You'd think that after some pretty packed days of running about Ireland that our professors would give us a break when we were back in Dublin, right? Not these guys...
Our bio teacher had us help out a local group (OWLS) as a service project to remove nasty invasive species. Therefore, our Monday morning was spent hacking away at dogwood trees until the early afternoon, but it was all worth it because we received wood pendants with Irish animals stamped on them (I chose a Peregrine Falcon). We effectively helped the group in clearing large amounts of pestering plants and I even played fetch with the dog of the OWLS leader, a fact I was very happy about!
We were then told that it was our responsibility to take a tour of the Kilmainham jail because it was used in the film "In The Name of the Father" with Daniel Day-Lewis. I groaned and griped about it since we already had to study for two exams, but was glad that they asked us to visit. It was really neat to stand in the room where the film was made, and had a vastly different atmosphere than that of Long Kesh-the guide was happy to answer any questions without fear of bad things happening...
The Book of Kells, an excellently-preserved volume, is held at Trinity College, and we were glad to take the tour because we had missed the opportunity in Dublin I. I loved learning about the making of the book as well as other small books that had been preserved from Viking raids way back when, and the Book of Kells (which has a page turned everyday) was great to see as well. It was unfortunate that some tourists decided to spend a ridiculous amount of time in front of it, barring the eyesight of others, so with a quick glance, I then headed up to the Long Library. The gorgeous room could only be described as the library Belle receives in Beauty and the Beast. Stocked with old tomes and encyclopedias and lined with busts of famous scientists, this place was heaven in a room. I snapped a few pics of the room as a whole, some busts, and the oldest harp in Ireland before heading out with my friends to complete some long-awaited souvenir shopping.
I also put homework at a standstill, for something big was approaching: my weekend trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. Who knew that even after traveling across the ocean to come to Ireland that traveling to another Celtic country would be just as nerve-wracking and intensely exciting? Prepare the accents, for Bonnie Scotland awaits!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Triumphant Return
The idea of coming back to Dublin was a very strange one indeed, but I will get to that later for we had several stops on our way. The first was to Trim Castle where we received a wonderful tour of the typical medieval castle and the myth of the Boyne River surrounding it. We saw the models of the construction of Trim throughout the years from functional fort to decorative domicile, and we were even able to stand atop the castle walls and gaze over the old kingdom. Within an hour, we were off to our next destination.
In our literature class, we read a lot of stories that took place in Tara, or the Hill of Kings. The High King of Ireland would live in Tara once chosen by his people, and our professor thought it only right to take us their himself. We walked up what would have once been the grand incline up to the castle and once we saw the legendary Stone of Destiny off in the distance, the majority of us burst into a sprint over the looming hills, for if the Stone screams when you hug it, you are chosen as the new High King. Most of us made our own screaming sounds since the Stone did not, and the rain deterred us from hanging around much longer. We spent a good 40 minutes loitering around the gift shop and cafe before being allowed back on the bus to return to Dublin.
When we arrived here way back in March, the romanticized idea of Ireland hung in our heads and the exhilaration of being away from home made us giddy with touristy excitement. After eight weeks in this beautiful country, we felt a bit different on that bus ride back to the city. We felt wiser and surer of the world and Ireland in particular, no longer the squealing students who arrived searching for shamrocks. Instead, we are more proud based on the experiences we faced in the wide variety of cities and towns, and I commend our professors for designing the trip in this fashion, for there is no doubt they knew this is how we would feel. It was quite the philosophical moment to realize the empowerment that this trip has bestowed upon me, though I may not have noticed it at the time. I am so much more confident and certain of myself, qualities I have yearned for since my freshman year of college, and all of which given to me in the span of eight weeks. I needed Ireland, I needed this trip to prove to myself that I am ready for what life confronts me with, and that there is so much to be seen, wherever you are, if you simply stop and look around. Totally cliche? Perhaps, but sometimes it is the only way to describe the experience with those who haven't truly experienced it.
I hope you all are ready for the new me because I certainly am.
In our literature class, we read a lot of stories that took place in Tara, or the Hill of Kings. The High King of Ireland would live in Tara once chosen by his people, and our professor thought it only right to take us their himself. We walked up what would have once been the grand incline up to the castle and once we saw the legendary Stone of Destiny off in the distance, the majority of us burst into a sprint over the looming hills, for if the Stone screams when you hug it, you are chosen as the new High King. Most of us made our own screaming sounds since the Stone did not, and the rain deterred us from hanging around much longer. We spent a good 40 minutes loitering around the gift shop and cafe before being allowed back on the bus to return to Dublin.
When we arrived here way back in March, the romanticized idea of Ireland hung in our heads and the exhilaration of being away from home made us giddy with touristy excitement. After eight weeks in this beautiful country, we felt a bit different on that bus ride back to the city. We felt wiser and surer of the world and Ireland in particular, no longer the squealing students who arrived searching for shamrocks. Instead, we are more proud based on the experiences we faced in the wide variety of cities and towns, and I commend our professors for designing the trip in this fashion, for there is no doubt they knew this is how we would feel. It was quite the philosophical moment to realize the empowerment that this trip has bestowed upon me, though I may not have noticed it at the time. I am so much more confident and certain of myself, qualities I have yearned for since my freshman year of college, and all of which given to me in the span of eight weeks. I needed Ireland, I needed this trip to prove to myself that I am ready for what life confronts me with, and that there is so much to be seen, wherever you are, if you simply stop and look around. Totally cliche? Perhaps, but sometimes it is the only way to describe the experience with those who haven't truly experienced it.
I hope you all are ready for the new me because I certainly am.
Belfast Blonde
Though we only spent four days in Belfast, those days were action-packed; our professors scheduled as many things as possible so that we weren't wandering around the streets of this potentially dangerous city. We settled into our hotel (and surviving without internet since it cost 10 pounds for 24 hours-the equivalent of $15!), but the next day we were shipped off to the Giant's Causeway, and incredible geological phenomenon that is bursting with mythological history. The rocks themselves are hexagonal and igneous (meaning made from magma), but the story is much more interesting. Legendary hero Finn Mac Cumhaill was threatened by a giant from Scotland, for the giant was going to cross the land bridge (the Causeway) to demolish this hero. Finn, knowing that he could never physically defeat the giant, strategically covered himself in baby's clothing. When the giant came looking for Finn, Finn's wife showed him the "baby", and the giant was terrified of this strangely manly infant. Fearing that Finn would be even greater, the giant ran back to Scotland, destroying the land bridge that is now the Causeway with him.
The sights from the Causeway were stunning, and a few of us ventured further along the marked paths until coming across a closed-off section. Did we turn back? Of course not! We hopped the fence and found ourselves surrounded by the Ampitheatre feature of the landscape, and even added a bit of graffiti to the fencing along the way.
The next day, we went on two tours of Belfast, one by an ex-IRA member and the other from a Protestant-raised community worker. The first was mainly to see the murals and memorials constructed for the Catholic Irish, but the second was much more emotional as the Protestant guide showed us the "peace walls" dividing Catholics and Protestants both physically and mentally. He also drove us to the sight where an IRA bombing took place and he had to unearth dozens of people from the rubble of a well-known shop. Seeing both sides of a conflict reinforces the senseless fighting that occurs over the problems of the past.
Following the tours, we spent hours at Queen's University where a local professor gave us a lecture on natural history of Ireland. I was excited at first to be in an Irish university, but after about 2 hours, I lost my interest in bogs and geological changes...Thankfully, the lecture ended and we escaped to visit the Botanical Gardens and spend time in the quad with Irish university students, a much preferred option.
Finally, our last day included a privilege: a tour of Long Kesh/The Maze, a prison used in the 1970s-1980s to house political prisoners, especially Bobby Sands who began the 1981 hunger strike and died as a result of Margaret Thatcher's apathy toward the Irish. Our tour guide informed us of the history of the prison, and only going into slightly more detail later when we stood in the room that Bobby Sands died in. Our guide whispered to us that she isn't supposed to let us know this information because when she gives these tours to Loyalists, they sometimes clap and cheer when hearing the history of the hunger strikers, and some of the security officers following us on the tours were ex-prison guards, so she had to watch her words carefully. This is a strangely amazing thing, to truly see how the segregation of groups exists decades after the conflict occurred.
To end our days in the North, a group of us decided to at least check out the pub scene in the town before leaving, so we spent our final hours in the famous Crown Bar where we drank some Belfast Blondes and toasted the city.
The sights from the Causeway were stunning, and a few of us ventured further along the marked paths until coming across a closed-off section. Did we turn back? Of course not! We hopped the fence and found ourselves surrounded by the Ampitheatre feature of the landscape, and even added a bit of graffiti to the fencing along the way.
The next day, we went on two tours of Belfast, one by an ex-IRA member and the other from a Protestant-raised community worker. The first was mainly to see the murals and memorials constructed for the Catholic Irish, but the second was much more emotional as the Protestant guide showed us the "peace walls" dividing Catholics and Protestants both physically and mentally. He also drove us to the sight where an IRA bombing took place and he had to unearth dozens of people from the rubble of a well-known shop. Seeing both sides of a conflict reinforces the senseless fighting that occurs over the problems of the past.
Following the tours, we spent hours at Queen's University where a local professor gave us a lecture on natural history of Ireland. I was excited at first to be in an Irish university, but after about 2 hours, I lost my interest in bogs and geological changes...Thankfully, the lecture ended and we escaped to visit the Botanical Gardens and spend time in the quad with Irish university students, a much preferred option.
Finally, our last day included a privilege: a tour of Long Kesh/The Maze, a prison used in the 1970s-1980s to house political prisoners, especially Bobby Sands who began the 1981 hunger strike and died as a result of Margaret Thatcher's apathy toward the Irish. Our tour guide informed us of the history of the prison, and only going into slightly more detail later when we stood in the room that Bobby Sands died in. Our guide whispered to us that she isn't supposed to let us know this information because when she gives these tours to Loyalists, they sometimes clap and cheer when hearing the history of the hunger strikers, and some of the security officers following us on the tours were ex-prison guards, so she had to watch her words carefully. This is a strangely amazing thing, to truly see how the segregation of groups exists decades after the conflict occurred.
To end our days in the North, a group of us decided to at least check out the pub scene in the town before leaving, so we spent our final hours in the famous Crown Bar where we drank some Belfast Blondes and toasted the city.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
"If You Have Something To Say...Don't Say It"
The advice given to us by our anthropology teacher as we made our way up into Derry-Londonderry before reaching Belfast. Notice the weird double name? Prepare yourselves...
Most people associate Ireland's "bad times" with the devastating Potato Famine in the 19th century, but not many know the history behind the Troubles. Claims have been staked in the Ulster region of Ireland for years and years, and Great Britain's arrival brought with it the new Protestant Faith. Wars between the posh British Protestants and the hardy republican Catholics raged ever on in the north, which is why this area remains part of the United Kingdom instead of Ireland. To this day, Protestants and Catholics live divided lives from one another, and if they do come into contact...watch out.
Derry (the republican name) and Londonderry (the loyalist name) are two names for the same town, and still argued to this day. In order to enforce this point, our professors had us booked for two tours in the city: the first to the Apprentice Boys museum and the second to the Free Derry museum. The former comes from the history of 13 young lads who closed the gates of Londonderry to the troops of King James II, a favorite of Irish Catholics, and therefore a Protestant history. Known as the Siege of Derry, the famous saying "No Surrender!" can still be seen along Protestant buildings to reinforce the kind of neighborhood you're in...and for Catholics to stay out. The latter tour down on the Bogside of Derry was led by a man whose brother was the first person to die in the event known as Bloody Sunday. On January 30th, 1972 brought the deaths of 13 Irish Catholics at the hands of British soldiers, and the museum stands to not only remember those who died, but to inform the public that the Irish men were murdered for they had no weapons. It was a very powerful thing to see the bloodstained bandages of the guide's brother as well as hateful letters sent by British soldiers to the families of the dead proclaimed that their victims deserved to die. Seeing both sides of history in one day was unbelievable...
The Troubles is not something to be messed around with, so the warning stood to mind what you say, or even better to not say anything at all. Derry-Londonderry was a significant stop in order to prepare us for the even stronger message we were about to find out in Belfast.
Most people associate Ireland's "bad times" with the devastating Potato Famine in the 19th century, but not many know the history behind the Troubles. Claims have been staked in the Ulster region of Ireland for years and years, and Great Britain's arrival brought with it the new Protestant Faith. Wars between the posh British Protestants and the hardy republican Catholics raged ever on in the north, which is why this area remains part of the United Kingdom instead of Ireland. To this day, Protestants and Catholics live divided lives from one another, and if they do come into contact...watch out.
Derry (the republican name) and Londonderry (the loyalist name) are two names for the same town, and still argued to this day. In order to enforce this point, our professors had us booked for two tours in the city: the first to the Apprentice Boys museum and the second to the Free Derry museum. The former comes from the history of 13 young lads who closed the gates of Londonderry to the troops of King James II, a favorite of Irish Catholics, and therefore a Protestant history. Known as the Siege of Derry, the famous saying "No Surrender!" can still be seen along Protestant buildings to reinforce the kind of neighborhood you're in...and for Catholics to stay out. The latter tour down on the Bogside of Derry was led by a man whose brother was the first person to die in the event known as Bloody Sunday. On January 30th, 1972 brought the deaths of 13 Irish Catholics at the hands of British soldiers, and the museum stands to not only remember those who died, but to inform the public that the Irish men were murdered for they had no weapons. It was a very powerful thing to see the bloodstained bandages of the guide's brother as well as hateful letters sent by British soldiers to the families of the dead proclaimed that their victims deserved to die. Seeing both sides of history in one day was unbelievable...
The Troubles is not something to be messed around with, so the warning stood to mind what you say, or even better to not say anything at all. Derry-Londonderry was a significant stop in order to prepare us for the even stronger message we were about to find out in Belfast.
Perfection
Some days catch us in frustrated moods due to internet issues and harsh homework loads, but the three days we spent in Sligo was a vacation in heaven.
On the way to our hotel, we stopped at Aughnanure Castle which had several dogs running around the grounds (win) and then Connemara National Park where our tour guide brought us out onto bogland. The classic Irish bog was perfectly wet and springy as we sloshed through the tour. We almost began nodding off when the guide began passing around peat turf, but those Irish clouds returned with a vengeance. Again, it took only minutes for the rain to catch us, and we climbed up the steep hillside like Simba on Pride Rock at the end of The Lion King. But, like the movie, we were rewarded with the most beautiful view. Surrounded by Irish mountains, gorse bushes, flocks of sheep, and grassy fields, the sun shone out on the breathtaking National Park. I will never forget standing atop the hill as the winds died down and the rain left us, and staring in absolute amazement at the scene below me. I even stopped walking, turned to my friends, and exclaimed: "Look where we ARE!" It was a scene from a fairy tale as we crunched down the gravelly path to end the tour.
But the beauty didn't stop there...
The remainder of the ride to the hotel will be etched into my memory forever. Mountains covered in flowers and tough soil soaring above us as the bluest of blue lakes lay at their feet. We even stopped briefly to take scenic pics of Kylemore Abbey (I tried posting pictures, but the uploading isn't working for some reason D:) and saw the bar from the Irish movie "The Field" as we passed through Connemara to Sligo.
We reached our wonderful Glasshouse hotel, for even though the color painted on the rooms was a burnt orange or a bright lime green, the food was delightful and the internet was free! Oh Sligo, you are too wonderful!
Our professor took us to the Carrowmore tombs the following day as well as Knocknarea, the resting place of the Irish legend Queen Medb. Supposedly, the queen is buried at the top of Knocknarea under a cairn dressed in full battle armor and standing up! She is facing her enemies in Ulster (or the north) in case they return to take her lands. Lesson learned: Irish women were as badass as the guys!
We were allowed one day to explore the town on our own, so we simply found a pretty trail along the lake as well as a field of daffodils that we frolicked through. Not to mention we saw the abbey that Bram Stoker grew up near, and where he got his inspiration for some book from his mother about people who popped out of their graves at night. Dracula, was it?
And, at the end of our stay in Sligo, I officially purchased my plane ticket to travel outside of Ireland while in the general vicinity. The destination....?
Edinburgh, Scotland.
YES.
On the way to our hotel, we stopped at Aughnanure Castle which had several dogs running around the grounds (win) and then Connemara National Park where our tour guide brought us out onto bogland. The classic Irish bog was perfectly wet and springy as we sloshed through the tour. We almost began nodding off when the guide began passing around peat turf, but those Irish clouds returned with a vengeance. Again, it took only minutes for the rain to catch us, and we climbed up the steep hillside like Simba on Pride Rock at the end of The Lion King. But, like the movie, we were rewarded with the most beautiful view. Surrounded by Irish mountains, gorse bushes, flocks of sheep, and grassy fields, the sun shone out on the breathtaking National Park. I will never forget standing atop the hill as the winds died down and the rain left us, and staring in absolute amazement at the scene below me. I even stopped walking, turned to my friends, and exclaimed: "Look where we ARE!" It was a scene from a fairy tale as we crunched down the gravelly path to end the tour.
But the beauty didn't stop there...
The remainder of the ride to the hotel will be etched into my memory forever. Mountains covered in flowers and tough soil soaring above us as the bluest of blue lakes lay at their feet. We even stopped briefly to take scenic pics of Kylemore Abbey (I tried posting pictures, but the uploading isn't working for some reason D:) and saw the bar from the Irish movie "The Field" as we passed through Connemara to Sligo.
We reached our wonderful Glasshouse hotel, for even though the color painted on the rooms was a burnt orange or a bright lime green, the food was delightful and the internet was free! Oh Sligo, you are too wonderful!
Our professor took us to the Carrowmore tombs the following day as well as Knocknarea, the resting place of the Irish legend Queen Medb. Supposedly, the queen is buried at the top of Knocknarea under a cairn dressed in full battle armor and standing up! She is facing her enemies in Ulster (or the north) in case they return to take her lands. Lesson learned: Irish women were as badass as the guys!
We were allowed one day to explore the town on our own, so we simply found a pretty trail along the lake as well as a field of daffodils that we frolicked through. Not to mention we saw the abbey that Bram Stoker grew up near, and where he got his inspiration for some book from his mother about people who popped out of their graves at night. Dracula, was it?
And, at the end of our stay in Sligo, I officially purchased my plane ticket to travel outside of Ireland while in the general vicinity. The destination....?
Edinburgh, Scotland.
YES.
Goodbye Galway, Hello Sligo!
Sorry about the delay in posts, folks! Homework combined with brief visits to various cities (both done with horrible internet connections) have left my brain scrambled with priorities. Now that I have some time, here's what you've missed:
Our two glorious weeks in Galway sadly came to an end. We took three tests and our classes in the Jury's Inn bar (I made sure to sit right in front of the Guinness tap!), and suddenly and onslaught of complaints was brought up concerning our workload for this trip. I understand that this is an academic experience overall, but when you have tests on the same day that count for the majority of your grade, it kinda sucks to have to only see Ireland from your hotel window while reading horrible accounts of rock formations. God help us. Somehow we managed to survive it, and make the most or our stay.
Two days after our dreaded midterms were over, we took a ferry over to Inishmor, the largest of the three Aran Islands. The boat ride over was supposed to be smooth sailing according to our professor, but giant waves turned it into a fun roller coaster ride for most of us, and a puke fest for others. Upon arrival, we had bikes rented and ready to go for us, and our teachers informed us of Dun Aengus, a well-preserved ring fort on the opposite end of the island that we should try to reach. My group of friends decided to make a quick stop to the Aran Woolen Market where we each purchased our individualized Aran sweaters before beginning our journey to the fort. Let me pause briefly to note that riding my bike along the coastal shore of Inishmor was perhaps the most glorifying thing I have ever done and probably will do again when I return to Ireland. It was majestically beautiful, quiet, and full of salty sea air. Well, it was until we noticed the giant Irish rain cloud headed our way. Within minutes, the strong but enjoyable winds turned to vicious attackers: it slanted the rain at us and jabbed at our faces like a million tiny needles. We took shelter in the ruins of a building and endured the lessened storm until it passed by as quickly as it came. Soaked and laughing, we decided to try to make it a bit further until we were hit again and turned tail for the town. We saw a few seals on the way back and finally took shelter in an adorable cafe where we ate our hearts out. With a few hours left before the ferry was to return to the mainland (only 1 ferry ride a day that arrives and leaves with the tide), we headed in a different direction to a deserted beach to enjoy the sea. However, on the sand dunes we found the cutest little dog the ran through the waves and chased after shells that we tossed for him. We named him Naoise after the Irish story of Deidre, and he followed us into town as we decided what to do with the lost pup. Making our way back to the Aran Market and saving Naoise from oncoming tour buses, we found out that he is a local wanderer that everyone knows as Guinness due to his black and brown markings. Guinness then disappeared around a corner with some Asian tourists as we made our way to the ferry. Another incredible ride over the high seas found us back to Ireland where we swiftly fell asleep on the bus back to Galway.
On Tuesday, April 23rd, we were shuttled out to the infamous Burren, a landscape made up of karst limestone (so many geology readings...) that looks intimidatingly barren and eerie. However, the flora of this area is the richest in the entirety of Ireland! Our bio professor set up a meeting with an archeologist/stone mason to teach us dry mI tasonry in order to help repair a farmer's stone wall. We learned quickly, for as soon as we drove out to the site, the most difficult part proved to be just getting to the wall itself! We stacked large stones on top of dips in the wall, and it is actually important that there is space between the rocks because if there isn't, strong winds will actually knock over close stones. Instead, gaps provide aerodynamic escapes for gusts, which is why many stone walls have been up for hundreds of years! The ancient Irishmen continue to impress...
Once the wall was completed, our guide led us up the landscape-a difficult climb indeed-and to a ring fort located at the top of the site. Again, we got to see the results of a true architect: the fort itself has no adhesive to keep rocks together! Perhaps we'll be good enough to build something like that one day!
The climb back down was more terrifying than going up; steep sides caused us to slip and slide down grassy patches until, bruised and fatigued, we made it to an area close to the bottom where our guide pointed out the words "EIRE" made out of stones. These words mean "Ireland", and were used to notify German pilots in WW2 that the land they were flying over and potentially trying to bomb was not their intended target (Britain). It was amazing to see that these signs were still present on the Irish coast even after half a century of wear and tear.
Two final notes on Galway: a friend asked us to accompany her to Athenry where she could visit a holy well for her senior project as well as a heritage center that taught people some archery and history of the town (known for the song The Fields of Athenry). Archery? HECK YES! A large group of us headed there where I discovered I am an excellent archer (making the middle of the target twice!), a competitive maze runner, and a knight in shining armor. That's right: along with the tour of the heritage center, we got to dress up as ladies or knights, and there was no way I was trading chain mail and swords in for a gown! The tour was phenomenal as we learned of weaponry and country life, and a stop at a local cafe ended our day at Athenry.
On our last day in Galway, we walked around town finding a light house in the distance and then hit up several bars (Bierhaus, The Spanish Arch, and The Quays) before dancing all night in a cozy nightclub called the Electric Garden. It was the perfect end to an exciting stay in probably the greatest city in Ireland.
Next up, Sligo!
Our two glorious weeks in Galway sadly came to an end. We took three tests and our classes in the Jury's Inn bar (I made sure to sit right in front of the Guinness tap!), and suddenly and onslaught of complaints was brought up concerning our workload for this trip. I understand that this is an academic experience overall, but when you have tests on the same day that count for the majority of your grade, it kinda sucks to have to only see Ireland from your hotel window while reading horrible accounts of rock formations. God help us. Somehow we managed to survive it, and make the most or our stay.
Two days after our dreaded midterms were over, we took a ferry over to Inishmor, the largest of the three Aran Islands. The boat ride over was supposed to be smooth sailing according to our professor, but giant waves turned it into a fun roller coaster ride for most of us, and a puke fest for others. Upon arrival, we had bikes rented and ready to go for us, and our teachers informed us of Dun Aengus, a well-preserved ring fort on the opposite end of the island that we should try to reach. My group of friends decided to make a quick stop to the Aran Woolen Market where we each purchased our individualized Aran sweaters before beginning our journey to the fort. Let me pause briefly to note that riding my bike along the coastal shore of Inishmor was perhaps the most glorifying thing I have ever done and probably will do again when I return to Ireland. It was majestically beautiful, quiet, and full of salty sea air. Well, it was until we noticed the giant Irish rain cloud headed our way. Within minutes, the strong but enjoyable winds turned to vicious attackers: it slanted the rain at us and jabbed at our faces like a million tiny needles. We took shelter in the ruins of a building and endured the lessened storm until it passed by as quickly as it came. Soaked and laughing, we decided to try to make it a bit further until we were hit again and turned tail for the town. We saw a few seals on the way back and finally took shelter in an adorable cafe where we ate our hearts out. With a few hours left before the ferry was to return to the mainland (only 1 ferry ride a day that arrives and leaves with the tide), we headed in a different direction to a deserted beach to enjoy the sea. However, on the sand dunes we found the cutest little dog the ran through the waves and chased after shells that we tossed for him. We named him Naoise after the Irish story of Deidre, and he followed us into town as we decided what to do with the lost pup. Making our way back to the Aran Market and saving Naoise from oncoming tour buses, we found out that he is a local wanderer that everyone knows as Guinness due to his black and brown markings. Guinness then disappeared around a corner with some Asian tourists as we made our way to the ferry. Another incredible ride over the high seas found us back to Ireland where we swiftly fell asleep on the bus back to Galway.
On Tuesday, April 23rd, we were shuttled out to the infamous Burren, a landscape made up of karst limestone (so many geology readings...) that looks intimidatingly barren and eerie. However, the flora of this area is the richest in the entirety of Ireland! Our bio professor set up a meeting with an archeologist/stone mason to teach us dry mI tasonry in order to help repair a farmer's stone wall. We learned quickly, for as soon as we drove out to the site, the most difficult part proved to be just getting to the wall itself! We stacked large stones on top of dips in the wall, and it is actually important that there is space between the rocks because if there isn't, strong winds will actually knock over close stones. Instead, gaps provide aerodynamic escapes for gusts, which is why many stone walls have been up for hundreds of years! The ancient Irishmen continue to impress...
Once the wall was completed, our guide led us up the landscape-a difficult climb indeed-and to a ring fort located at the top of the site. Again, we got to see the results of a true architect: the fort itself has no adhesive to keep rocks together! Perhaps we'll be good enough to build something like that one day!
The climb back down was more terrifying than going up; steep sides caused us to slip and slide down grassy patches until, bruised and fatigued, we made it to an area close to the bottom where our guide pointed out the words "EIRE" made out of stones. These words mean "Ireland", and were used to notify German pilots in WW2 that the land they were flying over and potentially trying to bomb was not their intended target (Britain). It was amazing to see that these signs were still present on the Irish coast even after half a century of wear and tear.
Two final notes on Galway: a friend asked us to accompany her to Athenry where she could visit a holy well for her senior project as well as a heritage center that taught people some archery and history of the town (known for the song The Fields of Athenry). Archery? HECK YES! A large group of us headed there where I discovered I am an excellent archer (making the middle of the target twice!), a competitive maze runner, and a knight in shining armor. That's right: along with the tour of the heritage center, we got to dress up as ladies or knights, and there was no way I was trading chain mail and swords in for a gown! The tour was phenomenal as we learned of weaponry and country life, and a stop at a local cafe ended our day at Athenry.
On our last day in Galway, we walked around town finding a light house in the distance and then hit up several bars (Bierhaus, The Spanish Arch, and The Quays) before dancing all night in a cozy nightclub called the Electric Garden. It was the perfect end to an exciting stay in probably the greatest city in Ireland.
Next up, Sligo!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Claddaghs and Sea Captains
Our first stop out in the streets of Galway was to a Claddagh shop considering Galway is a stone's throw away from the village of Claddagh itself. Claddagh rings are a classic Irish symbol representing love, loyalty, and friendship through the ring's design of a heart wearing a crown whilst being held by a pair of hands. I had already bought my Claddagh ring in Ennis simply because I figured it would cost way less there than in the heart of where the ring was originated, and I only wanted a simple sterling silver design. Therefore, as my friends searched away for their personal Claddaghs, my attention was caught by another ring entirely: a sterling silver ring with a Connemara marble stone and sided by trinity markings. I went to bed with the thoughts of that ring in my mind, so the following day I knew I had to buy it!
By lunchtime, we were starving and since the food at our hotel ABSOLUTELY SUCKS, we found a Papa John's and feasted like kings. For 5 euros apiece, we were rewarded with: 1 sausage and pepperoni pizza, a box of garlic bread, 4 pieces of chicken, a handful of fries, and a 1.5 liter of Coca-Cola. 'Merica.
Anywho's...we couldn't stay out long because the following day was a biology test :( We can't complain too much, however, because we got to take our test in the hotel's bar since there was no other room to do it. I sat myself at the counter right in front of the Guinness tap to solidify the awesomeness of it all. The test went well, and we remained in the bar for our classes.
On Thursday we had a dolphin-watching session planned for our bio class, and with our professor's record of that previous boat tour (see "Christ on a Bike" blog), our apprehension was at an all-time high. Fortunately, it turned out to be the BEST experience of the trip so far! Our boat, the "Draiocht" (meaning magic in Gaelic), took off from the Shannon River early in the morning and took about an hour to reach the heart of the estuary, but the patience was well rewarded. Bottlenose dolphins began popping out of the water like daisies! We all tried clicking away with our cameras, but we were pretty sure that these dolphin were druids because within a second they were back underwater. Yet it taught us to take in the experience instead of wait for the perfect photo. It was more incredible to see these genetically discrete dolphins of the Shanon Estuary than it ever was at the Brookfield Zoo dolphin shows. Our lit teacher was especially ecstatic and yelled/pointed every time a dolphin surfaced. Once the dolphins made their way out to sea, the boat took another course near a cliffside where Ireland ends and the ocean begins. We came up close and personal to the cliffs, though luckily far enough from these gorgeous waves that crashed majestically against the cliff. We loitered there for a bit, and made our way back with the wind blowing the salty sea air through our hair. Well, at least for most of us. A good handful of people stuck towards the back of the boat and puked their guts out. Glad I wasn't one of them. Instead, my lit teacher and I decided we should have a fishing business just so we could live on the waves!
Galway itself is the perfect combination of Dublin's city with Killarney's intimacy: people are rushing about the town, but they weren't totally driven by that sense of purpose. It's literally a breath of fresh air to walk along the River Corrib and then run into town to check out clothing boutiques, bookstores, and jewelry shops. I love it here so much. Ireland has utterly stolen my heart.
Anywho's...we couldn't stay out long because the following day was a biology test :( We can't complain too much, however, because we got to take our test in the hotel's bar since there was no other room to do it. I sat myself at the counter right in front of the Guinness tap to solidify the awesomeness of it all. The test went well, and we remained in the bar for our classes.
On Thursday we had a dolphin-watching session planned for our bio class, and with our professor's record of that previous boat tour (see "Christ on a Bike" blog), our apprehension was at an all-time high. Fortunately, it turned out to be the BEST experience of the trip so far! Our boat, the "Draiocht" (meaning magic in Gaelic), took off from the Shannon River early in the morning and took about an hour to reach the heart of the estuary, but the patience was well rewarded. Bottlenose dolphins began popping out of the water like daisies! We all tried clicking away with our cameras, but we were pretty sure that these dolphin were druids because within a second they were back underwater. Yet it taught us to take in the experience instead of wait for the perfect photo. It was more incredible to see these genetically discrete dolphins of the Shanon Estuary than it ever was at the Brookfield Zoo dolphin shows. Our lit teacher was especially ecstatic and yelled/pointed every time a dolphin surfaced. Once the dolphins made their way out to sea, the boat took another course near a cliffside where Ireland ends and the ocean begins. We came up close and personal to the cliffs, though luckily far enough from these gorgeous waves that crashed majestically against the cliff. We loitered there for a bit, and made our way back with the wind blowing the salty sea air through our hair. Well, at least for most of us. A good handful of people stuck towards the back of the boat and puked their guts out. Glad I wasn't one of them. Instead, my lit teacher and I decided we should have a fishing business just so we could live on the waves!
Galway itself is the perfect combination of Dublin's city with Killarney's intimacy: people are rushing about the town, but they weren't totally driven by that sense of purpose. It's literally a breath of fresh air to walk along the River Corrib and then run into town to check out clothing boutiques, bookstores, and jewelry shops. I love it here so much. Ireland has utterly stolen my heart.
Galway Girl
We’ve reached the halfway point, folks! Is there really only
5 more weeks left in Ireland?! My parents might have to start worrying for real
this time because owning a home over here is looking like a pretty dang good
idea. Don’t worry mom and dad, you’ll always be welcome to visit! :D
Four lovely days in Ennis came to a pleasing end as we
turned our attention toward our next destination: Galway. However, on the way
to this very much talked about city, we were going to make a few stops along
the way. The first was to catch a glimpse of another ring fort that our
literature class has been discussing. What’s super interesting about them is
that they were constructed by dry masonry, meaning that the builders did not
use any kind of adhesive to ensure that the rocks stayed together. Instead,
they simply placed rock upon rock in a “corbelling” fashion: layering the rocks
so that as they rose higher, they slightly bent so that they came together with
a keystone, similar to an arch construction. This method kept the rocks
together and water would slide off the sides instead off in. The not
super-interesting part: it was the third one we’ve seen in a week. I had my sights
set on another attraction at the ring fort establishment: sheepdog
demonstrations!!!! Unfortunately, it was not part of our tour, and I became
extremely sad to the point that a
friend made sure to photograph my reaction.
I couldn’t be upset for long, though, because our next stop
was the most famous tourist attraction in all of Ireland: the Cliffs of Moher.
Our professors made sure to give us an extra long lecture on proper safety
measures to consider on the drive over there as well as informing us of a very
scary incident: earlier in the week, one of our professors took a trip to the
Cliffs, and apparently a woman who was coming to the Cliffs from Cork on the
same bus had committed suicide the very same day by jumping off. When our entire
group arrived that day on the way to Galway, the search team was still looking
for her body. The Cliffs are a terrifyingly wondrous thing to see, and I admit
that at some points where the fence ended, I was shaking and not from the wind.
Being on the Cliffs was like the sensation of looking at the stars in the sky
and acknowledging your insignificance in the world. All in all, though, it was
breathtaking to realize where I was, a little geek came out as we fangirled over
the site of Princess Bride’s cliffs of insanity.
We all made it back to the bus (thankfully), and continued
on to our final stop before Galway: a portal tomb. This particular tomb is
well-known for its durability throughout the years, and its placement within
the Burren. The landscape is covered in karst limestone, and it looks like
puzzle pieces of rock sticking out of the ground. We had a fun game of “the
grass is lava” as we hopped over on each stones.
*Quick note: we were pretty sure our bus driver was a
hitman.
Finally, finally, finally
Galway came into view. In the late afternoon, we drove with the River Corrib
flowing by us and the hubbub of the town coursing through the streets. We arrived
at Jury’s Inn and settled down long enough to throw our suitcases to the ground
and run out. Galway awaits!
Monday, April 8, 2013
A Good Place To Be
Though it hurt us to leave the beauty of Killarney, we had to say goodbye as we continue our journey. On Friday morning, we passed through the countryside with the Kerry Mountains in the rearview, and made our way to Ennis in Co. Clare. Our lit teacher, Dr. McDowell, isn't particularly fond of the area (calling it "a nice place...to drive through"), but our anthropology teacher emphasized the relevance of the stop as a music wonderland. He had set up a rendezvous with the well-known traditional Irish group the Ceili Bandits, but we weren't going to see them until Monday. Instead, we were given a longer leash to explore the cozy town of Ennis!
We found a coffee shop on practically every corner as well as pet shops and neat little boutiques. The intimacy of the town really reinforces that strong bond and sense of community with the Irish. Also, though, we realized that there is an incredible amount of European immigrants to Ennis especially, for we passed many Polish bakeries and grocery stores and our favorite lunch spot, "Souper", was run by several Hungarians! Immigration became huge after the Celtic Tiger era, and where better for decent work than an agriculturally-driven Ireland? I even met a Polish man taking his grandsons to the park, and demonstrated my ancestry when one of the boys, probably around 2 years old, picked a daisy and gave it to me. I replied with "dziękuję", or thank you, and the man was pleased to hear it.
On our second day in Ennis, we realized that we needed to play catch up with our homework, and found a quiet field to read in, except that we weren't alone. A man approached us, but his appearance and speech clearly noted that he was socially challenged, and he kept asking us what we were doing. We replied that we were reading our anthropology books for our class, and he sat on the ground and stared up at the sky and eating a bag of chips as we read. Eventually he staggered off, allowing us to discuss what had happened, but he returned carrying a 2-liter bottle of "traditional cider" (aka alcohol), and repeated his questions from before. We answered similarly, and he staggered off again in a drunken stupor. He returned a third time with a bag of M&M's, offering them to us, but we refused, using our eyes to communicate to each other that it was time to get the hell out of there. He suddenly tossed a piece of candy at a friend, and we gathered our stuff and politely bid him adieu as we left the field. We eventually found an actual park to sit and read in which proved to be much better. Later that night, we went to a pub called Brogan's where two men were playing music, though nothing too entertaining, so we finished our pints and headed out to wander some more. We stumbled across a place called Enzo's that offers burgers for 2.40 euro! We were so excited for such a cheap price (even the McDonald's here is at least 3 euro for stuff on the dollar menu), that we grabbed some bacon burgers and happily ate back to the hotel.
On Sunday, we prepared a Bio study session since we have a test this upcoming Wednesday, and that took about 3 hours to go through. Can't escape reality even when you are in Ireland, unfortunately. But the session was good for us all to feel comfortable with the approaching exam, and we spent the remainder of the day doing homework and watching Sherlock after dinner.
*A quick note: our hotel, The Temple Gate, has the best food that I've ever had in my life. Professionally made potato skins, salmon, cod, chicken, soups, and especially the desserts! Hot chocolate brownies, toffee ice cream with meringue, orange & chocolate chip cheesecake...ahhh too bad it's only 4 days here...
I'm writing now on our last day, where I went out and bought a Sterling Silver Claddagh ring for only 25 euros. I was thinking of waiting until Galway to get one, but even there cheaper ones cost 40-45 euros simply because Galway is where the claddagh ring originated. I was also glad to purchase the ring from a lovely woman with her own jewelry shop, so it felt good to give back to the small community. At 2pm, we returned to Brogan's where we just finished our session with the Ceili Bandits, and incredibly fun and gifted group of musicians who introduced us to the differences in Irish music (jigs, reels, etc). After dinner, we will be going to watch their session in the popular pub and see them perform in a traditional setting. The violin player, Yvonne, told us about how she gets lost in the music when she plays both alone and with a group, and how it is a good place to be. Her words reflected upon this stop in Ennis as a whole, for though there may not be dozens of monuments and attractions to see as tourists, that doesn't make it any less beautiful.
We found a coffee shop on practically every corner as well as pet shops and neat little boutiques. The intimacy of the town really reinforces that strong bond and sense of community with the Irish. Also, though, we realized that there is an incredible amount of European immigrants to Ennis especially, for we passed many Polish bakeries and grocery stores and our favorite lunch spot, "Souper", was run by several Hungarians! Immigration became huge after the Celtic Tiger era, and where better for decent work than an agriculturally-driven Ireland? I even met a Polish man taking his grandsons to the park, and demonstrated my ancestry when one of the boys, probably around 2 years old, picked a daisy and gave it to me. I replied with "dziękuję", or thank you, and the man was pleased to hear it.
On our second day in Ennis, we realized that we needed to play catch up with our homework, and found a quiet field to read in, except that we weren't alone. A man approached us, but his appearance and speech clearly noted that he was socially challenged, and he kept asking us what we were doing. We replied that we were reading our anthropology books for our class, and he sat on the ground and stared up at the sky and eating a bag of chips as we read. Eventually he staggered off, allowing us to discuss what had happened, but he returned carrying a 2-liter bottle of "traditional cider" (aka alcohol), and repeated his questions from before. We answered similarly, and he staggered off again in a drunken stupor. He returned a third time with a bag of M&M's, offering them to us, but we refused, using our eyes to communicate to each other that it was time to get the hell out of there. He suddenly tossed a piece of candy at a friend, and we gathered our stuff and politely bid him adieu as we left the field. We eventually found an actual park to sit and read in which proved to be much better. Later that night, we went to a pub called Brogan's where two men were playing music, though nothing too entertaining, so we finished our pints and headed out to wander some more. We stumbled across a place called Enzo's that offers burgers for 2.40 euro! We were so excited for such a cheap price (even the McDonald's here is at least 3 euro for stuff on the dollar menu), that we grabbed some bacon burgers and happily ate back to the hotel.
On Sunday, we prepared a Bio study session since we have a test this upcoming Wednesday, and that took about 3 hours to go through. Can't escape reality even when you are in Ireland, unfortunately. But the session was good for us all to feel comfortable with the approaching exam, and we spent the remainder of the day doing homework and watching Sherlock after dinner.
*A quick note: our hotel, The Temple Gate, has the best food that I've ever had in my life. Professionally made potato skins, salmon, cod, chicken, soups, and especially the desserts! Hot chocolate brownies, toffee ice cream with meringue, orange & chocolate chip cheesecake...ahhh too bad it's only 4 days here...
I'm writing now on our last day, where I went out and bought a Sterling Silver Claddagh ring for only 25 euros. I was thinking of waiting until Galway to get one, but even there cheaper ones cost 40-45 euros simply because Galway is where the claddagh ring originated. I was also glad to purchase the ring from a lovely woman with her own jewelry shop, so it felt good to give back to the small community. At 2pm, we returned to Brogan's where we just finished our session with the Ceili Bandits, and incredibly fun and gifted group of musicians who introduced us to the differences in Irish music (jigs, reels, etc). After dinner, we will be going to watch their session in the popular pub and see them perform in a traditional setting. The violin player, Yvonne, told us about how she gets lost in the music when she plays both alone and with a group, and how it is a good place to be. Her words reflected upon this stop in Ennis as a whole, for though there may not be dozens of monuments and attractions to see as tourists, that doesn't make it any less beautiful.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Christ on a Bike!
Sore from all our endeavors on the mountain, we weren’t too
crazy about our class schedule this week because we were going to be visiting
the Muckross House in the Killarney National Park (a 1 hour walk just to get
there), Wednesday was a visit to the Ross Castle (30min walk), Thursday’s yew
wood hike (4hrs long), and Friday’s boat tour/hike (3 hours). My body was not
very happy to hear about all this walking, and when it came around to the
visits, I walked as if my legs were noodles. I can’t complain too much, though,
for the trips were well worth it all.
Muckross House, situated in the middle of the National Park,
was a wedding gift to an American and Irish couple that eventually was donated
to the country of Ireland after their deaths. The house is also famous because
Queen Victoria spent three days there, which the family spent years in
preparation for. We were able to see the trends of the time period that are
preserved in the house, such as the heads of deer hanging from the walls
(including the antlers of a 10,000 yr old giant Irish deer!) and the women’s
parlor that had strange devices used to block the women’s faces from the
fireplace so their wax makeup wouldn’t melt. The people who retain the house
today also make sure to keep up their craftsmanship shops (pottery, knitting,
etc.) as a way to preserve the original culture.
Ross Castle was a fascinating fortification to behold, and
especially to experience. The Castle is located in the National Park as well,
right beside a lake. It was specifically built in a manner to protect against
cattle raids, with small slit windows to use longbows out of, and the stone
spiral staircases that are built as such in order to disrupt the coordination
of any soldier trying to run up it. The steps are purposefully built out of
synch with one another and in a spiral to upset the human body’s balance. We
got to see the main hall for dining and sleeping which of course only had
enough furniture for the head of the house; everyone else was to find a spot on
the floor. An interesting fact about the castle was that the owner of it lived
in another house during a different time of the year, and when a tax was placed
on roofing, the owner had the roof removed. The roof was reconstructed based on
the architecture of a different Irish castle in order to restore it.
Thursday’s hike through the National Park was what most of
us were looking forward to: Irish nature! We returned to the Muckross House to
start (argghhh more walking), and suffered through the most boring presentation
of protecting the Irish parks imaginable. Even one of our professors fell
asleep in the back of the class (we have photo evidence). Thankfully, the lecture
on stump treatments ended, and we met up with our tour guide Chris and his
collie/shepherd mix Lizzie. The tour started on a path from Muckross House, but
within a few minutes we were veering offroad into the woods. The first
challenge of the hike was to walk through a tiny cave that would lead us to the
yewwood. Not being a fan of dark, enclosed places, I grasped the jacket of my
friend in front of me as we felt our way through sheer blackness. It was only a
few minutes through (with Lizzie running in and out of fearlessly), yet it
certainly gives you the appreciation of the people who first go through places
like this. I caught my breath as everyone else filed through, and Chris led us
across moss-covered rocks on a path that led us to the fenced off grove of yew
trees. This Irish yewwood is only one of three in the world, and is protected
by European law. The trees themselves have poisonous leaves, hence the fencing,
but scientists are trying to protect these trees from extinction. Fun Fact: Due
to the yewberry’s slimey consistency, they are known as “snottygogs”! We also
came upon the ruins of a ring fort that was now known as a fairy circle. We had
to walk backwards out of it so as not to upset the fair folk, though I was the
only one who did so. Good luck to those who didn’t! We spent more time pushing
through the bramble as the day grew colder, and finally made it to a craggy
outcropping at the edge of the wood that overlooked the Upper Lake and the
regal mountains. Eventually, we made it out of the magical yewwood, and the sun
even greeted us as we escaped the dense forest into the clear grassy plains.
Finally, we ended our week with a boat tour and hike in the National Park. By this time, my legs had fully recovered from Monday’s mountain climbing, but we were faced with an even crueler adversary: the cold. The wind chilled us to the bone as we piled into three motor boats that took us to several islands on the lake. We first visited the ruins of an abbey which was cool for about 15 minutes, and then we all found alcoves to hide from the wind. The next two stops involved going against the wind while on our boats, so the water sprayed our already frozen bodies. When we landed and explored some of the ruins of an old building, our literature professor waited until the tour guide was out of sight before exclaiming: “Christ on a bike, it’s so cold!!” Our trip ended early as most of us were too cold to even eat food because it meant taking our hands out of our pockets. But of course, a 30 minute walk still awaited us to get back to the hotel, and our professors hung back to catch a ride with our tour guide as we students cursed their names while they drove past us. We reminded them that revenge is a dish best served cold, or in their case, very very cold. Let the plotting begin.
Climbing Carrauntoohil
Here is the wonderful story of how we climbed the highest mountain in Ireland:
Four of us decided last Sunday that we were going to climb Carrauntoohil, a mountain that is part of the Macgillycuddy Reeks mountain range as well as tallest mountain in Ireland. Well, three of us were interested and strangely this other girl who irritates all of us wanted to go as well. We questioned this because she hates walking anywhere, and we didn't think she understood that we were climbing a MOUNTAIN, not a small hill. She insisted that she wanted to go so we dragged her along anyways. We started at the tourist office in town to get any trail maps that we might need, and when we asked the lady in the office, she gave us a strange look and asked us if we were experienced climbers. We said no, and she continued to give us questioning looks, but got out a map of the Carrountoohil trail and another trail that was simply a loop around the base of the mountain that required no climbing skills. She also informed us that the summit of the mountain was -12 degrees. I started to doubt our adventure, but the other 2 girls with me insisted that we go anyway. We took a taxi with a super nice old British man who pointed out major landmarks during the 20 minute ride, and he dropped us off at a small yard surrounded by bleating sheep and wished us luck. We set off from Cronin's Yard and marched along the beginning of the simple loop for beginners and found lovely scenery surrounded still by sheep in lambing season so we got to see lots of babies! We took lots of pictures as the trail led us to creeks and streams bubbling happily along, and saw that many bridges were named after climbers who died in the national park. Comforting, right? We reached the halfway point of the loop which is situated between 2 lakes and had lunch there, deciding if we were to continue straight toward the mountain or turn to follow the path back. My friends still wanted to continue so we did and it was easy going for a while. As we got closer, we saw a long, steep path leading near the mountain and knew that was where we had to go, we just didn't know how we were going to get there.
Fortunately, we ran into 2 experienced hikers who told us all about how to climb the mountain, and they would be going the same way so they told us to follow them. We started climbing at the base of the gulley we were to ascend, and it was simple at first, making sure to mind our steps and not to slip on rocks, but as we got further we needed to use our hands to secure our footholds. Halfway up the gulley, the annoying girl simply could not go on so she stayed on a large cliff as the three of us followed the hikers (Rob and Owen) up the gulley. The funniest part was that when we took breaks, the hikers got out cigarettes and smoked and we found out Rob had a hangover and was still climbing the mountain. Only in Ireland.
The 2nd half of the climb was rough: we had to be careful not to slip, and it was getting steeper and icier as we closed in on the top so we had to take more time. But we made it to the top of the gulley, and were rewarded with a beautiful view! The mountain range went on for miles and miles and a valley lay on the other side of the gulley. The top of the gulley itself was covered in frosty grass that we ran around singing The Sound of Music to. The hikers took us a ways up the actually mountain itself, but we didn't go all the way because it would take us another hour to get there and 45 min to get down, and we couldn't leave the other girl in the cold. We almost made it to the top, but had to turn back, though I did capture a picture of the black cross at the top of the mountain.
Going down was the scariest thing in my life. We had to go EXTRA slow otherwise fall to our deaths. I literally butt-slided down at the speed of smell since my legs were already exhausted from climbing up. We took our time and eventually made it back down where we had to trek through marshy areas to make it to the path where we separated from the hikers and headed back to Cronin's Yard. We called a cab back and ate dinner like homeless people and slept like rocks. After that experience, it feels like there is nothing I can't do.
Plus, we wanted to go back to the tourist office and shove it all in that lady's face!
Four of us decided last Sunday that we were going to climb Carrauntoohil, a mountain that is part of the Macgillycuddy Reeks mountain range as well as tallest mountain in Ireland. Well, three of us were interested and strangely this other girl who irritates all of us wanted to go as well. We questioned this because she hates walking anywhere, and we didn't think she understood that we were climbing a MOUNTAIN, not a small hill. She insisted that she wanted to go so we dragged her along anyways. We started at the tourist office in town to get any trail maps that we might need, and when we asked the lady in the office, she gave us a strange look and asked us if we were experienced climbers. We said no, and she continued to give us questioning looks, but got out a map of the Carrountoohil trail and another trail that was simply a loop around the base of the mountain that required no climbing skills. She also informed us that the summit of the mountain was -12 degrees. I started to doubt our adventure, but the other 2 girls with me insisted that we go anyway. We took a taxi with a super nice old British man who pointed out major landmarks during the 20 minute ride, and he dropped us off at a small yard surrounded by bleating sheep and wished us luck. We set off from Cronin's Yard and marched along the beginning of the simple loop for beginners and found lovely scenery surrounded still by sheep in lambing season so we got to see lots of babies! We took lots of pictures as the trail led us to creeks and streams bubbling happily along, and saw that many bridges were named after climbers who died in the national park. Comforting, right? We reached the halfway point of the loop which is situated between 2 lakes and had lunch there, deciding if we were to continue straight toward the mountain or turn to follow the path back. My friends still wanted to continue so we did and it was easy going for a while. As we got closer, we saw a long, steep path leading near the mountain and knew that was where we had to go, we just didn't know how we were going to get there.
Fortunately, we ran into 2 experienced hikers who told us all about how to climb the mountain, and they would be going the same way so they told us to follow them. We started climbing at the base of the gulley we were to ascend, and it was simple at first, making sure to mind our steps and not to slip on rocks, but as we got further we needed to use our hands to secure our footholds. Halfway up the gulley, the annoying girl simply could not go on so she stayed on a large cliff as the three of us followed the hikers (Rob and Owen) up the gulley. The funniest part was that when we took breaks, the hikers got out cigarettes and smoked and we found out Rob had a hangover and was still climbing the mountain. Only in Ireland.
The 2nd half of the climb was rough: we had to be careful not to slip, and it was getting steeper and icier as we closed in on the top so we had to take more time. But we made it to the top of the gulley, and were rewarded with a beautiful view! The mountain range went on for miles and miles and a valley lay on the other side of the gulley. The top of the gulley itself was covered in frosty grass that we ran around singing The Sound of Music to. The hikers took us a ways up the actually mountain itself, but we didn't go all the way because it would take us another hour to get there and 45 min to get down, and we couldn't leave the other girl in the cold. We almost made it to the top, but had to turn back, though I did capture a picture of the black cross at the top of the mountain.
Going down was the scariest thing in my life. We had to go EXTRA slow otherwise fall to our deaths. I literally butt-slided down at the speed of smell since my legs were already exhausted from climbing up. We took our time and eventually made it back down where we had to trek through marshy areas to make it to the path where we separated from the hikers and headed back to Cronin's Yard. We called a cab back and ate dinner like homeless people and slept like rocks. After that experience, it feels like there is nothing I can't do.
Plus, we wanted to go back to the tourist office and shove it all in that lady's face!
Killarney!
After two weeks in Dublin accompanied by a strong desire to
get out of the city, our class was ready to set off to our second destination:
Killarney. Unfortunately, the bus service that was supposed to pick us up at
9am forgot to schedule a bus for us. We waited around until they could send
another one for us which arrived at 11:30am instead, delaying us from our plans
to visit the Rock of Cashel, but we kept a fairly happy mood as we left the
city. Driving from the urban metropolis to the countryside was a beautiful
thing despite the typical rainy Irish weather. Watching the houses fade away to
rolling green hills hyped up our company as we were finally reaching that
idealistic vision of Ireland. As we oohed and aahed at the scenery before us,
we were met with a metaphorical bump in the road: the Rock of Cashel was closed
due to inclement weather. Inclement weather? Ireland is the epitome of
inclement weather! There was nothing to be done about it without completely
going out of our way, so we journeyed on to instead take a short detour trip to
the small town of Adare, a place known for its thatched-roof homes. We ran
around the park after a good 2 hours of driving, eager to stretch our legs, but
within twenty minutes it was time to move on. Most of us decided to nap at that
point, because we had one hour to go to get to Killarney. We were awoken,
though, by the uproar about a rainbow appearing as the sun came out while the
rain still fell, and it was beautiful to see the colors shining over small
farms and hills. Then, a second rainbow shone through, inciting cheers of “OH
MY GOD IT’S A DOUBLE RAINBOW!” from the YouTube video. Even though our day had
started rough and we missed a prominent Irish landmark, the glory of nature
saved the trip. Before we knew it, we were curving through the streets of
Killarney where we reached the Holiday Inn.
We piled out of the bus and got the opportunity to quickly
run around the town itself which is incredibly small yet homey. After an hour,
we ran back to have dinner where it was announced that the following morning
would include a scavenger hunt to get acquainted to Killarney. At 7am, my group
got up very early to complete the hunt and get a chance to win the prizes at
the end of the game. Most other groups decided sleep was way more important
than the scavenger hunt, but two other girls and I ran around town remembering
places we had seen the previous day that fit the clues we were given and ended
up being the first group to finish! Our reward was a 15 euro gift certificate
to the local ice cream shop Murphy’s that is famous for having its ice cream
made in Dingle. It was a great way to get to know the area, but I am always in
awe just from walking from town to our hotel because of the Kerry mountains
that are visible in the distance. It’s surreal to allow the realization to
settle in, that you’re in this gorgeous country. I make sure to gaze at them
every trip back to the hotel.
The rest of the weekend was spent catching up on homework
since the weather was consistently damp, and we took full advantage of the
Holiday Inn’s Jacuzzi on these cold days. However, before class resumed on
Tuesday morning, we decided that we needed to get some hiking done. It was on
Monday that we began our epic adventure of climbing Carrauntoohil, the tallest
mountain in Ireland…
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