{"id":3206,"date":"2026-09-13T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/?p=3206"},"modified":"2026-09-12T18:39:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T17:39:05","slug":"a-kanturk-couple-retired-to-a-quiet-corner-of-menorca-and-say-october-there-feels-like-a-good-irish-june","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/a-kanturk-couple-retired-to-a-quiet-corner-of-menorca-and-say-october-there-feels-like-a-good-irish-june\/","title":{"rendered":"A Kanturk couple retired to a quiet corner of Menorca and say October there feels like a good Irish June"},"content":{"rendered":"

They left rain-kissed<\/strong> Kanturk for a quieter<\/strong> island, trading hedgerows for limestone walls and Atlantic squalls for Mediterranean breezes<\/strong>. In a whitewashed hamlet near Sant Llu\u00eds<\/strong>, a retired couple from north Cork found a rhythm so gentle<\/strong> that even the clocks seem to whisper<\/strong>. They say October carries the same softness<\/strong> and optimism as a good<\/strong> Irish June \u2014 longer light, warm patios, and the impulse to sit outside<\/strong> just a bit longer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A small island that asks you to slow down<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Menorca doesn\u2019t shout; it murmurs<\/strong>. Compared with its boisterous Balearic neighbors, this island leans into silence<\/strong> and stone, into sea paths and wind-stilled coves<\/strong>. Maura and Denis O\u2019Rourke, both in their sixties<\/strong>, wanted a place where the calendar<\/strong> loosened and errands became wanders<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were after the second<\/strong> cup of coffee life,\u201d Maura laughs<\/strong>. \u201cNot the first, not the last \u2014 just the unhurried<\/strong> one in the middle<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

They rented a single-story<\/strong> place on a lane edged with aloe<\/strong>, five minutes from a bakery whose opening times<\/strong> locals treat as suggestions<\/strong>. The postman waves from a scooter<\/strong>, and the neighbor\u2019s dog naps under geraniums<\/strong>. \u201cYou start to measure<\/strong> your day by the shade<\/strong>,\u201d Denis says, \u201cand by how the sea<\/strong> looks from the path<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Weather that invites you outside<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

In October, days glide between 22\u201325\u00b0C<\/strong>, with evenings that ask for a cardigan<\/strong>, not a coat<\/strong>. Showers drift in, rinse the air<\/strong>, and move on, leaving streets that steam<\/strong> lightly in the sun<\/strong>. It\u2019s still swim-season if you pick a cove<\/strong> out of the breeze<\/strong>, and it\u2019s perfect for walking<\/strong> the Cami de Cavalls before lunch<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cBack home, June can feel like a gift<\/strong> that may be taken back<\/strong>,\u201d Maura says. \u201cHere, the warmth<\/strong> lingers and the wind feels kind<\/strong>.\u201d Denis nods: \u201cOctober has the light<\/strong> of morning and the heart<\/strong> of afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The daily choreography<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Mornings begin with a clink<\/strong> of cups and the muted<\/strong> scrape of a chair pulled onto the terrace<\/strong>. By ten, they\u2019re at the market in Sant Llu\u00eds<\/strong> or down in Mahon<\/strong>, haggling in a m\u00e9lange<\/strong> of schoolbook Spanish and local Menorqu\u00ed<\/strong>. They\u2019ve learned the power of one word<\/strong> well said: \u201cBon dia<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lunch is a palette<\/strong> of tomatoes, olive oil, and cheese<\/strong> with a sweetness of hay<\/strong> and sea breeze<\/strong>. Later, a bus to Es Castell<\/strong> for a waterside stroll<\/strong>, or a slow drive to Es Mercadal<\/strong> for a hill-shadowed pastry<\/strong>. When the afternoon tilts<\/strong>, they walk the cliff-top path<\/strong>, counting boats like breathing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cIreland teaches you to seize<\/strong> a good day,\u201d Denis says. \u201cMenorca teaches you to savor<\/strong> it.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A life pared back<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Menorca rewards the uncomplicated<\/strong>. The O\u2019Rourkes keep a notebook<\/strong> of small discoveries: a hardware shop that fixes everything<\/strong>, a farm gate that sells eggs<\/strong>, the stretch of path where the wild thyme<\/strong> releases scent at the third step<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Costs feel manageable<\/strong> when you live locally<\/strong>. Off-season rents soften<\/strong>, and restaurant menus turn from pageantry to provisions<\/strong>. Travel is a puzzle of connections<\/strong>, often through Barcelona<\/strong> or Palma, but the island roominess<\/strong> at the end makes up the steps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting here is a thread<\/strong>, not a rope<\/strong>,\u201d Maura smiles<\/strong>. \u201cBut once you arrive, the knots<\/strong> fall away<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Island quiet as a tonic<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Silence here is not empty<\/strong>; it\u2019s textured<\/strong>. Wind in the pine canopies, church bells threading<\/strong> noon, a scooter sighing past<\/strong>. Nights taste of anisette<\/strong> and stone coolness<\/strong>, the sky rinsed of noise<\/strong> and thick with stars<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In October, the beaches are unbuttoned<\/strong> \u2014 locals with towels<\/strong>, not tents<\/strong>; conversation in low<\/strong> registers; the sea a little heavier<\/strong> with autumn\u2019s first rumors<\/strong>. \u201cIf summer is a song<\/strong>,\u201d Denis says, \u201cOctober is the echo<\/strong> you can actually hear<\/strong> yourself in.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What they wish they\u2019d known sooner<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n
  • Learn ten local words and use them with care<\/strong>; people will meet you halfway<\/strong>.<\/li>\n

    \n<\/ul>\n

    <\/p>\n

    \u201cKindness works in both directions<\/strong>,\u201d Maura adds<\/strong>. \u201cSay hello, ask how someone\u2019s mother<\/strong> is, and bring your patience<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    Small rituals, big returns<\/h2>\n

    <\/p>\n

    They chose a corner with edges<\/strong> \u2014 sea on one side, fields on the other<\/strong> \u2014 and built a day out of repeatable<\/strong> pleasures. The baker nods before they order<\/strong>. The pharmacist keeps the good sunscreen<\/strong> aside. The librarian in Mahon<\/strong> signs them up for a film night in Catalan<\/strong>, and the subtitles do most of the lifting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    \u201cI never thought slowness<\/strong> could be so busy<\/strong>,\u201d Denis jokes, pointing to the calendar<\/strong> dotted with village f\u00eates<\/strong>, choir rehearsals, and a neighbor\u2019s grape<\/strong> harvest where he mostly listened<\/strong> and learned to coil a hose like a sailor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    When the wind swings to tramuntana<\/strong>, they lean into the indoors<\/strong>: a pot of lentils<\/strong>, an old radio show, postcards to friends<\/strong> who answer with photos of hedgerows<\/strong> back in Cork<\/strong>. \u201cWe miss the green<\/strong>, of course,\u201d Maura says, \u201cbut we\u2019ve found a different shade<\/strong> of home.\u201d<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    By the time November arrives<\/strong>, they know which windows to latch<\/strong>, which path stays dry<\/strong>, and which caf\u00e9 keeps the door ajar<\/strong> for late stragglers<\/strong>. October, though, remains their favorite page<\/strong> \u2014 the comfortable middle<\/strong> of the island\u2019s year, warm enough for swimming<\/strong>, cool enough for thinking<\/strong>, and generous enough to let the day stretch<\/strong> without snapping its thread<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3226,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3206"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3215,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3206\/revisions\/3215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}