Weekend on the Southwestern Coast, part 2

Seventeen of us got up a little earlier on Saturday morning to take a boat trip out in Dingle Harbor and into the Atlantic Ocean. In 1983, a wild bottlenose dolphin swam into the harbor and decided to make it his home. Since then, "Fungie" the Dingle dolphin hasn't left the harbor. We took two separate boats out and got a chance to see the dolphin up close. It was an absolutely beautiful morning, the sun was out and the water was incredibly clear. group photo on the pier before heading out into Dingle harbor

I wasn't quick enough with my camera to get a picture of Fungie, but had a great time! At one point, he was swimming between the two boats only a few feet from us.

After heading back to the hostel to grab the rest of our stuff, our whole group headed out for a tour around the Dingle Peninsula. For anyone who's ever driven down Route 1 in California, I'd say this was pretty similar: steep cliffs, beautiful blue water, little shoulder on the road (if any). It amazed me how sheep were grazing in pastures on the cliffs overlooking the ocean!


We stopped along the way at Cathair na gConchuireach (Caher Conor), a stone cashel of ringforts (stone monuments built and enhabited in 1200 AD). The architecture of these beehive huts reminded me of an igloo, as stones were placed in a circular shape to construct a dome-like structure.
Our next stop was Slea Head Beach. Not only was I thrilled to get a chance to walk in the sand, but also to stick my feet in the Atlantic Ocean! We brought packed lunches and ate along the cliff before heading down toward the water. A few of us even got a game of capture the flag going. We spent a few hours on the beach, before leaving. Cold, sandy feet and wet clothes, but tons of memories! This definitely had to be one of my favorite things we've done since we arrived in Ireland.
Some of the people from our group wrote "What's the Craic?" in the sand. This phrase is really common in Ireland; it means "What's going on?" or "What's fun?" Jack, me, Jake, and Tara

We stopped at one other beach, Coumeenole Beach. There were a bunch of surfers in the ocean when we drove by. Coumeenole is also the site where scenes from Far and Away starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were filmed.

We completed the circle around the peninsula, and headed to Killarney. After arriving, a few of us headed into the town to find some hot chocolate and coffee. We wound up walking into a pub and watching the last few minutes of the France vs. Ireland rugby match. I have to say the atmosphere reminded me of being in a bar back home watching a football game on a Sunday.
We ate dinner at the Granary in downtown Killarney. After dinner, most of us had car bombs. A car bombs is a glass of Guinness with a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream. I wasn't so thrilled about the idea, but when in Ireland... It was surprisingly really good. From there we headed to a pub/nightclub that reminded me a a vampire's lair, red and black walls, dim lighting. We didn't last long there before we headed to McSorley's a bar and live music venue. We heard a great band, Amoric; they did a bunch of covers to familiar songs most of us knew well. Another great finish to a great day on the coast! Downtown Killarney

Sunday morning we left Killarney and headed to Blarney in County Cork. We visited the Blarney Castle. We walked around inside the ruins of the castle before making our way to the top to kiss the Blarney Stone. Legend has it that everyone who kisses the stone receives the gift of gab, or eloquence. The jury's still out on whether I actually received the gift, but what could be more appropriate then to kiss the Blarney Stone on Valentine's Day?
Blarney Castle
About to kiss the Blarney Stone


We also made a trip to the Blarney Woolen Mills. I made sure to pick up a knited hat and scarf to commorate the occasion!

Weekend on the Southwestern Coast, part 1

Another great weekend. It can't really be summed up in words, and the pictures don't do the scenery any justice. We started out on Friday with a rescheduled field trip to Glendalough in County Wicklow. Right before we arrived in Ireland, the island received a few inches of snow. While it doesn't sound like a lot, especially considering what the east coast has been receiving over the past couple weeks, it caused many businesses and historical sites to shut down. The snow also caused a flood and destroyed a bridge at Glendalough. Anyway, after an hour drive we arrived on site and took a quick walk through the indoor museum before venturing outside to view the historical monk settlement.
Glendalough means "the valley between two lakes." Glaciers created this valley that monks settled on hundreds of years ago. We walked down to see each of the lakes, stopping to take photos along the way.

The Upper Lake
A group of ducks followed us across the lake. It's fair to say we fed them, so of course they would follow.

Caroline picked us up at Glendalough and we then set off for Dingle, our first stop for the weekend. We drove through Wicklow National Park on our way, where one of the scenes from P.S. I Love You was filmed. We spent a total of seven hours on a bus on Friday, but got to see some beautiful scenery. We ate dinner at Murphy's, a local place located near Dingle Harbor, and then made stops at two other pubs. The second was An Droichead Beag, which means the little bridge in Gaelic. They did have live music, although most of it was American covers. We had a great night chatting with locals and even met some other American college students who were studying abroad. Most of us decided to walk back to the hostel. The sky was so clear and all of the stars were out. It was absolutely breathtaking, and one of my favorite memories from the weekend for sure.


The Rainbow Independent Hostel

An Interview, Soccer & the GAA

Three of us got up early this morning to head into the city centre for our internship interview. Jack, Lauren and I all were placed to intern with the Marketing Network, a marketing agency based in Dublin. We were pretty early (almost an hour) so we spent some time hanging out in a local coffee & bagel place before heading across the street to meet some of the people we'll be working with starting in March. The interview was informal, more of a let's get to know you type of conversation. It was great to hear more about the agency and made me excited for the next phase of my study abroad experience. The commute will take close to an hour, and we'll be interning with them starting in March, four days a week.

We missed class today for the interview, but our professor was understanding (everyone in our program has an interview, so I think he's used to hearing the excuse now). We had the afternoon off, as we had a guest lecturer tonight instead of the regular history lecture. So after lunch, a few of us headed outside to play soccer in Albert College Park next to campus. Our apartment overlooks the park, and we've seen people playing on the fields but hadn't gotten a chance to play yet. The fields were pretty muddy (I'm guess this is normal for Ireland since it rains pretty much everyday?). We had a really good time, even though the air was chilly, the sun was out for the entire afternoon, something we've come to love because it rarely happens. I fell twice and my clothes and sneakers got pretty dirty, but I had fun. It was great to get outside for a little bit and kick the ball around. It was another reminder that my high school soccer days were a while ago.

Tonight we had Donal Mac An Ailin, a member of the Ulster GAA, speak to us about the GAA and how it has shaped Irish history. I found his talk really interesting and helpful, as I'm writing my history essay about the same topic. It was neat to here about its foundation and development over the years.

Tomorrow we have another class field trip to Glendalough County Wicklow, just south of Dublin. From there, most of our group will be headed to the southwest of Ireland for the weekend with Caroline for another one of her trips. This time we'll be visiting the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry and have the opportunity to kiss the Blarney Stone. I'll be sure to write up a full report on the weekend's activities on Sunday!

While in the Library..

Today was pretty uneventful. I spent a few hours this afternoon at the library on campus researching the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) for two of my term papers. I chose two topics similar to one another, and I'm pretty excited to read more about each of them.

For history, I chose to write about the significance of how the GAA has shaped Irish history. The Gaelic Athletic Association started in 1884, when three of its patrons, Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Davitt and Thomas Croke wanted to develop an organization to promote and protect Irish traditional sport. While Gaelic football and hurling are the most well known Gaelic games, handball and camogie (women's hurling) are gaining popularity.

My sociology essay is a little different. I wanted to focus on Irish women in sport, with a concentration in collegiate athletics. What sports are available to women? When were women first allowed to compete in the GAA? What are the differences between hurling and camogie? What is the country doing to promote women's involvement in athletics? I'm hoping to get more of a grasp on the topic over the next few days.

To get into the library, you've got to use your student id on a turnstile that resembles a grocery store bar code scanner. I started on the first floor, researching women in Irish sport, but quickly moved upstairs to pick up a few books about the GAA and its history. I tripped walking down the stairs to return a book I wasn't using. Luckily, a few people from our group were also there at the time and had the opportunity to witness my stumble. I'm just glad they were there to laugh with me; I'm pretty sure we were the only ones on any of the floors talking at the time. Don't worry, a few steps down I tripped over my own feet again, but managed to catch myself before anyone saw me, I think. It that wasn't enough: I went to sign out several books but quickly learned they have another self check-out bar code scanner for books. It took me a minute to figure out how to use it too. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with the technology.

I took spinning again tonight. I'm starting to really love the exercise classes here. It's so nice to show up a few minutes before class, sign up and go. I have yet to have the same instructor, which could explain why tonight's class felt easier.

I interview tomorrow morning with the Marketing Network, a med-sized marketing agency based in Dublin. There are two other people in our group that will be interning with them next month as well, so we'll all be headed down into the city together tomorrow. I'm excited to see what I'll be doing and who I'll be working with during my last 8 weeks in Ireland. It's hard to believe we've been here for four weeks tomorrow!

Northern Ireland, part 3; Today's Field Trip

Sunday Feb. 7

We got a later start on Sunday morning, but managed to spend almost an hour roaming the streets of Derry before leaving to head home. We bought some warm cinnamon scones at a local coffee shop and walked along the Derry walls for a little bit. It sprinkled some, but the sun came out before we left.

Our group made one stop on the way back to Dublin, in Drogheda. One of Ireland's oldest and most historical city, Drogheda is home to nearly 35,000 people making it the island's third largest town. As it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed. We visited St. Peter's Church to see the famous shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett.

The shrine's located in the sanctuary and features Plunkett's preserved shrunken head. We were told it resembled a small leather football, and if you are to look closely you can still see his teeth. A little weird, I know.
The shrine is in the glass and gold case you see in this picture.

To catch you up to speed: Today (Tuesday), our group had another field trip. This time, we visited the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks. Collins Barracks is a former military barracks that housed both British and Irish forces for three centuries. A group of us decided to walk to the museum (which took about an hour after walking from campus). We had a sheet to fill out for class, but spent almost two hours walking through the Soldiers & Chiefs exhibit. We also went to St. Michan's Church, a 900-year old church and basement crypt. While the inside of the church wasn't anything too special, the crypt held the preserved remains of several people 400 and 800 years old. They have some of the caskets open for viewing, and I thought it was pretty remarkable that one women (400 years old) still had intact fingernails! Also, I didn't know that hundreds of years ago, if you died and were too tall to fit in the standard-sized casket, they simply cut off your feet! (I guess you can say this is a funeral director's daughter talking).

Superbowl Sunday in Ireland

I'm not sure if I've mentioned before, but most stores and businesses, including grocery stores, are closed on Sundays in Ireland. Most of the pubs are open, but close earlier on Sunday nights. We only receive a limited number of channels on our TV in our suite. With all of this in mind, what were we Americans going to do in order to watch the Superbowl?

Fortunately for us, a few of the DCU guys we met a few weeks ago invited us to come to their Superbowl party in the city centre. The game started at 6:30pm in the States, which means it started in Ireland around 11:30pm. It was a late night for us, we managed to make it to the party before kick-off and we spent the night meeting some of the DCU American Football club members. That's right, they have a club on campus that's comprised of a bunch of Irish students who get together one a week to practice and they compete against other university's teams. Our two friends are on the team, and we thought it would be a great way to get to know some other DCU students. All four of us received free beer and appetizers! Everyone was very welcoming, which seems to be the trend in this country. We stayed until almost the end of the fourth quarter before heading back to campus. I think we got home around 2:30am, but it was well worth going.

It was fun to watch the game in another country, although I missed the American commercials tremendously! Because the game was broadcast on a British network, they only showed European ads. I guess I'll be spending some time watching the commercials on youtube later. It was great to make some new friends, and I'm sure we'll be attending at least one of the DCU Saints games this season.

Make sure to read my post from earlier today about Saturday's visit to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Giant's Causeway, and Derry! (Below)

Weekend in Northern Ireland, part 2

Saturday 6 Feb. Derry

Saturday morning came very earlier for a few of us. 6:30am. We ventured outside in the rain to walk 20 minutes to St. George's Market. Most of us were starving, and got scones, pastries or potatoe & cheese pancakes and coffee/tea from the vendors. Can't really describe the different smells from the market, just know that they were incredible!


I had a really good breakfast sausage roll and caramel latte.
We left Belfast around 9am and headed to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The bridge is over 350 years old, and is typically used by fishermen during the salmon season. It's also open to tourists, if they dare to walk across it. With the "I only live once" attitude, I crossed the bridge which is suspended 30m above the sea. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!

The views were breathtaking and the air was chilly, but it was exhilarating.

Next stop: Giant's Causeway. There's an old Irish legend told that explains how this beautiful site was created: A giant, Finn MacCool laid the causeway out over the Irish sea to serve as a path to his lady love in Scotland. Today, this strange rock formation resembles stepping stones and appears to even be man made (it's all natural). The columns you see in the pictures are made of basalt, a common volcanic rock, and are hexagonal-shaped. We spent about an hour climbing over and through the causeway.

We slowly made our way to Derry (Loyalists commonly referred to this city as "Londonderry"). On the way, we drove through Portstewart, a town where some of my ancestors are from!
After checking into the hostel, one of Rick Steve's tour guides took our group on a walking tour of the city. He explained how the city is still very much divided into Catholic and Protestant areas. Many of the housing developments feature bold murals, some of which you'll see below.

Note: I chose not to take pictures of some of the murals, as several were pretty graphic. I was amazed that people live in these neighborhoods and see these images everyday.

This says "You are know entering Free Derry." This mural features the eyes of one of the people who were killed on Bloody Sunday, January 30, 1972, when 13 people died as a result of being shot for participating in a civil rights protest. The famous U2 song Bloody Sunday is discusses that horrific day in Irish history.


The hostel put on a barbque for us Saturday night, and we all sat underneath a makeshift tent in the backyard huddled around heat lamps. There were plenty of hamburgers, veggie burgers, and sausages to go around. Everyone headed out to Peadar O'Donnell's, one of Northern Ireland's most famous pubs. We met and talked with some locals, and heard some traditional Irish music. The band played one song about Derry, and most of the men in the bar stood up and starting singing along with them, one typical form of Irish patriotism. The owner of the pub bought the bar next door years ago, and put a door connecting the two bars to allow customers to move between the two bars without having to walk outside. We floated between the Irish music and the rock band was performing. A few of us went to one of the nightclubs in the city called Sugar for a few hours as well. Overall, another great, jam-packed day.