We made plans to go. We looked forward to a beautiful day.
We were met with rain. Lots and lots of rain.
It rained sideways. It almost rained upside down. It rained a lot.
But we went anyway and enjoyed the experience. It’s given us something to look forward to for August 2027 when we’ll be sure to go to both Ardara and Ballyshannon.
Side story: Back when we visited in 2025, we met a couple cousins in Killarney, Kerry, for lunch. As we left the property it was misting a little and my cousin Geraldine said “It’s a soft day.” She explained that that’s what they say when it’s raining a little but not too much.
I’ve used that phrase every time it’s raining, much to Megan’s chagrin. At Ballyshannon, as we were getting scones at a tent run by a bakery, I said “It’s a soft day” to the woman who was running things.
“They say that down south,” she said. “Up here we say ‘It’s a wet rain.’”
I’m not sure how excited I looked, but I know, even without looking at her, that Meg knew this would be my new phrase. I’ve used it every time it’s rained since.
As I said, it was raining. There was a competition for horses, another for sheep, another for cows and cattle, and another for dogs. lots of adorable, wet dogs. But we couldn’t take pictures because, 1. we forgot, and 2. it was raining sideways. So enjoy our slideshow of the participants in the baking contests and other competitors. It wasn’t raining inside the tent.
Note: In Ireland, the winner does not get a blue ribbon. That might just be an American thing. Here, winners get the red ribbon.
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