Week 4: Dublin

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My ISA group took a weekend trip to the capital city of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin. In less than a three-hour bus ride, we had travelled from the west coast to the east. Trips like this remind me that the whole country of Ireland is only half the size of Minnesota! Our main attraction for the first day was visiting Trinity College. The college is known for a beautiful old library that holds the Book of Kells, an illustrated Bible from around 800 AD. I wish one of my latin scholar friends was along so that they could have read it to me, but the plaque next to the book said that it was open to the page of Matthew 5, the Sermon on the Mount. Sadly we were not allowed to take pictures of this exhibit so if you are curious about its beauty you will have to google it. The old library made me feel like Belle in Beauty and the Beast with one sad exception, I was not allowed to touch the books. We also went to the science gallery on campus which was full of students’ incredible work.

Then we braced the cold wind for a guided walking tour of Dublin. Our guide brought us to Dublin Castle and told us the true and legendary history of Dublin. The castle was originally a Viking fortress but eventually came to serve as the residence for the British monarchy representative in Dublin. The courtyard of Dublin Castle is the place where Michael Collins famously handed over the treaty of 1922 that made Ireland free and started a civil war. While the castle has been added onto and rebuilt over the course of its existence, it was still amazing to stand in a place brimming full of Irish history.

Our second day in Dublin focused on a different part of Irish history, the Guinness brewery. In 1759 Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease (yes, 9000!) on this brewery in Dublin and ‘The Black Stuff’ that Ireland is so famous for, was born. The museum in the storehouse was beautifully done and ended with a free pint of the freshest Guinness possible in a room that had windows for walls. Every day in Ireland is a “Lovely day for a Guinness”, but nothing can top that day in the storehouse.

Week 3: Northern Ireland

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I may not have left the island this past weekend, but I did exit the country. The history of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will always baffle me. (I won’t go into politics, look it up for yourself.) Crossing over to the UK didn’t require me to show my passport or go through security, but it did make me change my euros for pounds and turn all the phone booths red. My friends and I stayed at a hostel in Belfast for the weekend. From there we could take a long walk to the Titanic Museum, watch a soccer game in a local pub, and experience a bit larger city than our quaint Galway. But most importantly we could hop on a tour bus to the Giant’s Causeway. Old historic buildings are beautiful, but nothing compares to God’s work in nature. Giant’s Causeway is made up of hexagonal stones that add to the beauty of an already rich landscape. I didn’t bother to learn the science behind it because no scientist shouting billions of years could answer better than saying that God is amazing. Climbing along these rock formations was certainly an adventure because the wind kept us on our toes. My feet got wet and my hair messy, but I can honestly say that the two hours spent there are my favorite so far. Since the wind was almost blowing us into the ocean while we were on dry ground, we couldn’t cross the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge for safety reasons (which might be a good thing since even walking near it gave me goosebumps.) Maybe by the end of my trip, my fear of heights will leave me. All in all, it was a fantastic weekend full of beautiful sights, great food, and good friends.

Week 2: Class and Connemara

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This past week was full of firsts, as I’m sure many weeks will be as I study abroad. Last Monday marked the start of classes at NUIG (National University of Ireland Galway). The university has over 17,000 students, and most lecture halls can seat over 200 people. This is quite different from the classrooms I have grown accustomed to at MLC. I am taking five classes here at NUIG and in each, I am learning about literature, Irish culture, and history. I can already tell that my homework will involve much reading in coffee shops. Aside from school, I also had my first days with my new soccer team. NUIG Ladies Soccer is very accommodating to us ‘Yanks.’ They seem almost as excited to have a few new Americans on the team as I am to play with them. On Thursday we had a charity event against the NUIG Gaelic Football team. We played soccer the first half and Gaelic Football (a popular national sport) the second half. Any MLC student would quickly call Gaelic Football “Speedball,” but I can teach you the slight differences when I return. Below is a picture of the ladies soccer team from Thursday. I am very excited to play my favorite sport in a new country with new friends.

On Saturday my ISA group took a day trip to the rural beauty of Connemara. We left our little urban city to see the classic rolling hills of the picturesque Irish countryside. The first stop was at Ross Errilly Friary, a ruin of the largest Irish friary (monastery) built in the 1300’s. It was absolutely beautiful, even with the rain falling on us. I learned that monks in the 1300’s must have been very short because even I had to duck in order to fit through the doors! It is incredible that such an ancient piece of history can still be standing for me to explore.

From there we traveled to Kylemore Abbey to see the beautiful gardens and the gorgeous mansion that Mitchell Henry built for his wife in the late 1800s. However, I found the trip there even more interesting than the destination. As we traveled our bus driver told us the history of western Ireland. Here you can still see the effects of the Potato Famine of 1845-1852. The picture below shows a famine house. These ruins are scattered all over the countryside, the leftover stones from houses of people who abandoned their homes to seek food and life anywhere but the desolate and diseased Ireland. The bus driver pointed out the potato fields running down the hills and mountains that are still visible over a hundred years later. Being able to physically see and touch Ireland’s history has led me to care even more about this beautiful land that is my home for the next few months.

And of course, the trip showed me the majesty of God’s creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1 “The mountains and hills will burst into song before you.” Isaiah 55:12 God surely has created a masterpiece on the west coast of Ireland, and here are some pictures to prove it! Have a wonderful week and God’s blessings!