Day 19
The first Saturday event for the Lennon Festival was the tractor run. We stupidly thought that meant the tractors might parade around the village streets, but no, it was a static display. Billed to start at 10am, we were there bright and early. However, it took until 11am for the tractors and their drivers to organise themselves. There was even a mini tractor! Lots of men standing around looking at, well…tractors!
Our thirst for tractors and taking the Mickey, would come back later in the day to haunt us!
We spent all day exploring the beautiful Inishowen Peninsula, from tip to toe. The drive north along the eastern coast hugs the sea, with the glittering Lough Foyle at your side.
All was humming along nicely until we hit a traffic jam at Muff. The cause? A tractor run, and this time it was moving! We managed to overtake them and continued on our way. We took a break at Iskaheen to visit an old graveyard, specifically the gravestone of the McKinney family. It was a testament to Ireland’s poverty and subsequent high death rate of children, and of the Troubles. It cites the names of young people, children and infants on the headstone and includes 34 year old James who was killed on Bloody Sunday.
As we joined the main road, the tractor run joined us!
Further north we stopped at Greencastle for seafood, crab and plaice, then stumbled on a beach that actually had a surf lifesaver!
The slow drive north west along the coast was like a goat track, with grass down the middle and very few places to pass. It went up and down the hills like a rollercoaster, past gorgeous coves and beaches.
Malin Head, the most northerly tip of Ireland, was a hotchpotch of old WW11 bunkers and a stone tower, originally built in 1805 but since cemented over and looking mighty ugly. On a clear day you can see Scotland, and we did!
Heading south, you guessed it, we caught up with the tractors again in Carndonagh. It was then it dawned on us that they were doing a loop of the peninsula, and we learned it was all for a good cause, to raise money for the local hospital.
After a quick stop at Fort Dunree, we made our way back to the main road, where we could see the line of tractors once more crossing the T-intersection at Buncrana. A quick look at Google maps helped us detour around the town and we managed to get in front of them. John is sure he was being punished for his scant regard of the place tractors and their drivers are thought of in this country!
Returning to Rathmelton, the Lennon Festival was in full swing. There was sideshow alley,
country dancing,
great street food,
and high tech.
All the crowd wanted though, was to see the lead act, Jimmy Buckley.
He was so famous he even had his own truck!
No matter the tack, we had to admit, the view on our walk home, was pretty darned good!
Kanga And Wombats Adventures 
Still loving your blog! See you’ve caught up on the last few days. Pity you were the designated driver on the visit to the distillery, no way I’d have volunteered for that one, as you both know. 😉 The life saver had a pretty cushy job, no dumpers on that beach by the look of it! Spectacular scenery though, have to add Ireland to my bucket list!!
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