Sometimes in Ireland the rain sets in. There is nothing to be done except to find an umbrella and sing. We find ourselves in Sligo on such a day. Using our trusty Google Maps, we find a large parking lot near the town center. So we arrive at Sligo Abbey only half drenched.

The ticket taker suggests I borrow a “proper” umbrella. It’s twice the size of my travel umbrella so I accept his kind offer. With the protection of a very large umbrella and stone arches, we have an enjoyable hour of exploration. Ancient abbeys are fascinating to me.

The hour passes quickly and it is still raining. We stroll the high street. We try to find lunch but everything seems closed. Finally we find a wonderful Italian bistro. Half the city is here trying to fortify themselves before heading back out into the rain.

We pay to visit the Yeats museum and then immediately wish we hadn’t. The fee is steep to walk a circle in a single room and read quotes from poems. They have a few family photos, and not much else. But we are dry.

Across the street, we find the Sligo County Museum. It is free. It is also a delightfully jumbled multi-room collection of artifacts. We spend time reading and exploring. I encounter Countess Markewitz for the first time. Why don’t I know about this amazing woman who fought for Irish independence? I am intrigued. I see reading in my future.

Our final stop is at the model. It is an art gallery, community center, coffee shop and probably other things. We came for the art. Everyone else apparently has other purposes. We are alone in the gallery. Like everything else in Sligo, it features the Yeats family. Apparently in addition to the famous poet, there were artists.

My spouse is uninspired. Art is not his thing. But just as I am drawn to the words of W.B., I also see glimmers of the soul in the paintings of Jack. I ponder and linger. It is still raining and here I am warm and dry. A subtle rustling and shifting of feet lets me know it is time to go. Our day in Sligo is ending. Time to head back. Perhaps will we find a pub with a nice peat fire to while away the last of the day. If I am lucky, there will also be Guiness stew.