Beentee Loop

We walk the old mass path;

A short-cut to heaven beyond,

Passing the glade hinged to the slope,

Looking at the half-hidden holy well –

Tobar na mBan Fionn.

We cross the stile and raise our eyes –

Stopping, waiting for words to fall,

Before skirting along the forest edge,

Climbing to the rippling, soft ridge,

Up to the ditches, the broken wire fence.

We stop again to catch ourselves

On Beentee. Looking to Waterville,

Valentia Island, Portmagee, Sneem,

Molls Gap, The Skelligs, Bolus,

Hogs Head, Cahersiveen and more.

Downhill on claggy, muddy ground,

Rough cuts and breaks in the slope.

Sheep-worn, cattle-worn tracks

Descending along half-secret paths;

Neglected and forgotten laneways.

Dropping to the long meadow field.

Hitting the old road to Garranebane

And the solitary standing stone there.

Drawing us towards an ancient prayer,

To walk its buried way.