Ireland

Words cannot describe how excited I was to spend a few days on the Emerald Isle. As a former Irish Step Dancer whose parents play traditionally Irish instruments, it was hard to believe I finally had a chance to see Ireland. The entire week I kept repeating to myself “I’m really in Ireland! I’m really in Ireland!”

My one day in Dublin became a self-guided tour of the fabulous libraries the city had to offer. The first, and most incredible, was the Chester Beatty Library, created to house the collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, an Irish-American bibliophile. The collection was so vast and the special exhibits were very well done and featured many of the collection’s rare treasures. They had an “Arts of the Book” exhibit that included early Chinese techniques I had never seen before. I then met a friend of a friend at Trinity College who graciously took me on a whirlwind tour of the college and then shepherded me into the library so that I could finally lay eyes on the famous Book of Kells. My next library destination was the National Library which currently housed an exhibit on Yates, an author whose life I knew little about, so I enjoyed it immensely. My final library stop in Dublin was the Marsh Library, an incredible rare book library that still retained its stalls into which patrons would be locked when they were reading library material to ensure it would not stolen. The Marsh Library maintained a seasonal exhibition on James Joyce and his very own visits to the Marsh Library (the library even receives mention in Ulysses and Finnegans Wake).

I then hopped on a bus to the West Coast, and my lovely college friend Katie met me in Galway where she is currently attending medical school. The next day happened to be Thanksgiving, so I joined her and her Irish friends at my second ex-pat Thanksgiving (the first one if you missed it) -- complete with corn bread, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie!

While Katie was busy with classes and homework, I took a few day trips to explore as much of Ireland as possible. 

Cliffs of Moher: Even though the weather was rather rainy and grey, the grass was still green and the views were breathtaking. I watched as people lay down and ever so slowly crawled to the edge of the cliff. I didn’t dare try -- I am too much of a klutz. Fun fact: the incredible Cliffs of Moher are the famous “cliffs of insanity” from The Princess Bride.

My second day trip was to the Aran Islands, a group of islands off the coast of Galway. If I could have a summerhouse (or Russian dacha…) anywhere in the world it would be somewhere on these islands. I decided to go to Inis Mor by bus and ferry and then rent a city bike on the island. I rode all day on the island with its winding stone walls and horses apathetically grazing on one side and crashing waves and seals on the other. When I wanted to climb Dún Dúchathair I didn’t know what to do with my bike since I didn’t have a lock, so I asked the man at the entrance to the trail. His answer was a short laugh as he replied that nothing is ever stolen on this island.

Can you spot me?

Back in Galway on my last night, I wandered around the coast to Salt Hill, a nearby town, and caught up on my travel journal as I watched the sun go to bed.

I was itching to hear traditional Irish music and found a pub of “regulars” who, it seemed, dropped in nightly to listen to the music as well. I was immediately befriended by Mikey and Paddy, two sweet elderly gents, who explained that the pub was a family establishment and that the two sons were bartenders. While I was seated with them talking, one of the sons came up to Mikey, brought him his regular drink and then asked him to be godfather of his daughter! Mikey and Paddy then told me all about retirement and their grandchildren and asked if I had any “nice aunties I could set Paddy up with in America”. So, if anyone is looking, let me know.  Of course, they hospitably insisted on buying me an Irish beer and were jokingly warned by the bartenders “Fellas! Keep your hands on your pints”. The music was fantastic; the band played for a few hours straight, and I especially loved watching the bodhran player since that musical instrument has always mesmerized me. Finally I had to say my farewells to Mikey and Paddy (and Katie!) and took off for my last research destination: London.