As you can see Fuchsia grows as a weed in Ireland
Since there is almost no public land in Ireland, any hike involves crossing the property of others. There is much more of a walking culture here and landowners are very tolerant of walkers provided they follow some basic rules. No dogs (they spook the sheep), leave gates open or closed as you find them. If you are injured on their property, the owner assumes no liability. With that knowledge, I went through three different fences and began my climb.
Working my way past the first hedges and nettles, I found a pre-famine house. That's what they call the many homes abandoned during the famine years. Even today, the Irish population is still not as large as it was before the famine houses like these are not uncommon. Like any other Irish ruin, the stone walls were solid and covered with moss, vines and fuchsia, which grows wild here. Any trace of a roof must have disappeared years ago.
The hike up the hill offered some beautiful views and an opportunity to see sheep relatively up-close. I followed the paths they had worn on the ground and eventually arrived at the top and a cairn of stones left by other hikers. I saw great views of Bantry Bay. The sheep left souvenirs of their own all over the hill, but I was able to scrape those off when I returned.
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