Rose and the Elementals at Glencar Waterfall

Excerpt from Celtic Spirit on

Rose and the Elementals at Glencar Waterfall

Rose's goal is to meet up and learn to see fairies and elementals. She is our narrator in this week’s excerpt from Day 10 of Celtic Spirit:

We head inland along the base of Ben Bulben into the wood and countryside of Sligo, and neighboring Leitrim to Glencar. And that’s when we come to the wonderful, magical waterfall. It’s about fifty feet high and comes straight down in a thunderous roar. The steps and pathway going to the top are beautifully manicured and it is even possible to spread out and get off on my own as I meander up and back. It has the same special feeling I got along the creekside at Glendalough. I could spend the day here. 

It is on the way back down that I meet up with Lily. “You look like you are in your element,” I say. Then we both start giggling at my unintentional pun. Her joy is so infectious and pure. But, all of a sudden she stops, becomes silent and points over to lily pads by the edge of the stream. “See there?” she whispers. Sure enough I see a glimmer in the water. Could it be an undine? Am I seeing a real water elemental? 

Of course, as soon as I start getting analytical, it’s gone. Lily gives me a sad but understanding look and just shakes her head. Then disappears as quickly as she had appeared moments ago. Just like the elemental I muse. 

 Timothy is calling us back to the bus, so I shake my head, too, and head back to the car park. Not everyone is back yet, so I take Lily aside for a moment. “Lily, will you help me?” I ask gently.

 “How?” she says in a whisper with a puzzled look.

 “I want to have a true experience of the Other World, I don’t want to just see these fleeting glimpses. You know, like what happened to me back there at the waterfall.” 

“You think too much. Just be. Be with your intention. Be in Joy. Be Joy. That’s all”..she says matter-of-factly. 

“But… my mind seems to override my senses.” I say in what I realize is a whine. 

“Just breathe deep and hold the energy, sweetie. That is all, that is all.” Then she is gone, mixing back with the others as they get back on the bus.

We drive on for a short while until we come to Lake Gill to our south and take the shoreline road to the far end of the lake. An unexpected castle appears. At first I wonder if I am seeing things but Timothy announces we will be arriving at Parkes Castle soon. The dock where we meet our boat is next to it. 

I actually like the castle from a distance more than when we go in. It is very English-built, during the plantation period in the 1700s according to our guide. It feels stuffy to me so I sit out on the sea wall and enjoy the lake breeze. A breeze that actually is getting pretty strong. Soon the captain of the boat and a young assistant arrive. In minutes we are aboard and the young gal has the kettle on for tea. We are off on this lake, the home to over twenty little islands, Captain Frank tells us. 

Of course, we all know that one of these islands is Innisfree and keep asking him “Is this it?” like little kids saying “Are we there yet?” The views are lovely but I-and others, too- are getting tense as the winds pick up and the little sightseeing boat rocks more and more. Before we get to Innisfree, the captain gets on the speaker to say that fierce winds from the sea have come up quickly. There will be no serving of tea and he will need to turn back and hug the south shore. There is both relief and disappointment, not just within me but I think among all the group. We wrap up in blankets provided by the young woman who has given up on serving tea as the temperature seems to drop dramatically. 

Captain Frank gets us back to shore safely, but we never got to the Isle of Innisfree, just to the boat “Rose of Innisfree”. No joke, that is her name. I even have a picture to prove it.

Please visit Amazon to purchase or even just browse. Every click helps me build awareness of my book.