Summer in Maulnahorna

A view looking southeast from Mushra's lower slopes. The trees to the left enclose the O'Neill property

Batt Neill's stone work.

Batt Neill built his own house but also built many of the cottages in the area. Few, if any survive today. This is a portion of an interior wall of his house. It would have been plastered and whitewashed. The floor was slate, an mhaith nuair a bhi siad ag rince.

The O'Neill home, Maulnahorna

My Great Grandfather, Batt Neill, built this house, toward the end of the 19th century. He lived in it with his parents Patrick and Honora, his wife Margaret (nee Crowley) and his children, including my Grandfather Denis. To the right of my mother is Batt and Margaret's granddaughter Peggy who lived in this house for the first couple of years of her life. One winters night, about 60 years ago, the weight of the snow brought the thatched roof down and forced the family to abandon the house.

Aidan O'Neill, born 20th May 2010. 3 or 4 days old.

Cork Harbour. A view from the east of Cobh looking out at Spike Island with the mouth of the harbour to the left. Photo taken on Meryl's birthday, 23rd May 2010.

My mother's aunt with her husband Matt Donovan

Caitlin at Nohoval cove in April 2010. I had never been there before but I spotted it on the map and thought it might be an interesting place. Great cliff scenery! A pity about all the rubbish, though. Why would someone go to the bother of going to this lovely little cove and then leaving their rubbish behind?

Lanzarote...my favourite time of the day is 5pm. I sit on the terrace, just above the beach, sipping a beer or a glass of sangría and look out to sea. The view is truly wonderful!

A change of image...maybe I need a shave