Amanda: Socializing and Shopping

First Day in Ireland

What  great idea to connect in Paris, where I got a supply of favourite lipstick at Yves ST Laurent.  Number 41.

Maree and Frank snagged me at Dublin and up north we drove to Ballykelly, where the Irish guys were whooping it up a the Drummond saloon.  The  dinner was great. the dancing good.  Maree did an Irish Country dance.  I sat with the southerners who had travelled so far.  Art McWhiinney was there asking after his American amigos. Everyone understood why they were there, to fete the magic moment of dogdom that put their countryman, Michael Gallagher and his dog Cap, at the top of the International Supreme.

Today we are looking at youngsters at his place and then back down south.

Day Two

Michael Gallagher and his dad, Aiden showed us the dogs today.  Some where sired by Aiden’s good Bill who placed well at the last World Trial and some were sired by the great Cap.  I liked the ones that were not for sale.  Then Michael showed us some breathtaking beauty with his fabulous Cap, on fifty Scottish blackface lambs, taking them around the field in the perfect light to showcase his pace, his measured way with his sheep.  He kept coming and pulled up handily on command, worthy of all his fame and celebration  and then some. Gorgeous.  The most remarkable feature of the pair was their mutual respect, Michael happy to let the dog work, Cap delighted to be handled by Michael.  What a pair.  Michael also ran a Nursery bitch, also a beauty.  His smart handling is moving from dog to dog.  Easy to admire.

Aiden, Michael and his uncle Shaemus accounted for four of the dogs on the Ireland’s last team.  The setting for their training might account for some of their family domination–a beautiful hill above their farm where they graze sheep and run dogs.

That was on the Northern end of Northern Ireland, Ardmoy, near Ballymoney, we then headed south to Cough, where Tommy John Doris, dairy farmer/dog man,  showed us some youngsters by Cap.  I wanted one but he could not decide to sell.  But he was thinking about it.  So maybe he will be my dog.  Ben Doris–Dory’s new boyfriend Our trip home from there was difficult, in a fog on back roads with frustrating signage.  I was so lucky to have the Cashens at the wheel of the car.  I would have caved and taken refuge anywhere.  Or crashed into an oncoming car, driving on the wrong side of the road.  Peckish travellers dined en route.

We stopped at Maree’s aunt Breda’s home in Gorey and then slipped home, at midnight.  One end of Ireland to the other is a long ride.