Summer is usually the busiest time of the year for us, with so many travelers on the road. I have missed the helping hands of my daughters here since they've returned to their mother's land across the sea. It is all I can do to keep up with things here but somehow I manage, rising each morning with the sun and not going to my rest until the wee hours of the evening. It is my duty and my privelige to offer the finest of hospitality to all those who pass by, as my father did and so did his father before him. The rich prosperity of Cill Dara is mine to share and I do it with great pride.

On this lazy afternoon, it is quiet for a change. It is a rare thing to be idle in summer. The meats are roasting, the floor is swept and the next batch of bread is ready for baking. I seize the moment and squeeze it for all it can deliver, treating myself to a quick nap!