Week One

It's been awhile since I've posted and I apologize (mom and dad) but I had quite the busy week.  I started my class on Monday and it seems like its going to be interesting.  We've been talking about all of the customs of Ireland--courtship, arranged marriage, marriage ceremonies, dancing, death ceremonies etc.  It's pretty crazy how different things are in America--even today.  For instance divorce in Ireland wasn't legalized until 12 years ago which seems pretty odd.  I also spent my evenings of the week exploring the various pubs around the city and getting my fair share of traditional music and even a little Lady GaGa and the like here and there.  : )   I've been hanging out with mostly Americans so far as the Irish students still don't arrive for quite some time.  I also booked my flights to Glasgow to visit my cousin Caralyn who will be starting her Vet school studies in a few weeks.  I'm exited to be able to travel and am always thinking about which places I should visit--so many choices!

On Sunday I did another coach tour with three of my classmates from DU.  It was amazing.  We went up the coast of Ireland stopping at a beach called Inch Strand which was so pretty.  Getting out to the West of the country was so great as it is more of what I had pictured Ireland to be like--rolling green fields, sheep(!), cows, stone walls and all the like.  Plus the ocean was so neat.  The color of the ocean was so blue and it just seemed different than parts of our side of the Atlantic that I have seen.  The tour guide was also very informative and gave a great lesson in Irish History as we drove.  I've certainly picked up on some towns I will need to visit again!  From the beach we continued around the coast to the Blasket Centre, a sort of museum about the Blasket Islands which are off the Western coast of Ireland.  No one inhabits the islands anymore and they are protected ecological sites now but at a time they held a very diverse culture of Irish people.  We had a chance to look around at the exhibit and just sit around on the shore of the ocean looking at the islands from afar.  One of the girls I was with had never seen the ocean in person before so that was kind of neat!  We then continued on into the town of Dingle which is a very small, Irish speaking harbor town.  It is right on the ocean and is certainly one of the places I want to return to.  We walked around and perused the shops and even stopped for some classic Fish and Chips.   The 3 hour bus ride each way that was part of the tour was just as exciting and really helped to give me a better view of the Irish countryside.  I'm very glad that I was finally able to see that part of Ireland that I had been envisioning!

Well I'll try to write more often this week and we'll see what adventures I end up on!

Sign posted at the exit of the beach

The beach of Inch Strand looking over the country side

Sheep grazing near the ocean

Some more of the countryside

Looking out over the ocean

Some of the Blasket Islands

Some Denver kids enjoying the local music and drink : )

Again!

Kinsale, Blarney and Cobh!

Today I went on a bus tour of Kinsale, Cobh, and Blarney.  It was quite the experience!  Our trip left Cork at about 10:30 and our first stop was in the little town of Kinsale.  Kinsale is on a peninsula of Ireland and is therefore somewhat like a little fishing town.  We were only in the town long enough to get a glimpse of the harbor and the forts guarding the bay.

The view from the top of a hill in Kinsale looking out from town into the ocean

Fort on one side of the entrance into the bay--an identical one sat across the way and they would lay chains out between them just under the water at night so any ships that tried to sneak into the harbor would have their hulls ripped through by the chain!

Sailboats at the pier in the town of Kinsale

Quote of Thomas Osborne Davies-- A large figure in the "Young Ireland" movement


Our next stop was in the town of Cobh--pronounced Cove-- which is another village on the ocean.  The Irish Navy's main base is located on an island just a short trip from the town.  In earlier times the port was the only main port in Ireland and is actually the last stop that the Titanic made before voyaging across the sea.  In town the Titanic boarding station is still there for viewing--you can see where the first class passengers would have received their boarding passes and crossed onto the ship.  The city also had a very neat Heritage Center which held the records of all the Irish people who emigrated from the country during hard times.  The center was very much like Ellis Island with records of all the families and when they departed the country.  There was also a magnificent cathedral called St. Colman's Cathedral which overlooks the town.  This was a very neat town!

This was the first class boarding entrance for the Titanic which led into a main hall with people to carry baggage and deliver drinks.

This is the third class boarding entrance which lead directly into the bottom of the ship so that the people never even go to see the luxuries of the upper decks.

View of the town from the pier with the HUGE cathedral in the back behind the main storefronts

Main entrance into St. Colmans--the cathedral was so big I couldn't fit the entrance and large clock tower into one frame

Clock tower of the Cathedral from the otherside

 More views of the cathedral from around the corner

View from the front of Cathedral looking out over the bay

Our last stop on the bus tour was the Blarney castle.  I was excited about this but didn't realize how HUGE the estate was.  It was amazing that the whole main castle, and additional watch castle towers, river, lake, and acres of field belonged to one family.  The castle was huge and every level we got to as we walked up I couldn't believe there was more to come.  Finally after reaching the top--ninety feet in the air I realized that the view from out over the top walls of the castle was probably one of the most intense things I have ever seen.  We were so high up!  Then I had to of course kiss the Blarney stone.  Being hoisted down backwards of a wall only held up by two bars and older man is quite an experience especially for someone as scared of heights as me.  But I did it and am now blessed with the gift of the gab- or more eloquent speech--we'll see

The view of Blarney castle as you approach

View from the top

More from the top

And again--really looking over so much of Ireland

A nice lady offered to take a picture of me--but missed the sign

Down to kiss the stone!

Backside of the Castle

Guard's watchtower

Overall it was an exciting trip and it was so nice to get out into the countryside and do some touristy things after being in the city.  I start my Early Start class tomorrow we'll see where I go from there.  I hope to do lots more exciting things before the Irish students arrive in September!

First Days

I arrived in Ireland on Thursday the 19th but haven't had Internet until today!  The first couple days have gone by without too many problems.  I moved into my apartment complex and will have three Irish roommates but they won't be arriving for about a month--when the regular term begins.  I've spent the days just wandering around the city and picking up essentials like sheets, groceries, etc.  This morning I visited the St. Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork.  We were just walking by, and will go inside eventually once we get our student IDs so that we can get discounts :)  I start my early start class titled Folklore and Ethnology of Ireland on Monday and met my professor yesterday--she seems like she will be nice and that the class will be fun.  Well I'll write again once I have more to say--

Entrance to my school- not the main entrance, but the entrance I will use from my dorms each day

UCC Crest-- located in the entrance way seen above

Bridge over the River Lee I cross to get onto campus from my apartment

Here's the Cathedral from the main gates

The carved stone and gold display above the entrance

Angel above the front entrance

Main Entrance to the Cathedral

T-2 weeks

So I leave for Ireland two weeks from today! I'm getting a little nervous but am also very excited and know that I am going to have an awesome time!  I haven't started packing or anything but that will all come in time.  I wanted to start this blog so that everyone who wants to can see what I'm up to while I'm in Ireland, so here we go!