Sunshine and Light

The Secret of Roan Inish

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I took a little trip to Ireland. This pre-dates my move to the frosty north, and my brother's going into the seminary. The first week my brother and I rode bikes around the Ring of Kerry. Then he flew back to the states and I did a trip around all of Ireland with a group of friends.

The trip had it's ups and downs, but I think one of the high points was a day my brother and I spent at Valencia Island. Ireland, being what it is, was grey and hazy more than it was sunny. But that particular day, the sun came out, and we could see. On the climb to one of the points we passed sheep with spay paint on their sides, and tiny little wildflowers in the grass. And then we came upon Bray Tower at the South end of the island. It is probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been in my life. (The photo is not mine, I don't know the person in it.)

The reason I'm thinking of this now is I'm watching the movie "The Secret of Roan Inish". And the scenery reminds me so much of that day in Ireland, that's it's startling. I looked it up, and it was filmed a bit further north on the same west coast in County Donnegal. But it's still the grey stone, wildflowers and wild grasses that predominated on Valencia Island. It's a nice movie, listed as a kids movie (which I'm guessing it's really too slow to be a proper kids movie), but I can't help but be so captured by the scenery that the story is kind of secondary. The little girl who plays the lead "Fiona" is really good, the story is interesting if you like Celtic tales, but the main reason to see this movie is because it's beautiful.

Labels: Movies

posted by MyHusbandRules @ 3:12 PM