Bandon Parish

Bandon brings up the same sort of feeling as when I reach the New Forest from London. Beautiful, almost home, at ease.
the first time we were ever in Bandon we stumbled around, and found a coffee shop that was about to close.
They didn't tell us this, but brewed us fresh tea, served us th most mouth watering cakes, and made some sandwiches to take on our way.
The welcome of the Irish.
Bandon is the birthplace of Michael Collins, a romantic hero of mine. He was the second in command of the early IRA, and almost brought the British Empire to it's knees.
It's the passion of the man, the conviction, that I love and he was assassinated for it by his own men, with no disapproval fom De Valera, his friend and less passionate comrade in arms, whom I feel was a coward but became the first President of the new Repubic of Ireland.
That apart, Bandon has some boutique type shops, a great bakery, lots of businesses to service the outlying farms.
It is County Cork typified, if that is possible.
We always stop there, we always go to that coffee shop.
I always think of Michael Collins.
Caed mile faile faud.