After returning home to Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic, I stumbled upon this old VHS tape in my aunt's apartment in Órán Mór. I've tried to restore the image quality as best I can, but some of the footage has been taped over - mostly old Guinness and Aer Lingus adverts. I was shocked to discover a video taken when I was a teenager, during a family vacation on the west coast of Ireland.
After settling into our bungalow, we took a boat out to see the puffins and the ancient monasteries on Skellig Michael. The next day, we rented jet skis and raced around the Cliffs of Moher, exploring secret caves and hidden tunnels. I remember our long coastal drives, passing lighthouses and ruined castles. That night, while our parents went out to the local pub, we stayed up late and played Lego Island on our dad's PC.
The next day, my dad took me scuba-diving for the first time. It's like another world beneath the waves, swimming with dolphins and killer whales in the endless blue. I ended up falling asleep on the sofa - the TV was still on when I woke up, and I just remember staring into the RTÉ ident, feeling drugged and hypnotised. I think I lost part of myself in the Atlantic Ocean, and part of my mind is still trapped below, even twenty years later...
We had to spend the next few days indoors, because of a storm. In spite of the torrential rain, we still managed to visit the Aqua-Dome and the Oceanworld Aquarium. When the sun finally returned, Ireland became a paradise. Eoin and Colm tried windsurfing, and cousin Rowan went parasailing. On our last full day, we all went kayaking around the sea arches and the islets. Then it was time for me to return home and prepare for my Leaving Cert.
I'm 39 now, with kids of my own, and Ireland is like a completely different country. We lost so much during the economic recession. Watching this video is like staring into another dimension, before the mass emigration and staggering unemployment. The Ireland I knew died along with my parents, but finding this VHS has allowed me to hold onto that precious summer, and those magical atlantic memories.
(0:10) - seychelles
(2:29) - atlantic memories
(4:41) - offshore
(6:12) - aurora stars
(10:33) - ice drift
(14:01) - sunshine imitation
(17:17) - waves over the rainbow
(21:10) - purple wind
(23:07) - afternoon clouds
(25:37) - private island
(28:59) - oceanic glare
(30:58) - weather theme I
(34:04) - weather theme II
(37:19) - weather theme III
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Негізгі бет Lost Ireland VHS Tape - vcr-classique : atlantic memories [FULL VISUAL ALBUM]
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