My Five Months in Ireland

[meganelize]

Sarah you should have been in Cork for St. Patrick's Day! It was a blast!  And I love reading your blogs!

Maggie I will update my blog right now! My spring break has just begun- sort of, no more lectures, but 6000 words left and review lectures- then Exams in May! I did take a trip to Edinburgh so will put some pictures up from that! And I was in Cashel just a bit ago- it is a very cute town!

[CurlyandGreen]

I'll send you a pm with his details. I'll also tell him you might be in touch.

If he is up for it, that would be wonderful!

[CurlyandGreen]

Okie dokie...this past week was insane.  My friend Erin came, as well as two people she has met in Scotland.  

I had some really neat things drawn up (Tipperary was one of them) but I ended up spending quite a bit of time (and money) on some of Ireland's biggest tourist traps.  I had fun, no doubt, but I got flustered because I didn't really get to do anything I wanted...I would have been okay not spending €15 getting to and getting in Blarney Castle-biking through Connemara sounded cooler to me. (And the girl who wanted to go to Blarney SOOOO badly didn't even kiss the Stone??)  But yeah-we didn't know that we were going to Cork until we got to the bus station, so I had pretty much no way of giving Megan a shout about being there!

Anyway, when my friend and her friends left this morning (from Dublin-we spent the weekend there) at 6:00, I decided that it was time to have a day out for ME.  I walked to Windmill Lane (the old recording studio-not where the girls record, but still cool anyway.)  It was nice because the sun was up, there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and it was quiet.  Also, I feel like I must have walked halfway across Ireland...not a bad feeling, of course.

Before I had even checked out of our hostel, however, I looked up a few things that helped get where I wanted to go...I hopped on the DART heading towards Bray (which was AWESOME) and within two hours (there was a gap between the next bus) and a walk up a long driveway, I ended up

 HERE!!!!!



Of course my batteries in my camera died before I made through the rest of the gardens, but I'm actually going cancel my trip to the Aran Islands (I've been to the West twice now) and I'm going back to spend more time hiking through Wicklow, because I was only there for about an hour and a half-I had  to be back in Dublin to catch a bus.


Full blog post to come!

P.S.  I though y'all might get a little kick out of this.

[SusanZ]

LOL,Sarah!!

How can you go all the way to Blarney Castle and NOT kiss that danged stone?!! LOL I've done it twice -the last time I went with a friend who didn't want to climb the steps to the top of the castle. I told her "I'll be right behind you" . She made it to the top,kissed the Blarney Stone,and still thanks me today for "persuading" her ! LOL

Hiking in the Wicklow Mountains - now, that's my cup of tea!


Zee

[worldtraveler]

Great photos!  Powerscourt looks gorgeous on a clear day.  Unfortunately, when I had the chance to visit it in early July, it was pouring!!!  (And I love the Dúlaman pic!)

[jillebeans]

  Wonderful update Sarah! Sorry about your camera batteries though.

[Shywolf(Craig)]

Good pics Sarah and I always think of visit Powerscourt Estate though was cloudy there when I went yet the leaving and returning to Dublin was sunny Yet I wish I had more pics from visit.

[Maggie]

I love the photos, especially the one of you at Powerscourt, in the "Beat Clemson" shirt.

What a pity you didn't get to Tipp! I hope you get there before you leave.

The fact that "Blarney" is a synonym for Nonsense or BS tells you all you need to know.
There is no way anyone is going to get the gift of eloquence from hanging upside down and kissing a rock.
What the tourists demonstrate is gullibility, believing the Blarney of the Tour Guides.
But hey - we don't want to discourage them, Ireland needs the $$$$$$.

I love the Dulaman pic.....very creative!

Biking and hiking around Connemara sounds wonderful to me.....

Try to stop into Matt Molloy's Pub (of the Chieftains) for refreshment along the way.....it is just an incredible place!
http://www.mattmolloy.com/

Also stop in Doolin.......this village is to Irish Music what Nashville is to Country Music.
http://www.doolinireland.net/
I can guarantee you - every seriously traditional musician in Ireland has played there.
It's in County Clare, north of the Cliffs of Moher.
http://www.doolinireland.net/




Local music fans line up:

[CurlyandGreen]

I love the photos, especially the one of you at Powerscourt, in the "Beat Clemson" shirt.

That shirt is one of my favorites! As a college student, I have a huge (and I mean HUGE) t-shirt collection, mostly in garnet!  I got this particular one when a the soccer team asked if a few of the band members would be willing to play at the USC-Clemson game last year.  It has gotten some serious wear and is starting to look old, but I still wear it all the time. 

[meganelize]

Haha Sarah, glad you had a good time and loved the photos! Everytime someone comes to visit me they want to see the Blarney castle- I tell them to go and I will wait- saw it once, i'll see it again... in ten years.

[CurlyandGreen]

I'm starting to feel a bit (very) stressed out.  I have my last final tomorrow morning and it is the one I am the most concerned about (not that it's hard but I really want to do well), I have to get two very heavy suitcases to the post office to ship them off, get on a bus to Dublin, and OH YEAH, the volcano is erupting again!!!   I'm not sure if I want to chance it and see what happens or cancel my flight to Glasgow and find a ferry to SOMEWHERE on the landmass that is know as Great Britain. 

::head desk::  Update on the blog. 

Anyone have a hammer and a VERY LARGE cork?

[Natalia]

Very nice pictures! ireland is beautiful!

[CurlyandGreen]

^^Thanks!

I'm feeling a little more at ease.  I went ahead and cancelled my flight (it was only €8) and now I'm taking the bus to Dublin tomorrow (my last ride on Bus Eireann  ) and I'm staying in a hostel overnight as originally planned, then getting up in the morning and taking the train to Belfast, a ferry to Stranraer, and then another train to Glasgow.  It is costing me a bit more, but I was going to have to check my bag with Ryanair anyway, and now I have peace of mind (and I can take my teddy bear with me now that I'm not under baggage restriction.  I'm more excited about this than I should admit.  Haha.)

I'M NOT READY TO LEAVE YET!!!!!!

[Natalia]

ireland must be a great place to be!

[Maggie]

I'm feeling a little more at ease.  I went ahead and cancelled my flight (it was only €8) and now I'm taking the bus to Dublin tomorrow (my last ride on Bus Eireann  ) and I'm staying in a hostel overnight as originally planned, then getting up in the morning and taking the train to Belfast, a ferry to Stranraer, and then another train to Glasgow.  It is costing me a bit more, but I was going to have to check my bag with Ryanair anyway, and now I have peace of mind (and I can take my teddy bear with me now that I'm not under baggage restriction.  I'm more excited about this than I should admit.  Haha.)

I'M NOT READY TO LEAVE YET!!!!!!

I think you did the sensible thing. The ferry crossing on that route only takes 2 hours.
I hope you reserved your seat, I'm guessing the ferries and trains will be busy now that the volcanic ash is back!

I just checked, the train from Stranraer to Glasgow can take from 55 minutes (very fast!) to 2 hours 56 minutes,
depending on your departure time.
It should be a fascinating trip.
I love taking different routes.....you see more every time.
You probably won't have the chance to look around Belfast, which is a shame. That would be interesting.
Wishing you the very best of luck with your finals.
Where do you fly home from?
When you are settled in at home, I would love to read your views looking back on your whole 5 months experience.

I'm praying for your safety and a great time with your friends.