Ireland Adventure

I am a person that craves adventure, new experiences, and challenges. My trip to Ireland had all three. A 14 day trip around Ireland and Northern Ireland was exactly what my post- grad school heart needed and traveling with two life long friends (Katie and Val) made the experience even more special.

We started in Dublin and with a combination of enthusiasm and extreme jet lag, Val and I hit the city. A day of wandering and coffee was just what we needed to get comfortable in the city. My first reaction of Dublin was that it is an incredibly livable city. I love that you can walk everywhere and that a pint of Guinness in a pub with live music is the only way to finish the day. Day two brought more travel buddies and a trip to Catherine McAuley's house on Bagget Street. All my fellow Mercy girls understand the significance of that visit. It was a humbling reminder of how the actions of one person can truly have a global impact. The rest of the day was spent exploring Dublin and, my favorite, shopping! Beautiful parks, streets bustling with people, and the sound of the delightful Irish accent were some favorites of the day.

While we were in Dublin I had two favorite tourist stops- the Guinness factory and the Dublin Castle. The Guinness factory was an awesome learning experience- yes, I said learning! You are shown the details of how the beer is produced, told where the ingredients are gathered, taught how to pour a pint (119 seconds to the perfect pint) and told how to properly drink your pint. The drinking part took some practice for me. The tour guide actually stopped me and told me that I can't sip my Guinness and instead I have to gulp it like a man! So funny! Have no fear- I practiced throughout the rest of the trip and can say with certainty that I have it down! Then you get an awesome view of the city from the skyline bar. The Dublin Castle was the first castle of many that we visited throughout Ireland (and will soon be my new home). It was beautiful and hearing about the history of the country was interesting. Although, I think I can speak for my travel buddies when I say that, the ladies room was our favorite. Apparently, back in the day, women had to be asked to dance by a man or they were not allowed to leave this room during the dinner parties. While the room was exceptionally beautiful, the girls and I all agreed that we wait for no man! Let the dancing begin with or without them!

After our days in Dublin, we hired a car and drove north. The first stop of many was Newgrange (I cannot spell that!). It is an ancient tomb- the understanding of architecture and astrology that ancient people had always astounds me and this was no exception. The tomb was built to line up with the sunrise and annual eclipse, so that the light shines directly into the center of the open chamber. Very cool stuff! Then we traveled on to Northern Ireland where we stayed with the most adorable Irish couple in Bellfast. They were so hospitable and greeted us with a homemade dinner that would have satisfied a king. After that we spent an hour trying to find the pub that we wanted, only to end up in the oldest pub in Northern Ireland. This was such a fun night full of live music, coaster battles with a German and Frenchman, silly flirtations with the locals, and free pints most of the night. The next day in Bellfast we toured the City Hall and learned about some of he political unrest that has occurred in Northern Ireland. Then we walked to where the Titanic was built and launched. After a coffee, we tried to navigate the perpetually winding streets to no avail. This is the one city that I could never manage navigate- I'm so disappointed in myself! ha ha!

The next day we headed farther North toward London Derry. This was an AWESOME day that can only truly be appreciated with pictures. Favorites- driving on the "wrong" side of the road, seeing my ancestor's castle, crossing the rope bridge over cliffs and water, and seeing Giant's Causeway which was the sight of volcanic eruption that left beautiful stone formations. Our night in London Derry was so rowdy! The locals there were a blast and that's really all that can be said- oh and just for my travel buddies: "I dropped ketchup"! The fun of the night was followed , somewhat harshly, by the tour of the post-war city. The realization of how much the area had been impact by violence instigated by religious differences was astounding. The fact that it was taking place within my lifetime was powerful. We had the opportunity to see murals that have been painted throughout the city to commemorate the war and the destruction it caused. There is finally peace within the region but it is still fairly unstable with car bombs and rebel attacks that still occur.

We left London Derry and drove to Galloway- a place that I sincerely wish we could have spent more time. This is where we heard Wo Japen- a band that mixes traditional Irish music with Spanish influence. It is what I am currently listening to and would be happy to share with you, as it is delightful. Galloway is just how you would imagine it to be. I quaint college town that invites youth, shopping, and a casual attitude on life. My kind of place! This is where we were joined by our sixth and final travel buddy from Italy.

On our journey from Galloway to Cork we visited the beach town of Dingle where we ate the best ice cream ever. Cute town but I'm sure it would be more fun in the summer! This was a lovely driving day. We got to stop at the famous Cliffs of Moher. A picture is need to understand just how beautiful these are!

A few final favorites- Kissing the Blarney Stone. This stone is at the top of Blarney Castle and you actually have to hang upside down with your head outside the castle about 6 stories off the ground to kiss it. I wanted adventure and that for sure made the list! Other then that, the castle has beautiful grounds to explore.

Getting to know my new friends- Mandy and Alessandro. These are two rad people! We bonded over drinks, cards, cookie dough, and amazing Italian food that they were kind enough to prepare for us.

Seeing all the incredible variety of terrain within the country. There are beautiful mountains, ocean views, cliffs, forests, streams, and more that just make you stand in awe and wonder.

Overall, I feel blessed to have had this experience and hope you have enjoyed hearing about it.