Gillick's World: Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way Re-published August 2015 | Page 11
Ignoring the pouring rain, we walked into the woods of the estate and pretty soon I was given
my own thick leather glove and shown the proper way to stand when a Hawk is about to land on
my arm. Using a tiny morsel of meat as a lure, Alice flew from a branch and grabbed my glove
in her talons with an inelegant thump.
The next 90 minutes were a fascinating
introduction to the world of Hawks and
Falcons, their care, characteristics, eating
habits and even some of their history. A
‘Falconet’, for instance, was the name chosen
for a cannon used in the 15th century. The
musket (gun) was named after the male
sparrow hawk and the Toyota Tercel
(automobile) takes its name from the male
peregrine falcon. Throughout our
conversation and walk, Alice would fly off into
the trees and anxiously await the next piece
of meat so she could swoop in for a bite.
The Hawk Walk ended at a shelter housing a
number of raptors. I was introduced to the
goshawk, various falcons and several owls,
before heading back to the castle to dry off
and warm up. What an amazing way to
spend an afternoon! For the record,
Dromoland Castle also offers golf, fishing,
cycling, clay shooting, archery, croquet,
tennis, horseback riding, and has a fully
appointed spa.
I stayed at some very fine hotels while in Ireland, but
somehow the castle experience stood out as
something special. In a way, I guess it appeals to our
dreams of what it would be like to live in a castle with
attentive service and delicious foods—and then to
actually experience it. Perhaps for some of my
generation, it appeals to the Disney stories we grew up
with; a realization of the Prince and the Pauper and all
the rags-to-riches imagineering to which we are all
exposed from time to time.
In the context of tourism, the theme of togetherness in
building castles (or flying of hawks) unleashes dreams
that many travellers embrace; a perfect complement to
the very idea of travel and the ability to turn dreams
and wishes into reality.