On this side of the island, we all live for the summer. The long dark nights of the winter (and what a long winter that was ) are made bearable only by the acknowledgment that every passing night is one minute shorter and every passing day will have 60 seconds more daylight.
The sun may move up and down down the shaft at Newgrange but once the Passover has passed, once the crack of sliotar upon dry ash is heard, once the rising sun makes its slow journey cross country before setting down in the mouth of the bay, the sap of the spirit of the people of the west is rising.
Even in a year like this when so many possibilities have been rulked out because of the contintuing restrictions, the lure of the west is so powerful for so many. For those heading west on a summer's evening, the sun is beckoning them to come to the place where it is most appreciated.
In normal times, right from the moment there is light after teatime, there is a festival here in Galway and when there is none, we create one, lest any week should look or feel like winter. They used to say that summer was here when the hay was in. And what an exciting summer it promises to be on the sporting front, as more and more of us are allowed into sporting events.
The normal rush of the Film Fleadh, Arts Festival and Gaklway Races all jostling for position in July may be denied us again this year, but Galway and the west has still so much to offer, as hundreds of thousands found out last year when they holidayed hered in the region.
Summer is a state of mind here in this west and in this supplement we celebrate what it means across a variety of spheres, from fashion to education, from health to activities, from events to holidays.
Because the Irish summer was considered a thing of mythology, the way we view it alters greatly from how people in other countries view the summer months. In countries where you can actually plan a barbecue without fearing a cloudburst, there is a more rational approach to summer. Here, because we have been let down by the clouds so many times, we tend to see summer as an opportunity for adventure, for education, for experimentation in a variety of fields.
The advent of outdoor dining has created so many new dining spaces, which when allied to the indoor spaces ocne they re-open laster this month will change the face of dining and socialising in this country. But these restaurants and cafes and shops can only survive if they receive our full support in these difficult times.
This summer take a look at what this region has to offer and help support local jobs and business by shopping or staying in this region, by keeping your business in your locality, this summer, you will keep your locality in business -- part of the ethos of the Advertiser's Buy Local campaign.
Enjoy the summer and what it brings and I hope you find something in these pages to help it make a more memorable season for you. Surf's up. Get that wasp off my sandwich...
