Page 8 - Sligo X North West

8
Sligo Snapshots
Easkey Britton, pro-surfer
Kevin Barry
“I live in the south of County Sligo, by Lough Arrow, and although
we’re only twenty miles from the coast and Sligo town, it feels like we’re worlds apart. This is what you discover about Sligo - though it’s a small county, relatively speaking, it’s got so many different aspects and layers and atmospheres. I love all of it but especially, for me, the coun- tryside around the lakes and the hills down around the Bricklieves and the Curlews is very special. It’s a great place for cycling - the roads are really quiet - or just ambling about the place. It’s important to
go slowly because there’s quite a lot to see. You can go out for a walk on a clear bright winter morning here and not meet another sinner for miles - it can feel like you have the whole world to yourself. Or at least
I’m based on the edge.
I have a longing for the North West
when I am away and what keeps me coming back home is the sense of place.
It’s the combination of the seascapes and the amazing horizons and one of the best places in the world for surfing.
I was in the water last week; there were migratory birds flying overhead, the sun was lighting up Benbulben and on the horizon you could see a storm coming.
It’s the beauty and power of those elements that gives you such a magical feeling. What Sligo has, is raw. When I come back from traveling to the North West, I love to explore.
There are so many amazing hikes and trails and a totally different side to Sligo with mountain-biking, pad- dle-boarding and a stunning outdoorsy culture. Sligo still feels like that hidden gem but it is definitely starting to blossom.
www. easkeybritton.com
Photo by Christian McLeod
to yourself and a few hares.”
Kevin Barry won the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for his debut novel ‘City of Bohane’. He lives in Ballinfad, Sligo.