COVID-19: THE 5KM TRAVEL LIMIT / HET 5KM REISLIMIET

In de eerste helft van oktober kreeg Achill Parish voor het eerst te maken met oplopende infecties. En dat terwijl gedurende de hele zomer ondanks de ‘Staycation’ drukte Achill Corona-vrij was gebleven.  Ik was in Dookinella een tekening aan het maken van het labyrint and Minaun cliffs  toen ik het hoorde.

Dookinella: the labyrinth and the Minaun Cliffs

In the first half of October 2020 there suddenly was a spate of infections in the Achill Parish. Even though during a busy summer of ‘Staycation’ Achill had stayed Corona-free. I heard about it when I was making sketches in Dookinella, Achill Island

Dookinella with a view of Minaun Heights

Dookinella view of Minaun Heights and the river

Dookinella with a view towards The Cross Road and Slievemore mountain

Achill island, The Cross Road

Vanaf medio oktober 2020 ging Ierland in een beperkte lockdown om de aanwas van infecties tegen te gaan. Een reislimiet van 5km werd ingesteld en zou duren tot 2dec. Ik besloot om de 5km limiet rond Polranny te gaan verkennen in tekeningen.

Achill Island Ted Lavelle’s 5km from Polranny

From the middle of October 2020 a travel restriction of 5km was implemented. It would last till 2 December. I decided to record the 5km limit around Polranny in sketches.

Eerst reed ik naar het zuiden in de richting van Corraun. De brug tussen Polranny en Belfarset was op 4km. het bord voor Mweellin was op 5km. Ik reed een km verder tot de parkeerplaats

First I went down the road in southerly direction towards Corraun. The bridge between Polranny and Belfarset was 4km and the sign for Mweellin was at 5km. I drove on for another km till I reached the parking space by the side of the road.

The bridge between Polranny and Belfarset

Belfarset with a view of Polranny mountain

The view of Bleanaskill on Achill Island from Mweelin

Vervolgens reed ik over de brug door Achill Sound en sloeg af richting Shraheens. Ik reed tot de T kruising in Bleanaskill. Dat was 4 km. Daarna reed ik 1 km verder richting Cloughmore en 1km verder richting Ashleam.

I drove over the bridge and through Achill Sound. Then I took the turn off for Shraheens and stopped at 4km at the T cross in Bleanaskill. I drove 1km on towards Cloughmore and 1km on towards Ashleam.

Achill island, Bleanaskill T cross, straight towards Cloughmore, right towards Ashleam

Bleanaskill looking over The Sound

Towards Ashleam

I discovered that the whole of Saula just to the north west of Achill Sound was within the 5km limit. Saula is part of Achill island. It is a peninsula dominated by one central hill. Houses are strewn along three country roads.

Saula bordering on Cashel at Ted’s Bar and Restaurant

Achill Island, Saula, view of the hill that dominates the peninsula

Ik kwam tot de ontdekking dat Saula in z’n geheel binnen de 5 km limiet ligt. Saula is een schiereiland aan de oostzijde van Achill Island. Het heeft één centraal gelegen heuvel. De bebouwing is beperkt tot lintbouw langs drie landwegen.

Achill island, Saula, view of Minaun Heights and the booster station.

Achill Island, Saula, north end, the hull of the Girl Sharon left by the side of the road.

Achill Island, Saula, the pier

Achill island, Saula, the east side

Achill Island, Saula, the pier

Achill Island, Saula, north side. Friday the Thirteen. The helicopter is the Coast Guard flying a crashed kite surfer to hospital

And at last there were  the 5km to the east of  the house in Polranny. The bridge over the Owenduff River was the limit. I made two sketches from the nearest lay by. One with a view of the Polranny and one the other way with a view of The Greenway and Ballycroy.

 

Owenduff, the Polranny from the north-east side. The pitched roof of the house with chimney reflect the shape of the mountain

Owenduff: view of The Greenway and Ballycroy. So late in the year when the sun is low in the sky the shadows are stark.

En dan was er nog de 5km ten oosten van het huis in Polranny. De brug over de Owenduff River vormde daar de grens. Ik parkeerde op een nabijgelegen parkeergelegenheid en tekende eerst het zicht op de Polranny en daarna het tegenoverliggende zicht op de Greenway en Ballycroy.

Tonragee Pier view towards Bellagragher Bay and Ballycroy. Some of these place albeit within the 5km zone I had never been to before

Tonragee the road up from the pier. In this rather charming setting and right next to the popular Greenway are the council houses.

Tonragee center. View of The Way Inn and the cast concrete shamrocks on the garden posts. The shamrocks were created in the twenties by the woman who lived in the cottage

Achill Island, Dooega. View of strand, slipway and the back of Minaun Heights

On 2 December there came an end to the 5km travel limit. After that till infections rose again we were allowed to travel inside the county. Happy to be able to see the ocean and friends  again I went to the other side of the island, visited friends for the Mayo-Dublin final of the Gaelic and went to St Thomas Church twice! On Steven’s Day wewent into deep lockdown again, but I still had New Year’s Eve with my support and care bubble.

Op 2 december het reislimiet van 5 km eindigde. Vanaf toen totdat de infecties opnieuw de pan uitrezen mochten we binnen onze ‘county’ reizen. Blij dat ik de Oceaan weer kon zien ging ik meteen naar de andere kant van het eiland. Ik ging op bezoek bij vrienden voor de Gaelic finale tussen Dublin en Mayo en ging tweemaal ter kerke in St Thomas! Op Tweede kerstdag ging het land terug in volledige lockdown. Maar ik vierde Oudejaarsavond toch in mijn hulp en steun bubble.

Achill Island, Dugort. View of Slievemore Mountain

The Gaelic final between Dublin and Mayo at the Corraun home of Marina and Cynthia

Achill Island, Dugort, St Thomas church, Carol service

Christmas service in St Thomas was the last time the church would be open in a long time. On Steven’s Day Ireland went back in deep lockdown again. The New Year however did bring an inoculation campaign.

Bleanaskill Lodge New Year’s Eve with visiting Hesseltje, Leslie and little Aidan. With Doutsje and Willem they form my care and support bubble.

© Peti Buchel