A day in The Half Barrel Bar before returning out to sea
HE may have been blown off course by the heavy gales of the weekend and early last week, but a straying Manx Shearwater landed on his webbed feet in Castleisland.
Local publican, Kathleen O’Connor took in a Manx Shearwater during the week after finding it cowering in an archway near The Half Barrel Bar at Upper Main Street.
Not knowing what species of bird she was dealing with, Kathleen certainly knew it needed help – if only to be rescued from the half wild cats which roam the area.
Its listless appearance led her to believe that the creature was injured and she rang a local vet who suggested she have if put down. The kind hearted Kathleen created a cardboard apartment with a dining area and a supply of John West Sardines and some nuts and seeds.
The nuts and seeds were the big hit with the sea bird as Kathleen searched for a wildlife expert to provide her with advice as to what to do about returning the creature to its natural habitat.
Paschal Walsh from Currow came to the rescue and checked the bird for injuries and he advised that the it be returned to the sea as soon as possible.
A message from Kathleen later read: “Released bird in Blennerville last night and thanks to Paschal Walsh from Currow for checking her out. Great to people interested in helping wild-life and not leaving them to die.”
The last time I had the occasion to mention Manx Shearwater and Castleisland in the one breath was almost 20 years ago to the day.
In September 1997 local man Con Cronin found another of the species hiding in a cardboard box at the back of a house on Lower Main Street.
It had also been blown inland during strong winds during that mid September.
He brought it to the care of Chris Birmingham-Doody in Desmonds Avenue and, here too, an emergency, cardboard shelter was pressed into service.
A bird bath and strips of fish were offered and accepted and soon, local bird watcher Ed Carty heard of the visitor. Ed took the bird and released it in Fenit and that episode too had a happy ending.
I’ve often said it before, but we’re a really hospitable little community here in the valley.
Now, there is a serious footballing connection with the two appearances of the Manx Shearwater in Castleisland:
In 1997 Mayo got to the All-Ireland Senior Football Final and fell at that hurdle against a Kerry side which won the title for the first time in 11 years. The omens for for the westerners weren’t good.