For Sunday Miscellany on RTÉ Radio 1, listen to A Monastic Retreat on Caldey Island by Jonathan Duignan above.
The seaside resort of Tenby has long been popular with holidaymakers. Its elegant Georgian facade has stood sentry to generations of happy crowds making their way to the hurdy gurdies or to picnic upon the golden strand of this stretch of Pembrokeshire coast.
The day I appeared on the beach, Wales was bracing itself for its warmest Easter on record. Families were spread out on the strand as I pulled my wheelie case across its soft sand towards the shoreline to wait for the boat.
Only when the last of the sunburnt excursionists had disembarked and the boatmen appeared to be making to go without passengers did I approach them.
"There's no boat to Caldey till the funeral, after bank holiday Monday."
"But Abbot Richard said I would be collected here today."
"Abbot Richard?" The two men exchanges glances. "Abbot Richard's been dead five years."
"But I have an email from him!" I said, fustering in my pockets.
Soon the strand was retreating into miniature as we hurtled across the narrow sound towards the Island of Caldey. I disembarked at the tiny harbour and walked along a well-kept path between white fencing. The Norsemen called it Caldey on account of its harsh climate but this afternoon the mown lawns were drowsy with the warm hum of insects and birdsong.
A peal of bells were ringing as I stood outside the porched doorway of the monastery, an arts and crafts villa which resembled more a colonial club house than a religious institution. The Guest Master appeared.- Yes, Abbot Richard had indeed gone the way of all flesh. But his email lives on operated by an obliging nephew on the mainland. Yes, normally there are no guests at this time of year, and as I had asked, he was from Antwerp. When I said I was from Dublin he changed. I finally caught his full attention. He repeated Dublin slowly savouring both syllables of this seemingly fabled place. He smiled. "Brother Michael is from Dublin."
Listen to more from Sunday Miscellany here.
