With threatening rain clouds overhead, 18 of our macaoimh gathered at Cuskinny Court, Cobh on Sunday 22nd April to participate in the annual Macaoimh County Event. Our theme for the day was “Wild Frontier”. Having set up our site, they proceeded in small groups to construct shelters in the nearby woods. Using old post sacks, sisal and locally gathered materials, some excellent shelters were built which could be used to keep dry from the rain.
Later , some macaoimh tried their hands at building paper kites with mixed success, while others built pioneering structures from bamboo poles. Cian Healy got the fire started for the cooking in a matter of minutes, by using fling & steel, sawdust and twigs. We soon got to work scooping out potatoes and cracking eggs into the hollows, replacing the half potatoes, covering the lot with tinfoil and placing them gingerly in the burning embers to cook.
After lunch, we repeated the cooking process with bananas filled with chocolate buttons and warmed on the fire. The macaoimh had to perform various tasks during the day and also got a chance to use flint and steel to start fires themselves, under the watchful eyes of the leaders. Everyone managed to get their fire going, some with more effort than others.
The location was excellent; the weather was kind and the enjoyment was great !