Inspired by a visit to one my favourite places on Earth, Gouganne Barra in West Cork.

A lake which is the source of the river Lee which runs through my birth place, Cork city.

In the lake, a little island, on which stand the ruins of a monastic settlement  attribute to Saint Finbar the patron saint and founder of the city.

But this is a sacred place and was  regarded as a holy place by people long before the Christians claimed it.

It is also one of my favourite poems.

A Piece of Heaven

A piece of heaven lay before my eyes

Majestic mountains under clear blue skies

A fusion of colours can be seen

Purple heather and vibrant green

I feel so alive, as I look and listen

Tumbling waterfalls sparkle and glisten

Caught in the sunlight like sparkling tears

A beautiful symphony to my eyes and ears

Babbling brooks that twist and wind

A sight to calm the heart and clear the mind

Stretching as far as the eye can see

No wonder they call it God’s country

My Spirit rises and senses awake

Below a shimmering shining lake

With an emerald isle and tiny cove

A Druid’s glen, a Holly grove

And a little stone church or oratory

A sacred place of sanctuary

And there by the lakeside I take a seat

Water gently lapping at stone beneath feet

Sun on my face, gentle breeze in my hair

Fire, Water, Earth and Air

Druid,Saint,Pilgrim and Priest

I feel their presence though long deceased

Their Footsteps echo on ancient stone

In silent meditation together and alone

Sacred ceremony, ritual and prayer

Such peace and tranquility still dwells here

A space to feel complete and whole

To nourish the body and heal the soul

Spirit and mind and body as one

A piece of Heaven under the sun.

c/ Denis Murphy 19 Aug 2017.