House of Beth: That time Dan, Hannah, Lucy and David came to Ireland and we went fishing and had a festival and went to an abbey

look at that handsome dog

Dan looking serious in front of St Brendan

Well we had a pretty adventurous start to the Mulranny 2016 Heather festival which Josh and I have been on the organising committee for (though he hasn't been to any of the meetings). Dan arrived and we immediately took him to Mayo's best kept graveyard in 2014 where we started a 4 hour walk.

Josh's beer was very popular and over the weekend 147 beers were drunk by Mulranny and then we ran out so we couldn't offer any more. During the weekend, St Brendan's new shop was officially opened by the RTE correspondent for Religious affairs. Father Tod shook some holy water on us and blessed the shop and we gave out the beer! Now you can buy all the produce I have been making officially.

Hannah at the farm

Hannah helped me harvest in the morning so the shop was stocked for the opening - which was lucky because we sold out of everything almost immediately.

After the festival was over and the yawl race was coming to an end, we said goodbye to Hannah and went to get some Indian takeaway with Dan and Archie. Yum.

Then Lucy and David arrived the next day and I (Brian from St Brendan's farm) took them out on my first fishing trip - we were promised shoals of mackerel. But it turns out either Lucy or David is Jonah and bad luck and we caught none. But we also weren't sick (probably thanks to some pills we were given) and Brian from Achill took us to a deserted Island called Achill Beg. Which was pretty cool.
There was a moment of panic (maybe more than a moment for Lucy :) ) When we turned up and got in this little boat that Brian then told us he made himself, and then the waves started to get pretty rough....and then Brian started describing how the sea was a cruel paymaster.....but it was worth it and after a while the waves started to lull me into a bit of a dream.

Brian thought it was the funniest thing ever that Lucy would be known as a giant woman on Achill Beg because she is so much bigger than the door. So at Brian's request, we staged a photo. Lucy is the giant and David and Brian are running away.... Lucy is much taller than the door because the sheep poo over the years means the floor got a few feet taller!

And then we went to Kylemore Abbey which used to be a school till ten years ago and is literally HOGWARTS. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. And the gardens..... they are so amazing