Eagles Flying. The purple Onion and Glouceter Old Spot.

One place that we like to visit is Eagles Flying in Ballymote Co. Sligo. We always take our guests there, many people having never had the chance to get up close and personal with these wonderful creatures.
 We have long had an interest in birds of prey and were fortunate enough to live in an area of Spain where we had many of the big ones and had a chance to observe them in the wild.
Eagles Flying is the Irish Raptor Research Centre and is run as a scientific sanctuary by a zoologist. It opened to the public in 1999 when it became apparent that there was public interest in birds of prey.
 The centre has some 350 birds, some having come to the centre due to injury or neglect. Twice daily they fly the birds for the public.

Eagle Owl.

As it is fairly close to where we live we decided to go on Saturday as we had a table booked for a meal at our favourite restaurant that evening. Although there was a very light drizzle it did not detract from the wonderful display of the birds flying.

Harris Hawk on Laurens arm.

 Lauren was especially thrilled to have the Harris Hawk land on her arm, the hawk must have taken a real shine to her as it also jumped up to her seat and sat along side her. The Harris Hawk is about the size of a buzzard, so big!
This is a hawk that is often used by falconers, several have escaped in Ireland and breed with the buzzard which is a native bird, the off spring of this mating is naturally enough called a Hazzard.
There were many children there and  were captivated by all the birds especially as they got to hold some of them and were able to stroke them as well.

A thing of beauty, the Barn Owl.

I think they all fell in love with the Barn owl , now counted as a native bird it is believed that there are only about 130 breeding pairs left in the wild in Ireland unlike

Native long eared owls.

the Long Eared Owl which is found extensively throughout Ireland, we have heard them in the forest behind our cottage and even saw one recently in daylight flight in a woodland close to Cave Town lake near Boyle.
A lovely afternoon out followed by an excellent meal at the Purple Onion Restaurant in Termonbarry, Co. Roscommon.
 This is a restaurant that takes pride in serving Irish produced food, it has an extensive menu which is changed according to season and availability. Every thing fresh and simply served.

Gloucester Old Spot Pork with Colcannon.

 Fortunately they still had Gloucester Old Spot pork on the menu which I had had on our previous visit and had raved about to our friends, they were not disappointed.

Walnut Whip with home made Iced Cream.

 It is not often that we find a restaurant that we repeatedly go back to, having trained as a cook I am far too critical, however with this place there is nothing to criticise,

 they even have a selection of real ales as well as a good wine list.