Carnival is over and long hot summer in Ireland awaits

Here in La Gomera, and throughout Spain, the Burial of the Sardine is over, and the end of Lent is celebrated with ‘Carnaval’, writes Damien Enright

‘Carne’ means meat, and ‘valle’ means ‘farewell’ —presumably farewell to 40 days of fish suppers. Soon, the festivals of Easter will begin.

We will be home for Easter, and looking forward to a long, glorious Irish summer, if it happens. In a lifetime of travel, I have concluded that nowhere is more beautiful than Ireland, and few places as hospitable and friendly. Looking through photographs on my computer, I find myself amazed with the beauty of scenes I casually snapped. It was just another walk, just another view — but it was in Ireland and, most likely, breathtaking.