03 May 2012

A riverside walk beneath the setting sun

The setting sun casts its light on the pool beside the weir at Firhouse (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2012)

Patrick Comerford

Although there is still no sign of summer on the horzon, things are looking a little brighter today.

I spent a large part of the afternoon and early evening at my GP’s late today. It was a long wait, but the advance planning for reading meant this was not wasted time. And the results of a battery of tests after a recent day visit to Tallaght Hospital seem to be good, making it all worthwhile.

The principal symptoms of sarcoidosis on my lungs seem to be dormant at the moment, and my medication has been reduced. This is going to require careful monitoring, as reducing the medication and taking me off could see my sarcoidosis flare up again, I am told. But if this does not happen, then I could soon move into the remission I was hoping for.

The other results were good too – no signs of diabetes and no signs of any kidney problems – although I now have to wait for the results of three further blood tests.

There was another glowing sunset this evening, and I went for a walk along the River Dodder, behind the school and the convent at Firhouse.

A ‘Useless Carpark’ could provide more access to the linear park on the banks of the River Dodder at Firhouse (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2012)

This could be a more accessible linear park, but the well-laid-out car park opposite the ‘Speaker Connolly’ has been locked off. Despite the markings, it is left unused day-by-day, and one local wit has painted on the ground: “Useless Carpark.”

In the glow of the sunset and underneath an almost-full moon in a clear blue sky, the robins and the blackbirds were singing, there was a sweet smell from the honeysuckle, and the open land behind the school and the convent looked like open countryside.
The glow of sunset this evening, with an almost-full moon in the clear sky above the Dublin Mountains (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2012)

Two young men were fishing in the pool above the waterfall at the weir behind the Kilsaran factory.

I continued along the footpath under the bridges of the M50, following the banks of the river. Sunset had turned to dusk, and a fox crossed my path.

Walking across the football pitches of Ballyboden Saint Enda’s GAA Club, I came back out onto Firhouse Road, and walked on over the M50 and on up Ballycullen Road, past Knocklyon Castle. It was dark by the time I got home. In all it had been a 4 km walk. And the almost-full moon was high in the clear night sky.

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