Following in the footsteps of the butter makers in West Cork

The sun comes out, and the butterflies follow. Few and far between, we saw only three on a 6km walk, two small heaths and a solitary speckled wood spiralling about under some beeches.

It was on July 5 at about 2.20pm that the sun came out in our part of West Cork, and it stayed out until evening. Nights — and days — of deluge followed this short respite. Meantime, when you’re reading this, may the blessed eye of heaven be splitting the stones as it did in the midlands during the week. Down here, where the sea mist comes between us and the sun, there wasn’t a glimmer in the sky above us.

My heart bleeds for the holidaymakers who have invested their money and their fortnight of liberation from the workplace for a holiday in the deep and beautiful southwest. It is beautiful, I assure them — they’ll see it when this damn mist clears!