Why is Manchán Magan entirely naked and rolling around on the grass? Maybe the more pressing question is, why are you not?
It’s National Heritage Week and to celebrate, Manchán is exploring the A to Z of Ireland’s hidden gems, in a series of fascinating radio programmes. Nothing at all hidden here, of course, as Manchán honours an ancient tradition of rolling in the dew on the dawn of May 1st and he takes us with him every step of the way.
"There’s lovely dew on the grass. I’m just going to first wipe my face in it first, see if that works. Ok, this is immediately meant to make me beautiful all year round and it’s meant to ensure that my skin remains pure and with no blemishes on it, but that’ s just my face. What I need to do is roll around. I need to find some patch where there aren’t too many thistles and stones."
And find it he does, and it sounds cold. Glorious, but freezing. This tradition was practiced by our ancestors and "every great witch you can think of from Biddy Early to Alice Kyteler in Kilkenny" and even Catherine of Aragon. After a bit of a roll around, Manchán is over the initial shock. "I don’t know why everyone isn’t doing this, it’s great!"
This is all in aid of the theme of this episode: water. In our A to Z of Ireland, K is for kayaking and Manchán takes to the high seas in search of seals. He visits Old Head in Louisburgh, Co Mayo which he describes as "a storybook strand with golden sand and an old oak wood running right down to the shore. It’s a sheltered little haven which makes it perfect as a Blueway trail, these new snorkling and kayaking routes that are set out along relatively safe stretches of water to encourage people to explore our shores."
Wetsuit, helmet and life jacket on, this adventurer is seaborne and loving it.
"All the things you’re watching out for on land are gone and you’re aware of a whole other world of the slow current underneath you. This beautiful sandy bottom, about six feet beneath the boat and the ocean just caressing me, just holding me up here and with every moment I drift away from the shore, all those concerns, all those things I have to concentrate on on the land move away."
Soon, our explorer finds a hidden cave.
"We paddle into the abyss and the mood changes very quickly. The light is already getting darker and the rocks look like they’re turning all sorts of extra colours, purple, green. We’re still only six feet in and it’s so disconcerting because as the tide rises, we get closer to the roof. It looks like those roofs of daggers in James Bond movies because it’s like the sharpest bits of limestone sticking down. You’re not used to the floor suddenly rising you up to the ceiling and back down again!"
There were no seals to be seen, but Manchán did manage to catch himself a glimpse of a curious sea otter. To join him on his maritime adventures, click here.
