Ireland.

The Motherland.

There really are rainbows and rolling green hills covered by a light mist and leprechauns. (Seriously, I think our one tour guide was a leprechaun.) There really is a pub every other doorway and the people really are jolly and warm. Here is my Ireland story.




We finally flew into Dublin after traveling by car, bus, and train all over Pennsylvania and New York for a few days. And the whirlwind barely slowed down for the entire trip. We hopped right on a bus to Galway on the west coast and arrived in our hostel and met up with some other friends there. After a ravenous search for food we settled for some classic American sandwiches because we were so blinded by hunger, with promises to try some Irish fare another day!

That night we went to our first pub, Paddy's, a quiet but traditional Irish bar. The next morning, we took a ferry to my personal favorite place, the Aran Islands. We got talked into a mini bus tour around the island, and it was a great decision, as we got to see all the highlights and even had time to get out and climb up to the cliffs.

We saw the ruins of seven ancient monasteries and cemeteries there.

The weather was incredibly beautiful during our entire stay in Ireland, which is unusual for this time of year, so we got very lucky! On our way up to the ancient ring fort at the top of the cliffs on the islands, a loyal sheepdog became part of our group and followed us the rest of the day.

As I lay down and looked over the edge of the 300 foot cliff, my heart was pounding. I noticed in Ireland there are no barriers, signs, or billboards. There is only raw, untainted beauty and it makes it that much more breathtaking.

 The next day we decided to save our euros a little bit and just wander around Galway for the day. We walked along the coastline and stepped into several churches that we passed, including the breathtaking Galway Cathedral. We sat and had hot chocolate at a little cafe and just experienced the local life. It was a much needed slower paced day. We had traditional Irish food most nights for dinner. I tried Shepherd's Pie, Guinness beef stew (YUM!), fish and chips, and scones for breakfast each morning.

Practicing clicking our heels. This is right before the waves started crashing over us.

Galway's coastline. 

 Galway Cathedral.

The next day we took a bus tour through the Burren, ancient preserved rock formations of the Western landscape, to the Cliffs of Moher. The scenery along the way was incredible; we saw castle ruins crumbling into the water, miles of rock covered ground, and multiple ancient stone and earth forts and tombs that have been standing there for thousands of years. I learned that the Burren area was once attached to the Appalachian mountain range in North America before the plates shifted millions of years ago.   

An 800 year old tomb discovered by the farmer. 

Finally....we reached the cliffs. It was one of those moments when you feel like you've just jumped into a postcard picture. The creation was so vivid and glorious that all we could do was stand on the cliffs edge watching the waves crash and break on the rocks, and sing worship at the top of our lungs. I felt more freedom and beauty than I have felt in a long time. I didn't want it to end. We were all entranced by the glory of it all. It seems cliche to say this but I truly felt fully alive in that moment of awe. 

Hannah and I on the edge! You can see a tiny castle in the distance.

It is always such a relief to me to realize how big my God is and how small I am in comparison. Every single day, those huge, powerful waves crash against those cliffs and the winds whip everything else around, and they refuse to budge. I was just a little, tiny speck trying not to be blown off the edge. Yet I am still more precious to Him. Incredible.







We stayed that night in Doolin, a small coastal town by the cliffs. And when I say small I mean we were some of the only people there. It was off season so only one of the three pub/restaurants were open. We had an early bus to Dublin the next day and we were all worn very thin by then so we went to bed very early and called it a day. I was honestly just ready to get to Austria and get that adventure started!

The Guinness factory, Dublin. 

After an unnecessarily long and horrible bus ride to Dublin, we walked around the city to see a few key landmarks. We first made our way to Trinity College where the Book of Kells is held, an 800 year old book of the Gospels. It is said to be the most beautiful book in the world. Trinity College itself was actually a very interesting and scenic campus.

St. Patrick's Cathedral

We then trekked to St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he is supposedly buried. We ended the night at Brazen Head pub, the oldest pub in Ireland. It has been on that very spot since the 12th century. It was a very interesting place; they have Irish storytelling there and the seating is partially outdoors in a courtyard type thing. The bar area is covered wall to wall in paper money from different countries that people have left notes on. I finally drank my first Guinness and it was so thick and bitter and gross but I was in Dublin at the oldest pub in Ireland so I finished it!

The Brazen Head Pub, est. 12th century. 

Guinness is gross but I drank it anyway. 

Ireland....its been real. I learned that there is no limit to creation. I breathed fresh air for a few days. I learned that Purcell means 'piglet.' It was truly "the craic." And I will be back.

BUT I AM SO READY FOR AUSTRIA! 

Stories.

When you can't decide if you should take a risk or not, just do it for the story. My life is a story.

The older I get, the more stories I have to tell that are my own, not someone else's that I heard, not my parents' stories, but mine. I can take part in other's stories, but no one else has the same story I do. This is something that is so obvious that I just recently realized it. I could go on the same exact trip as someone else and do the same exact things, but their perspective will never be mine. My story is one of the very few things I can totally call my very own. That is so exciting to me. And it makes me want to make it a bestseller and the best it can be. I want my story to be a thriller. I want it to be a riveting romantic comedy. And I can already tell you, this semester in Gaming, Austria, will be one for the records. Some of the stories we create in this magical snow globe of a place will be told and retold to my children and grandchildren. But many will remain here, right where they happened, hidden with the centuries of untold stories floating in between the walls of this ancient building. Our stories whispered in late night conversations of adventures in obscure countries, and hilarious escapades to places where no one knows my name will forever live with those of students before me and join the silence of the Carthusian monks before them. 

However some of these stories will be preserved in this abstract place that is the blogosphere. I honestly don't understand where these posts go when I write them or how you can see what I'm writing because the internet is beyond my comprehension. But it seems to me that this is basically you reading my open journal. You're welcome and I'm sorry. Through prayer and the grace of God Almighty alone will I be able to persevere and actually keep this updated throughout my semester. 

But I need to try. Why? Because why bother doing something for the story when you aren't planning on telling the story for all to hear?!