Emerald Isle – Ireland

So … tomorrow we leave Ireland for home. While at first the time seemed to linger on, the last few days have sped up and soon the Emerald Isle will only be remembered in photographs - literal and mental.

The last two days have been full of history and museums as students explored St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church, the National Museum and Kilmainham Gaol. Of these, the latter certainly made an impression as our spirited tour guide filled our time there with vivid details and short stories about the people who had been housed and executed within those walls.

Many students also did their own exploration of Dublin during their free time and besides meticulously picking out the best souvenirs and other trinkets, some visited the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Writers Museum. A couple of eager theatre-goers were wowed by the production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons at the Gate Theatre.

It is clear by reading the student journals that everyone had a really good time on this study tour. Some embraced every moment, others adjusted to travelling with a group, and others rose to the occasion of being away from everything familiar. What can be said for sure is that we were all determined to enjoy ourselves … and we did!

We arrived in Dublin in the warmest weather we have seen the whole trip. This made for a great walking tour of the city, where students got the chance to become acclamated to the layout: O’Connell Street, the River Liffy, Trinity College, St. Stephen’s Green and of course, Grafton Street. We had one major stop at the General Post Office - best known as the site of the Easter Rising of 1916. The students will have a couple of free afternoons before we leave on Thursday when they can explore some of the many well known sites in this bustling city.

Students at Trinity College in Dublin

While some students were relieved to be back in a major city, full of people and traffic - even for a Sunday - others were noticeably stunned, given the vast contrast to the realtively sleepy towns we had been in recently. But this morning they were all ready to go. First stop - Trinity College library, which houses the Book of Kells and the Long Room. Many students loved the smell of the old books and were amazed by the display of such ancient writings.

Then it was off to the National gallery just down the street, where we viewed works by not only Irish artists such as Jack Yeats, but also saw pieces by other renowned European artists including Renoir and Kahlo. The Harry Clarke exhibit of illustrations for Hans Christian Andersen was as delightful as the design of the stained glass windows we had seen in Dingle.

This afternoon many students took off to tour the Guinness and Jamieson factories. After all, how could one come to Dublin and not do that?

We set out on Sunday morning from Kilkenny - bound for Dublin - the most anticipated stop on the study tour. But there was one special stop along the way - Glendalough. Those of us who had been there before hoped for great weather, which provides the best backdrop for the monastic site and natural environment at this special location in the the heart of the Wicklow mountains.

Although a little fatigued, students were blown away by this place. Sure, they had seen ruins of castles and monasteries throughout the trip, but the imposing round tower at this site made it different. The nature buffs in the group were wowed by the long walking trail under the trees, which provided some shade from the sun. While there were many other visitors to Glendalough that day, student sat in small groups along the edge of the lake to enjoy their picnic lunch.

Although we spent just two days in Kilkenny, we had the chance to take in the Rock of Cashel, wandering through the ruins that showed more than any history book. 

On our second day, the weather continued to be the star as we explored the ruins of St. Canice’s Cathedral and Jerpoint Abbey, with minmal interruption from the rain.

The rigor of the trip is beginning to show but nothing seems to daunt the spirits of those who just can’t wait to get to Dublin!

Most people tend to associate rainy, cold weather with the Emerald Isle but the last two days would prove them so wrong. We took the long drive to Dingle from Galway and enjoyed the warm weather the whole day. It even allowed for an impromptu stop in Limerick!

Dingle is, in a word … tiny. But, oh so charming. The narrow streets are chuck full with intersting shops and lots of pubs, cradling the water’s edge - no wonder so many celebrities use it as a secret getaway.

Rebecca, Sarah, Kathryn hiding from invaders in Fort Dunbeg

Today we explored the entire Dingle peninsula, with many stops along the way to take in the old ruins at Dun Beg Fort and Gallarus Oratory. But arguably the highlight of the day was the breath-taking view of the coast. The weather has been more than kind, blessing us with relentless sunshine. Most of us managed to ditch our jackets. Who knows what the weather will be like tomorrow but with a free afternoon ahead, students are considering horseback riding, exploring the Blasket Islands and going in search of Fungi the dolphin!

Cliffs of Moher

Oh … the Cliffs of Moher. That was the site that left students breathless. Again, the rain threatened to dampen our spirits but the views of the cliffs kept everyone on a high. One student summed it up best in her journal: although a sunny day is desirable when visiting such a place, the rain allows for beautiful pictures as well. Well said! It was phenomenal!

The Aran Islands provided a stark contrast to anything that the students had ever experienced. With its tiny roads and rocky landscape, students found it hard to imagine living in that environment. But we loved being there in the sunshine … and the ferry ride was not bad either.

Dun Aengus at the Aran Islands

High Cross at Drumcliff

Since we last checked in, we made it through the  rain although it tested our patience and will. As we continued our trek through Sligo, we made it to some of the most sacred sites in all of Ireland. At the Holy Well, students were amazed by the quiet setting and the religious artifacts. Most were intrigued by the fact that worshippers leave small personal trinkets along with silent prayers. While some may not have understood the significance of all of the Catholic monuments, the students were particular about observing the silence that shrouded this place.

Class at Innisfree, soaking in Yeats' Country

Sligo is most known for housing Yeats country, another type of sacred ground. This was even more special as students were treated to live readings of Yeats’ work at the various sites by our own Andrea McCrary. From visiting his grave to following his walking trails, many students wished that American poets were revered in similar fashion.

Next stop - Galway.

The long trip from Belfast to Sligo yesterday was peppered with delightful stops at the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle. While most of the group opted to take the scenic route along the cliff, others took a leisurely stroll along a paved road, with equally spectacular sights. The causeway is arguably one of Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist spots and it was easy to see why. From the amazing rock formations to the vast power of the ocean, the site was truly something to behold. The students were very impressed and you are sure to see many photos of them posing with this natural wonder.

Dunluce Castle was equally impressive with its well maintained ruins of days long gone. While we were blown away by the structure (and the force of the cold wind) the beauty of the sea below could not be ignored.

Our second day in Sligo opened with an almost one hour trek (each way) to see Queen Maeve’s tomb. However, the excitement about the hike was matched only by dread of the impending rain. Nevertheless, students made it up to the top, only to be greeted by the fog that was very obvious from below. At least the weather cleared somewhat by the time we made it to the Megalithic tombs. The stone structures for the dead were impressive, as was the horse that came to the fence along the way to be fed and loved on. Some students may not have seen those tombs after all

Even with the rain down this afternoon, we made it to Sligo Abbey and toured with a guide who really made the history of the place come alive.

Now it is off to the pubs … more for the live Irish music than the obvious.

Hello everyone! After many hours of travel yesterday, we took a leisurely stroll through the Belfast city center, taking in the famous Europa hotel and the Belfast Wheel, a ferris wheel that much resembles the London Eye.

This morning it was on to our city bus tour. Our very informative guide told all about the former division between the Nationalists and Loyalists, which many associate with this part of the world. But the remnants of the strife are best seen on the beautiful murals that have recorded the history of this place. One could hardly tell from the normal comings and goings of the people on the street that this city had experienced worse days. Our guide made sure to point out often - “You see, nobody cares” - referring to the differences of the past.

Arguably the most excitement for the students came with our visit to The Queens University of Belfast. While this college is named for Queen Victoria and ours for Queen Charlotte, like the city of Charlotte, the students were very impressed by its sheer size and grandeur. It truly has that old world charm with its wide greens lawns and red brick exterior.

Tomorrow we are off to county Sligo in Ireland. Along the way we will explore the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle. Many students plan to test their wills as they cross the rope bridge. All in all the weather has been a dream - none of the Irish rain has showed up yet and the warm sunshine has kept more jackets in bags than on bodies.