This past weekend I joined the other 49 students in the U.S. Study Abroad Program at DBS for the trip to the West of Ireland, Galway and an Aran island, Inis Mor. Galway city is much smaller than Dublin, but there is still plenty to do. There is a large park in the center called Eyre Square, which then leads to all of the shops, chippers (fast food places that sell chips, or French fries), pubs, and night clubs. After walking around and looking at souvenir shops we all headed back to the hotel for our gourmet three-course meal. We were fed like kings and queens the entire weekend. That night we decided to relax before our big day of touring by taking part in the hotel’s pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room. How we got such a great hotel, we are not quite sure.
On Friday morning we headed off on a 3-hour ride to Kylemore Abbey, the oldest Irish Benedictine Abbey, located in Connemara. Originally it was Kylemore Castle, which was built in the mid-1800s, but was founded in the 1920s by the same nuns that are there today. Also at Kylemore Abbey are a walled garden, a neo-Gothic church, and a mausoleum where the original owners of the castle rest.
Saturday was the main reason I came, to go to Inis Mor. Only an average of 850 people reside in Inis Mor. It is the birthplace of the Aran wool, where some people still live in houses with thatched roofs, and where there is only a few inches of soil because the entire island is rock. The people used to collect batches of seaweed from the coast and layer the ground with it so they could grow potatoes. It was not an easy place to live, but it is very beautiful. There are 300ft cliffs, beautiful seacoast, and vibrant green fields for miles. I had a fantastic time in the wild West of Ireland and may try to go back to see the cliffs of Moher.
I hope next weekend to go to Cork to see Blarney Castle, kiss the Blarney stone and to partake in the Cork Film Festival (eee!). This weekend I'm just taking it easy and plan to finish writing the essay for the first class I took, when I learned all about Irish history and culture and all that. The essay is on the The Great Irish Potato Famine. Should be loaddds of fun :).
P.S. Sorry about the lack of pictures. I've tried to upload them 3 times and it's just not working. I'll try again tomorrow.
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