The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
The vigour of the summer solstice
SIR,
In Irish mythology, Fionn mac Cumhaill and Na Fianna were accustomed to taking a long invigorating swim in the wild Atlantic waves on summer solstice, the day when the sun god was closest to Ireland.
On that day, Manannán mac Lir, the god of the sea, lavished his bounty of minerals, iodines and nutrients on those who swam in the Atlantic Ocean, thereby bestowing on them the virility of youth, which they needed in battle. Many of Na Fianna died far too young but Oisin, son of Fionn, did reach Tír na nÓg where he spent 300 years with the beautiful Niamh Chinn Ór.
It’s a charming story, probably based on more myth than fact. Still, I have to admit that I enjoy a long refreshing swim in the sea on the 21st June each year in the hope that some of that youthful vigour is still floating around. So far, I’ve been out of luck and have resigned myself to growing old gracefully though actively!
Summer solstice falls on this Wednesday, 21st June and is the longest day of the year. To be meteorologically accurate, summer solstice is the day with the greatest amount of day light. If the weather obliges, we can expect more than 17hrs of daylight on this Wednesday.
The next three months leading up to mid-September is the period when nature is most active in all its glory. The trees are in full foliage, plants and shrubs are blooming, hay and silage is being saved and the Wild Atlantic Way is at its magnificent best.
Incidentally, the concept of the Wild Atlantic Way has its origins in a spontaneous comment by Michael Ring TD, when he was extolling the rugged beauty of the west of Ireland in one of his fiery speeches. Deputy Ring is deservedly the new Minister for Rural Affairs. He is passionate about rural Ireland and I’m expecting post offices, Garda stations and tourist information centres to proliferate along the western seaboard all the way from Mizen Head to Malin Head.
Minister Ring is so energetic and manly that I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he is a direct descendant of Fionn mac Cumhaill himself.
Sincerely,
Billy Ryle,
Spa,
Tralee