IRELAND PART ONE

OK so I have returned from my trip to Ireland. For those of you who may not know, I have finally completed my Master's Degree and as a (most generous and fabulous graduation gift from my mom and step-dad), my mom and I set off for Ireland. Yay! After several attempts, I have finally been to the land of my ancestors. The following recounts the first 5 days worth of travels. It may be lengthy but stick with me! Part TWO coming soon!

Day 1:
We arrived the morning of Friday (9/5) in Dublin to pouring rain! We had to stand in a (super long) line for a taxi to the hotel in the pouring rain (with all of our luggage) for about 15 minutes. Welcome to Ireland! We finally made it to the hotel and since we were so tired from the overnight flight, we decided to take a quick nap. We had arrived one day earlier than our scheduled tour in order to have some time to explore Dublin. After waking up a little later we headed out to explore the City Centre of Dublin. Of course as soon as we left the hotel it started to rain again! We passed through a lovely park to get to Grafton street where the shopping starts! There was a Blarney Woolen Mills shop there and I found the cutest hat! After walking around a while, we were hungry and set off for some authentic Irish food. We found this place called Gallagher's Boxty House and I think I had the most delicious dinner I've ever had! I had what is called a corned beef and cabbage boxty. A boxty is an Irish pancake (almost like a crepe) that was filled with corned beef and cabbage with a delicious creamy sauce over the top. We had some colcanon and Irish soda bread. Oh my goodness! Every last bite was simply magnificent!













After dinner we decided to walk off our very heavy dinners and found ourselves in a place called Temple Bar. It is evidently a place to party at night. We decided to head back to the hotel at that point, seeing as how it was getting dark anyhow... but we did get about 4 hours of walking exercise today! We didn't have enough time to get to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells so we planned on getting up early on day two so we could get there before we had to meet up with our tour group.

Day 2:
Mom didn't feel good at all. She's been sneezing and coughing - not good. We had to pray that she would be feeling better soon. So we headed out to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. What magnificent artistry the monks created so long ago. Transcribed by Celtic monks circa 800, it contains the four gospels of the New Testament in Latin. The illustrations within the book are magnificent. It combines traditional Christian iconography with the ornate swirling motifs typical of Insular art. Figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts together with intricate knotwork and interlacing patterns in vibrant colours enliven the manuscript's pages. Many of these minor decorative elements are imbued with Christian symbolism and so further emphasize the themes of the major illustrations. The library of Trinity College is just as stunning. The Long Room contains rows and rows of ancient leather bound volumes - it holds thousands of rare, and in many cases very early, volumes. Oh how I wished I could have cracked open just one of those beautiful leather-bound volumes. Check out my cool new hat and the GREEN on the College grounds!

We had to race back to the hotel in order to pick up our luggage and get to a different hotel to meet our tour group. We barely made it, got lost trying to find our room, and had to run outside as we saw a group of people filing into a Cosmos coach bus. We took a drive through town and the tour guide gave us some history on Dublin and Ireland as we passed buildings rich in history. We were later dropped off at the hotel and since we hadn't eaten since the morning, we decided to just go to the hotel restaurant. I had the grilled seabass in a lobster sauce and mom ordered the lambchops. It was the first time I'd had seabass and it was delicious!

Day 3:
Luggage had to be outside the door at 7:45 and then breakfast until 8:45 and then we were off for our first day in the Irish countryside to discover why it is known as the "Emerald Isle". We travelled north through history-steeped landscapes, with plenty of Ireland's typical round towers and castle ruins. Our first stop was the Hill of Tara (nothing to do with Gone With the Wind my friends). It contains a number of ancient monuments and according to tradition, was the seat of the High King of Ireland until the 6th century. Here's mom amongst the "hills".





We then headed for Trim Castle on the shores of the River Boyne. This is located in County Meath where mom has traced some of our ancestry. Trim Castle is the largest Norman castle in Europe and is Ireland's largest castle. It was built by Hugh de Lancy and his son Walter. It is also noted for the part it played in the filming of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. We only stopped to take pictures and weren't able to go inside. Mom was pretty ticked at that! And for those of you wondering if there is a little something different about me... yes I chopped all my hair off! My hair has never been this short! Below: Mom and I near Trim Castle.




We stopped at Carrick-on-Shannon for lunch. It was a quaint little town along the River Shannon. Mom and I got toasted cheese sandwiches and sat along the river to eat. Our next stop was the Cistercian abbey ruins at Boyle. Here I am in front of the ruins.





We then headed for the hotel in Sligo and of course... had trouble finding the room again! A short while after settling in, we set off for our afternoon excursion to Lough Gill. Lough is Gaelic for Lake. Along this lake is Parke's castle. We stopped here for a guided tour of the castle. In 1610 Roger Parke completed his fortified manor house on the site of an earlier fifteenth-century O'Rourke castle. One of two round fortifiers guarding the north side of the bawn forms one end of the manor. The other end has the gate building with an arched entrance leading into the enclosure. Inside the courtyard are many stone work buildings and a covered well.




The River Shannon is also where the great poet William Butler Yeats was inspired to write his famous poem, "The Isle if Innisfree". Sligo is where he grew up and he loved to go to Lough Gill for peace and inspiration.

We then headed to a local pub for a "drink". We ordered gingerale and recevied a glass that contained about two sips worth of soda... I guess you have to order a Guiness or a "pint" in order to get a full glass! But this day was truly a beautiful one. It was sunny and the views have been magnificent. The green here is just amazing. I love to see the hillsides full of sheep and cattle and horses grazing. There is something peaceful about it all.


Day 4:
Our first stop of the day was at Drumcliff where we saw the grave of native son and poet W.B. Yeats. This is the church where his father was rector. Yeats was originally buried in France (where he died) but was later exhumed and brought to rest here. It is a beautiful church and there is also a monument to Yeats outside the cemetary, in the front of the church.



We then passed across the border into Northern Ireland to visit the Bellek Pottery Factory, which is renowned for its exquisite cream-colored Parian china. We had a guided tour of the process for each creative piece of pottery. It is a very detailed and intricate process. We watched some of the artists craft tiny rosebuds by hand - every petal is molded by hand. It was amazing.

We then headed to the fascinating city of Derry where we enjoyed a walking tour with a local guide. She took us around the old city walls and St. Columb's Cathedral. Derry was the last city in Britain and Ireland to be encircled with defensive walls; and is one of the few cities in Europe that never saw these fortifications breached. It is most known for "Bloody Sunday" which took place on 1/30/72. It was on this day that 26 civil rights protesters were shot by members of the IRA during a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march in the Bogside area of the city. 14 people were killed (7 teenagers) and witnesses testify that all injured were unarmed. Our local guide grew up in this area and spoke to how she never really had a normal childhood, she was raised in an era of extreme violence where even the very nature of your religion could be dangerous. The two main religions in the area are Catholic and Protestant. One group stayed to one side of the river bank while the other took the other side. I can't even imagine what she must have lived through. Only a few years ago, we wouldn't have even been able to visit the area.

Our last stop of the day was in the town of Donnegal to shop for hand-knitted woolen goods. Mom and I were able to take a quick tour of Donnegal castle where the McDonald's once lived and then the Brookes family. I read a lot of books that are set back in the 10th-18th centuries in Ireland and Scotland and it is pretty cool to see real histroy of the castles in which the people lived. I try to imagine what it was like to have such strong warriors and men who fought to defend their land and familes. In a way it reminds me of the histroy contained in the Book of Mormon. The great Nephite warriors and their bid to defend their lands and families against those who would do them harm. I loved to see the stone hearths built into the rooms and the long wooden tables and benches upon which these people ate their meals of pigeon and duck and rabbitt. It is a completely different life than what I have enjoyed.



Donnegal means "fortress of the foreigners", the foreigners in this case being the Vikings. The town of Donnegal is famous for their tweed.


Day 5:
We headed south to Knock, a village that attracts pilgrims from all over the world because it is said that the townspeople saw apparitions there. They claim to have seen a vision of Mary, Joseph and John the Baptist on the back of a church wall. There are now statues representing these 3 in a glass enclosure at the back of the church. It is called the Holy Shrine of Knock.


We then travelled to Galway, a vibrant city with a great seafaring tradition and where you hear about the infamous Lynch Stone, commemorating the day Mayor James Lynch Fitzstephen hanged his son for murder. It's quite the story. His son accused a friend of trying to flirt with his fiancee and then they fought. He pushed his friend, who then fell and hit his head on a rock and died. The town was known for its very strict system of justice and the mayor of the town was this young man's father. The young man was accused of murder but no-one would build any gallows to carry out the sentence of death for fear of retribution by the mayor. So the mayor took his son to a building and asked him to forgive him, the son did likewise and then the father hanged his son from a window. They have the very same window in the town centre. Can you imagine? They beleive this is where the term "lynching" came from.


Galway is also where the claddagh ring originated. I've been waiting years for a claddagh ring and I was determined to get one while I was in Ireland. The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown). The expression which was associated with these symbols in the giving of the ring was: "With my hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my love."

While travelling through Galway, we passed through the town of Lisdoonvarna, which is known as the "matchmaking town". Every September (for the whole month) there is a "marriage festival" where single people from all over come to find a mate! There is a bar called the "Matchmaker Bar" that has a saying, "marriages are made in heaven but most people meet in the Matchmaker Bar"!!! Mom nudged me and told me to get off here! Thanks Mom!


We then travelled across the limestone plateau of The Burren (a unique karst-landscape region) to visit the spectacular 668-foot Cliffs of Moher. Ahhhhh.... this is the place I have been itching to see! The Cliffs are referred to in my favorite book of all time Wuthering Heights. In addition, they were filmed as the "Cliffs of Insanity" in the 1987 movie The Princess Bride (a great, classic movie... "as - you - wish"). On a clear day the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay, as are the valleys and hills of Connemara. Moher tower, located at Hag's Head, is a square stone ruin. It appears to be the remains of a watchtower placed during Napolean's reign in Europe.


It had been a rainy day and an unbelievable fog had rolled in. I'm not sure how our coach driver (Phil) was able to even see the parking lot or where to turn! Tricia (our tour guide) sadly informed us that is was highly unlikely that we would be able to see the cliffs. I was super upset and prayed real hard. We left the bus to head up the MANY steps leading to a vantage point and as we walked, the rain started to subside and the fog began to clear. I started getting excited. The wind was unbeleivable. We were told to stay within the marked paths beacause there have been incidents in the past of those who strayed outside the marked path because the view or photo opportunity was just too tempting.... and... whoosh, the wind picked them right up and over the cliffs!!! OH MY! Can you imagine?! Not to worry, I stayed quite within the paths.


These cliffs! Oh but they are so beautiful! I couldn't help but scream, "Heathcliffe, where are you??!!" as I reached the top... tee-hee What a magnificent creation. I could have stayed there all day. I think I took 37 pictures up at the cliffs!!! Here are just a few (including the proof of the crazy wind!).



In the evening we went to Bunratty Castle for a medieval banquet. Some of the sights include the 'great hall', dungeons and four towers with spiral stairwells. As we entered the castle, we received a welcome from the "patrons" of the castle and were given a goblet of mead. Mead is a honey wine and as we don't drink, we asked for something non-alcoholic and were given orange soda! Whatever!

We were entertained by a woman playing the harp and a gentleman playing the fiddle. We were to mingle in this main room. There were tapestries and hand carved wardrobe chests, as well as other time period items. There was a replica of the chairs that the Lord and Lady of the house would have seated themselves. The Lord's chair was of course at least twice the size of the Lady's... harumph! Here I am wondering where my "Lord" is!!! tee-hee




We were given a brief history of the castle before moving toward the lower tower and enjoying a four-course medieval dinner. We were first given soup and yummy Irish soda bread. Just as the people in the 13th century did not have utensils, we didn't either (only a "dagger" with which to use for our meat)! So we "drank" the soup and dipped the bread. It was very good. The second course consisted of pork ribs. That was interesting to try and cut and eat. I seriously needed to floss after that course! But it was delicious. We had "finger bowls" (water bowls) in front of us to clean our fingers after eating the food with our fingers and daggers. The third course was chicken, potatoes, veggies and some sort of sauce for the chicken. The chicken was very tender and juicy and super yummy. Our final course (desert) was a strawberry mousse of some kind. It too was yummy.


We were entertained by the partons as they sang with the harpist and fiddler as accompaniment. There had been pitchers of both red and white wime on the tables. Our table was drinking the wine like there was no tomorrow, all the while complaining that it wasn't good! I guess it was good enough to keep drinking! Mom and I sipped our orange soda and had a great time.




OK... I beleive I will end here with Part One of my trip to Ireland. Stay tuned for the remaining 5 days (you don't want to miss Blarney Castle and me kissing the Blarney Stone)!!!