CARLINGFORD Behind the clatter of heels and wheels I journey into this dazzling countryside of Mountain, forest and sea. This eerie fascination of towering hills Deep shades of purple and black Overpowering the preconceived mind Picturing long-long youth and hearing Sounds of laughs and screams and Thundering splashes. Only the whispers of birds and Silent breeze Occasional laps of waves Noisy locomotives brushing past For miles and miles ahead Drowned by this calm spell, I hear no sounds of life Only castles and abbeys Unspoiled by emigration. Up the bare stairs I grow close to Lords, dukes and monks, Breathing occasionally, This medieval stillness Creating a village intact Almost prehistoric. Slowly the spirit quietens by The haunting countryside The elements of the atmosphere Capturing the heart as the Fruits of creativity Slowly emerge. -- Sinead MacDevitt