"What Mayo Means to Me!"

By Sarah Jane Wooff, age 8

2nd class, Murrisk N.S

I’m not actually from Mayo. I’m from England, but I’m SO glad I moved here when I was 3.

We’ve lived in Louisburgh for nearly 6 years now. The beaches are fabulous.

On Saturdays, Mum and I take our dogs to Old Head. It’s our favourite beach. We usually take them left towards the forest. Sometimes when the tide is out we go around the rocks and climb into the field. We have to make sure there are no sheep in the field, and then we squelch in the sticky mud until we get to the woods.

Storm runs ahead, sniffing every nook and cranny, while me and Fern run after him. Mum wanders behind us, taking beautiful pictures of everything.

Sometimes we go and get ice cream at the Quay. We sit on the rocks next to the water. I get vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles- yum! Mum gets vanilla ice cream with raspberry sauce in a tub. Sometimes I have a bit of hers and she has a bit of mine.

Every summer, me and my Mum work at Roonagh pier, selling tickets to people who want to take the ferry to Clare Island. One day I looked over the wall, and what did I see but a pod of dolphins!!

I shouted to Mum to come and look. Just at that moment, a huge dolphin leapt out of the water and landed with a splash!

I’m going to finish with a poem I wrote about Mayo beaches:

Sunsets and seagulls fill the air

While lion fish and puffer fish spike and flair

The sea is calm, no waves around

But the sea plants dance on the sandy ground.

Mayo beaches are so lovely

The sea foam washed up is so bubbly

Sea shells gleam in the sunlight

At night, the lamp posts shine so bright.

Dive away from the rocky pier,

Mayo beaches are beautiful here.