Don Baldwin takes us on an enjoyable trek along the Wicklow Mountains
Just south of Dublin city, the soft rolling outline of the Wicklow Mountains begin their steady advance to the south west, marching inexorably through the counties of Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford; forming the largest continuous upland area on the island of Ireland.
Beneath the mountains’ soft exterior of deep blanket bog, stretches the greatest expanse of granite rock to be found anywhere in Ireland or Britain.
Today, the Wicklow Mountains owe much of their present topography to the dramatic effects of the last ice age, which gouged out steep-sided valleys and glacial corries, resulting in a rich collection of attractive lakes and striking waterfalls.
“It’s really nice when you have someone to perform for,” says Jerry, before Tally starts to laugh and quickly adds, “I just want to make sure I do it right, and don’t forget what move is coming next!”
Don Baldwin has been the General Manager of the Lloyd Center Skating Rink for 22 years. He says when he first arrived Jerry was still lifting Tally over his head.
Credit: Jerry Leonard
“They don’t do that anymore, and I’m kind of glad,” Baldwin says with a chuckle, “because it’s against the rules here to drop Tally.”
The laughter and fun times have returned to the rink these days, but those things have been absent from the venue for most of the past year.