Lovers on Omey Beach
Love, Beauty, and the Magic of Omey Island
A Journey to Omey
Last summer, I holidayed with my wife and friends in County Galway, in the West of Ireland, on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The Tidal Island’s Charm
I brought my bicycle, and one day I cycled to Omey, a tidal island cut off from the Irish mainland twice a day when the tide comes in.
It was a beautiful summer’s day—warm, bright, the light dancing on the gentle sea.
A Captivating Encounter
Standing on the mainland, I watched a young couple paddle through the tidal sands, their feet and ankles wet and softly splashing. Across the water, cars lined up on Omey Island to drive to the mainland, waiting for the tide to recede.
It’s an amusing sight when the tide is in, seeing road signs in the water.
I was captivated by the young couple, and the gorgeous dynamic between them. They seemed to be in love. Occasionally, they held hands. There was magnetism between them. And yet a distance too, as there must be in any couple.
I know nothing about them. We did not speak. But I was enraptured by what I sensed was their love for one another in this place of resplendent beauty. They shared a moment of encounter, and I of observation and delight, on this idyllic beach.
Love in a Timeless Moment
You cannot stand in the same river, or sea, twice. Everything changes. Yet, in that moment, love, I felt, was manifest. The sun shone in the blue sky. The sea sparkled; light danced on the gentle waves. I felt we all stepped out of time, setting aside worries and work, the past or the future.
A seagull rested close to me on the calm water. Moments later, the couple turned, perhaps sensing I’d been watching them, captivated by the moment. They were my protagonists in a silent play of nature, beauty and love.
When they turned, the seagull took flight across the vast and open sea.
A Tribute in Verse
I wrote the following poem, in honour of the unknown couple; and of lovers everywhere; and to celebrate the magic of Omey Island.
Lovers on Omey Beach
By Joe Armstrong
In the distance, cars on Omey Island wait to cross tidal sands. Adonis and Aphrodite, Twentysomethings perhaps, Paddle in the sea in bare feet, Wet sand between their toes. They hug. Both wear clingy jeans, calf high. His shoulders broad in his striped white sweater. Her knees exposed, her hair in a bun. They hold hands. Gorgeous when they touch. I’m captivated. A man in a yellow T-shirt watches them too. Road signs in the sea point to Omey Island. Turning, the lovers see me watching them. A seagull takes flight. The vast blue sky above them, they walk on water.
Happy days,
Joe
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