Final Thoughts

“…And then it will be time to make the most of an experience I’ll never get back…”

You may or may not recognize this quote from my very first post nearly eight weeks ago. I was quite homesick when I first landed in Dublin, missing my family and friends so much and unsure of what this whole experience was going to entail. Eight weeks and a giant hole in my pocket later, I find myself fully satisfied with my Irish adventures and wondering an all too familiar thought…where in the world did the time go?! 

Since my remaining hours in Ireland are numbered, I am going to make this final post as short as possible. We would all go insane if I wrote about every detail of my last week, so you can ask me all the questions you want when I get home! Anyways, to sum up my last week in a nutshell:

Last Friday, I embarked on my 6-day tour of the four corners of Ireland. There were 16 of us on the tour, none of which I had met beforehand, but soon became friends with nonetheless. I was the youngest traveler and the only American, but several of the Aussie girls were 23 and 24 so we had a good time together. Mark, our Irish tour guide for the week, was very upbeat and personable. It certainly wasn’t a relaxing trip with so much ground to cover in such a short period of time, but we all had great “craic!” (Irish word for fun).

The journey began with a four-hour drive to Belfast, located on the east coast of Northern Ireland where sterling is the only currency. Thus, I couldn’t avoid a trip to the ATM and more international fees…shucks. This was my first time out of the Republic of Ireland and it was definitely a different atmosphere! I found Belfast to be a very historical city with a lot of tension between Catholics and Protestants, and home to the worst violence Ireland has ever endured. While in Belfast, we took a “Black Taxi” tour of the murals that these two groups painted in opposition to one another during The Troubled times (1960s-1998). We walked around the city for a while and settled into our hostel after dinner. We all talked over drinks for several hours and got to know each other a little better. The five Aussie girls who were my roommates became my closest buddies on the trip. Unfortunately, a very large bachelor party caused lots of problems in our hostel that night, but at least we were only staying there one night. I enjoyed the different lifestyle in Belfast even though we weren’t there for long. 

Inside a Belfast cathedral

Courtyard

One of the murals that we saw 

Peace wall that goes on for miles

Downtown Belfast

Dock where the Titanic was made!

On Saturday, we were off to Derry, another historical city northwest of Belfast. Along the way, we stopped to walk the 30-meter high Carrick-a-rede rope bridge and explore the fascinating basal rocks of Giant’s Causeway. Both were memorable experiences! Once in Derry, we went on a walking tour of the city, which happens to be the only walled city in all of Ireland. The view from the top of the wall was amazing! I had a very questionable cheeseburger for dinner (don’t ask me why I ordered a cheeseburger at an Indian kebab shack cause I have no idea) and my stomach felt queasy the rest of the night. Oh well! We all met up with a few other Paddywagon tours on a pubcrawl that night. It was lots of fun!!

View from rope bridge

Carrick Island

Crossing the bridge! Don't look down...

It's a lot higher than it looks!

Approaching Giant's Causeway

Rocks of Giant's Causeway

:)

Could've easily spent a full day exploring

Gorgeous views!

Hiding behind "the Giant's bridge to Scotland"

View of Derry city from top of wall

 Downtown Derry

Then Sunday rolled around and we drove south to Galway, back to the Republic (yay Euros!). I was ready to get off the bus after a four-hour drive, but I did get a couple naps in! Galway was cold and damp, a huge difference from the gorgeous summer weather Shaun and I experienced there just a week before. My favorite part of Galway this time around was meeting up with my very good friend from PSU, Leah Tunney, who is currently touring Europe with friends and was accidentally staying in the same hostel as me that night! Seriously…what are the chances?!

On Monday, we made several stops on our way to the Dingle Peninsula, south of Galway. We explored Dunguaire Castle, Kylemore Abbey, and the Burren area. All of the sights were beautiful!! Stopping for lunch in Doolin brought back wonderful memories from Shaun’s visit. Then it was time for my favorite attraction of all, the Cliffs of Moher! Once again, I felt as though I was in a dream as I stood on top of this stunning natural wonder. I avoided getting too close to the edge after learning of five tourists falling to their deaths in the past, but was still able to take some great pictures. To anyone reading this who is planning to visit Ireland in the future – you are obligated to explore these breathtaking cliffs! That night, we stayed at Paddywagon’s (tour company) own pub in Dingle called the Randy Leprechaun…how Irish! This pub is only open to Paddywagon tourists and it happened to be karaoke night! Obviously, my lovely singing voice stole the show…ha! It was a great night :)   

Dunguaire Castle

Kylemore Abbey

Cliffs in the Burren

So pretty!

:)

The edge I'm standing on is about 20 meters high!

The Burren area

Cliffs of Moher!

Amazing!

Explore at your own risk...

"8th Wonder of the World"

 

 Don't look down!

On Tuesday, we drove along the Ring of Kerry, a tourist trail of spectacular beauty located south of the Cliffs of Moher. We made several photo stops throughout our tour, including a stop at the most beautiful beach my eyes have ever seen! Another highlight of the day was our discovery of Murphy’s homemade ice cream…who would’ve thought that sea salt ice cream was so mouth-watering?! We spent the afternoon and night in Kilarney, a popular tourist town within County Kerry. After walking around town and embarking on a horse and buggy tour of Kilarney National Park, we all ate dinner and headed out to the pub for one last night of Irish fun together! The band reminded me a lot of My Hero Zero at Penn State, so you can imagine I was loving life :)

Kerry coastline in dense fog!

The prettiest beach ever!

Cliffs on the beach

Beautiful!

:)

The amazing Murphy's ice cream...

Kilarney National Park

The longest First Communion procession ever through the streets of Kilarney

A so-called "side" of potatoes in Kilarney

The largest hostel room ever

All of a sudden it was Wednesday, the last day of our tour. We drove an hour and a half to Cork where most of our group explored Blarney Castle and kissed The Stone. Since I had already done so during my prior weekend in Cork, I decided to explore the gorgeous gardens surrounding Blarney Castle. I could have very easily spent a full day just walking around the castle, but time was not in my favor. Nonetheless, I’m satisfied with what I saw! Then it was time to head on our four-hour journey back to Dublin. Those of us who didn’t sleep watched PS. I Love You…such a good movie! The last stop on our tour was the Guinness Storehouse where I got to “craft the perfect pint” this time. You’d be proud of me, Uncle Har… I was more successful than I thought I was going to be! 

Blarney gardens

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...............

Blarney Lake

This one's for you, E-POBS

So pretty!

 Crafting the perfect pint of Guinness

I returned to the Conrans around 8:00 that night feeling ravenous, dirty, and exhausted. I found out that my room had flooded over the weekend thanks to a leaking radiator, so Trish had spent three days drying out my rug, mattress, and laundry…I guess my tour was perfect timing! I scarfed down some pasta, took a hot shower, and crashed immediately. What an action-packed six days I had! 

This past Thursday was my last day teaching at Delgany National School. I spent some time in each classroom helping out with whatever activity was taking place at the time. When the clock struck two, it was time for final goodbyes. It was a very bittersweet moment, just like my last day at Cole Manor in March. I feel incredibly lucky, blessed, and thankful to have been welcomed into such a wonderful school. There is no doubt that I will cherish this experience for the rest of my life!

On Friday, despite the heaviest rain and winds yet, I went on a field trip to Pine Forest Nature Centre with the first and second classes. The students were supervised in a number of indoor activities while their teachers got to sit in a private cabin all day to talk and read magazines and drink tea. If only I could say the same about American field trips...

It is currently Saturday afternoon and I am curled up by the fire during an Irish hurricane. It’s a shame that the weather is by no means cooperating for my last weekend in Ireland, but then again beggers can’t be choosers. I think I will brave the elements anyway to venture one last time into town. Trish is out food shopping for my last two dinners here – I have no idea what she’s making but I can’t wait!!

Tomorrow I am going to the sixth class graduation ceremony before it’s time to pack up eight weeks of Irish adventures into one broken, rank-smelling suitcase. I still can’t fathom the fact that it’s all over. Already? Really?

I am so glad to have had this rare opportunity to travel abroad and to make the most of my time here. All of my worries and doubts coming over here were quickly resolved and I can’t thank the Conran family enough for keeping me in line and spoiling me! I will forever remember the teachers I worked with, the friends I made, and the experiences I had. I could not have asked for anything more!

So, IRELAND – until we meet again, thanks for all the memories!

Monday morning marks another bittersweet moment … my flight back to America to begin writing the post-college chapter of my life. I’m scared for and clueless about what it’s going to say, but only time will tell. I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends, regular sunny weather, and finally being able to watch the Phillies again (even though Amaro could probably sell the entire franchise for a bucket of socks with how they’re playing right now).

Anyways…

Tell the world I’m coming home!

Love you guys,

Anna

Shaun Comes to Visit!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! Thank you to my dad, my brother, and all other members of American armed forces past and present for making the ultimate sacrifice. I’m grateful for your bravery!

It felt weird to be in another country during an American summer holiday weekend, but I can’t say that I didn’t have a great time here! Up until last Monday when Shaun landed in Dublin, it had rained here every single day for at least a few hours and the temperature had never exceeded 45 degrees. But then Shaun came to visit and whether or not he packed the sun and warmth in his suitcase, the weather Gods answered my prayers and magical things happened!!

THE SUN HAS BEEN OUT FOR A FULL 9 DAYS WITHOUT A SINGLE DROP OF RAIN!  
 It’s a beautiful miracle :)

Shaun and I had an incredible week discovering Ireland! I still can’t believe he was here, but I am so glad he came and was definitely very sad to see him off on Monday. Not only was I able to cross off so many adventures on my Ireland bucket list, but it was great to be able to share these experiences with Shaun…and the fact that it was sunny and warm made for an even better week!  

Shaun arrived early Monday morning. I was so happy to see him after being apart for seven weeks! Keeping in mind how fast the previous five weeks flew by and knowing that he was only going to be here for a mere seven days, we didn’t waste any time. After a quick lunch nearby, we headed to Ireland’s #1 tourist attraction, the one and only Guinness Storehouse. Uncle Har – if you’re reading this – you would be in your glory! We went on a self-guided tour to learn how the “black stuff” is brewed before enjoying a complimentary free pint in the Guinness sky bar! Seven stories high, Shaun and I took in the amazing 360 degree views of Dublin city and beyond. It was definitely a necessary experience!

This one's for you, Phil... Monday's lunch. JUST KIDDING.

 In the Sky Bar!

Afterwards, we checked out a few of the museums in Dublin such as the National Library of Ireland. I was never much of a museum person growing up, but I must say the museums here are pretty cool. There is so much to see and so much to learn!

That night, we headed to the Temple Bar area for dinner and drinks. We were both being very indecisive as usual and it was getting late, but we eventually decided to eat at a pub called Farrington’s. I had cottage pie (similar to Shepherd’s Pie), while Shaun had chicken curry. We walked around in the city for a little before calling it an early night so Shaun could sleep off his jet lag. I don’t blame him!

On Tuesday, we boarded a 3-hour train to Galway – we were both excited to see what the west coast of Ireland has to offer. It probably got up to 75 degrees that day and for the first time in five weeks, I was wishing I had packed a pair of shorts! We checked into Galway City Hostel for the next two nights. We were sold on the fact that it was only 9 euros a night to stay there, but we soon learned that Ireland and America are similar in that we do in fact get what we pay for! I almost threw up after discovering green mold growing from the shower floor to the ceiling…needless to say, we were on a mission for flipflops that day! I should’ve known that Mom knows best – she told me to pack flipflops for such occasions and I forgot them…oops.

Anyways, Shaun and I set off on a long walk to Salthill, a coastal town along the Galway Bay. It was full of vacation homes, shops and restaurants, and the smell of fresh bay water :) We got lunch, tried our luck in an Irish casino but to no avail (don’t worry – it was only 20 cents!), and bought a pair of stylish shamrock flipflops to prevent feet fungus in that shower! It was probably the best 2.50 I’ll ever spend. 

 Salthill coastline

 Lookin' fly

We walked back to the city centre to have a look at the Galway Cathedral and the Galway City Museum – both were pretty neat!

  City Centre

Galway

Galway Cathedral

 University in Galway

Then we headed to dinner at a nicer Italian restaurant. Shaun and I pulled a State College Cozy Thai move by both ordering the same thing – chicken raviolis in a mushroom and spinach cream sauce. It was soooo good! Our waitress originally brought us crab and shrimp raviolis by mistake (we all know that wouldn’t have gone over well with my taste buds) and took awhile to serve us so she ended up giving us both a free shot of Sambuka! She also didn’t charge us for our appetizer, so we lucked out. Finally, we were off to Rabbitt’s Pub for the night – we figured a toast to Shaun’s last name was necessary! 

Wednesday was probably my favorite day of the week, although every day was a great time! We got free breakfast at each of our hostels, but this time Shaun discovered mold on his toast so we opted to go hungry that morning. We took a bus ride to a ferry to Inis Mor, the largest of the three Aran Islands, where we rented bikes to explore the island. My legs felt like rubber bands by the end of the day, but it was definitely well worth it!! We saw gorgeous beaches, seals, wild horses, and rock walls. We climbed to the tippy top of an abandoned Celtic fort known as Dun Aonghus. The scenery took my breath away, for lack of a better description! Granted we were both sweating and sunburnt by the end, I was thankful for another gorgeous day to bike around this beautiful island!

That night we grabbed some quick fish and chips in town and headed back to our hostel to chill. That was the most physical activity I have done since my high school field hockey days…yes, I am dead serious and yes, exhausted was an understatement!!!

On Thursday, we hopped on a bus to Doolin, a small town about an hour and a half south of Galway. Trish had recommended that we visit there as it a very quaint town home to O’Conner’s Pub, the most famous in all of Ireland. The bus dropped us off right at our hostel and then we headed on a long walk down the only road in town. There are no trees, just a bunch of farmland and wild horses and cows on the edge of the road. We eventually made it to the pier where we booked a cruise around the Cliffs of Moher for later that day. After delicious sandwiches at a “roach coach,” we explored the Doolin coastline for a few hours – once again, absolutely beautiful! 

 

As we were waiting on the dock for our ferry to arrive, we spotted a dolphin swimming with a couple scuba divers! I was tempted to jump in and swim with it, but I’m scared of algae and seaweed – ask anyone who’s been in the ocean with me. 

 

Anyways, we finally went on the cruise and I felt like I was in a dream. Many people who live here have told me that if there was an eighth Wonder of the World, it would be the Cliffs of Moher, and now I know why. I have never seen anything like them in my entire life! I took about a hundred pictures, none of which do them justice. The cruise was really fun and I’m excited to explore the top of the cliffs next week! 

After the cruise we headed back to our hostel to get ready for our night at O’Conner’s. Doolin is famous for their seafood, so dinner was an easy choice that night. Shaun had the largest pot of mussels I have ever seen (not that I have seen a lot, but still) and I had a very hefty and scrumptious piece of salmon…definitely my favorite meal of the week! 

O’Conner’s was a lot of fun and the traditional Irish music was great :) We met a family from Lansdale, PA whose daughter just finished her freshman year at Penn State and is also pursuing elementary education so we were talking to them for a while. We also befriended Ted, an older man with only one leg and one lung, who did all of the singing next to the band and even gave us a lift back to our hostel! He was too cute! 

On Friday, I introduced Shaun to a mini Irish breakfast at McGann’s Pub in Doolin…so much food for so cheap! We had a lot of time to kill because we had misunderstood the timetable for the bus back to Galway…#touristproblems. We moseyed into town to take in the last sights, while capping off our Doolin memories with one last glass of Guinness at O’Conner’s. I really loved our time in Doolin!

When we arrived back in Galway, we made our way to Salmon Weir Hostel across town. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone, but at least we were only sleeping there. The woman who checked us in was kind of creepy and our room was scorching hot and claustrophobic. At this point, buying sunscreen was necessary as was airing out our suitcases. Good thing I only brought two short-sleeve shirts to Ireland…

Anyways, Shaun and I headed into town to grab a bite to eat and then enjoyed some Bulmer’s while sitting along the Galway Bay. I was hoping to catch a sunset then until I remembered that it doesn’t get dark until 10:30 here! We went for a walk along the pier before heading back to our hostel. 

That night, another couple from Holland who was staying in our room invited us to go out with them. We went to The Quay, one of the well-known pubs in Galway. It was really fun getting to know Sean and Gemma while listening to the band that was playing. Another great night!

On Saturday, we boarded an early train back to Dublin. It was a long ride and exhaustion was setting in, not to mention our suitcases also smelled like roses (sense the sarcasm). It wasn’t until we got off the train when I noticed one of the wheels on my suitcase was flatter than one of my dad’s homemade pancakes. Oh well!

We went on a tour of the original Jameson distillery – I think it’s safe to say that Shaun was in heaven! Our tour guide was really engaging and taught us all about Jameson’s Irish whiskey before we enjoyed complimentary glasses of Jameson and ginger ale. I’m not much of a whiskey fan, but I’m really glad we went on this tour! 

Afterwards, we went on what is called a “Viking Splash Tour” of Dublin. We had another very engaging tour guide dressed as a Viking who encouraged us to roar at the Celts every time we passed them. The bus took us throughout the Dublin City centre before it became a boat and sailed into the Grand Canal Harbor. I learned many interesting facts about Dublin and saw parts of the city that I probably never would have discovered on my own. It was a lot of fun! 

That night we ate a late dinner at a nice restaurant in the city called Milano’s. The pizza was amazing and so was the chocolate fudge cake that I ate for dessert, although Shaun kept joking that it looked and tasted like a Little Debbie’s cake – which is probably why he scarfed what was left…right, Shaun?!

We headed to the Temple Bar for his last night out, but it was way too hot and crowded so we ended up at a quieter pub across from our hostel before we called it a night.

Then Sunday rolled around and it was time to head back to Dun Laoghaire for one last day of Irish adventures. The Conrans were in Cork for the weekend, so after we dropped off our luggage, Shaun and I headed downtown. We split an amazing sausage sandwich at the local Farmer’s Market before walking to the end of the pier while admiring the sights along the way. That was the first time I have seen so many people walking around there – it must have been the beautiful weather! 

Shaun got to meet Trish and Ger that night. They made us a delicious lamb roast for dinner and it was nice enough to sit outside on the deck for the first time since I’ve been here! We were all talking for several hours before it was time for Shaun to pack up and get some sleep. Ger drove him to the airport at 5am Monday morning, and just like that, our week together in Ireland was over :(

It was a really fun week for both of us and we seriously could not have asked for better weather! I feel so blessed to have these memories.

Tomorrow is already the last day of May and I fly home in just a little over a week! On Friday, I embark on my last hurrah – a 6-day tour of Ireland where I will be visiting the tourist attractions in each of the four corners of the country. I’m especially looking forward to walking the rope bridge across Giant’s Causeway in Belfast and also the Ring of Kerry. I’m going on this tour alone, but I’m excited to meet many people in the process! I’ll return on Thursday night and I will post my last entry that weekend before I’m bound for the good ‘ole USA on Monday.

I hope all is well across the pond!

Miss you guys.

Love, Anna