting life now, where I spend my days often with two lands intermingling where I might see a banshee inside a Greek temple or a family eating cannoli and Pasta alla Norma down on the beach at Allihies.
It’s highly likely that I am going crazy, but keep reading my dear reader.
I’m not sure if I had a dream, I dont know if my mind underwent a very big shock but the fact is that at a certain point of our stay our doggie, Pedro the Frenchie, turned Canine Inspector, was enlisted for a very particular mission: the search for the elusive green bone the only one missing from the hitherto complete collection of a Sicilian mafioso bulldog, Don Ciro Cannolo, the “Dogfather”!
The recovery of said bone would save the vast folklore and traditions of West Cork against the Burocratia and Globalitia tremendis!
Don’t you believe it?
Follow Inspector Pedro at: www.ballymacruff.it
Simple, as the chess player said to the white bishop before devouring it.
If you would like to know more about Sicily or West Cork send an email to: info@giovannivallone.com
“West Cork is a place that gives you the feeling that something magical can happen at any moment. Where you can live a parallel life, as if someone, I mean a creature from the fantasy world, follows you like a shadow, ready to play some tricks on you. Several times I have had the feeling of being in a storybook, as if I were living a surreal daily life where the intricate branches of trees mix with the arms of Celtic crosses, endless bays, red hair and rivers of beer! Just to say one: the book was adapted in the English language by my dear friend Aine Brosnan. She believes she is an archeologist but I am sure she is a fairy! Of course I know she is not a fairy but then again sometimes I am not so sure. That’s West Cork. You are never sure if you are living in the real world or in another realm!”
Giovanni Vallone
All about bella West Cork!
