Cahir Castle
The Swans at Coole Park! (Just kidding, they were outside Cahir Castle. Had to work some Yeats in there somehow though...)
Sunday 31 March 2013
What a weekend!
Thursday:
Finished up midterms and enjoyed an afternoon of freedom with some friends! We stopped in at Ormond's Cafe and had some tea and a scone, which are to die for. It was really nice to be able to relax- no classes or schoolwork for almost a week and a half.
We also got to go horseback riding Thursday afternoon! Eight of us in total traveled to stables that are outside Waterford, got a quick lesson, and got to ride for about an hour. The views were really amazing, including a walk along a quiet, peaceful lake. Afterwards we all had our best cowboy walks going, but there were smiles all around.
Thursday night was a great time. Some of the girls organized a surprise going away party/potluck for Dr Reed, our Irish lit professor who was only with us for the first half of the term. I think (and hope) the surprise aspect was pulled off well, and it was nice to have everyone working together on something. Dr Reed managed to squeeze a 3 credit class into less than 4 weeks time, so he definitely deserved a hand by the end of it.
Friday:
We had a nice quiet day at home, and worked on planning an American themed party! James and Ricardo (the ridiculously outnumbered boys in our group- 30 girls and 2 of them) hosted Friday night, which was a blast. The Mercyhurst kids got decked out in their best red, white, and blue/patriotic outfits, and got to show off for some locals! It was really nice to meet some people from the area who are our age, and we had a lot of fun comparing Ireland to the States. The short walk home across the parking lot didn't hurt either.
Saturday:
We had a fantastic "Tom Tour" that took up most of our day, and included some exciting sights. We started at Mt Melleray Grotto, which is the site of an apparition of Mary to some young Irish people back in the 80's. It was a gorgeous spot, and the sun came out too! We also saw two Butler castles, and got to tour them. Later in the afternoon we toured some caves as well. They go on for miles, and we got to see fossils that were millions of years old. Really exciting stuff. It was a jam packed day and we learned a lot, got to see some beautiful sights.
Sunday:
My first Easter away from home! I walked to mass this morning with some of the girls and heard a nice service, then headed back home and got a bit more sleep. It was a really quiet day, but that's fine by me. Tomorrow morning we're headed to Berlin! It's my first time traveling to Germany/mainland Europe, and I'm so excited to get into the culture. We've got an early start (as in 3am early), which means I probably should have been in bed hours ago. It will definitely be an adventure!
Finished up midterms and enjoyed an afternoon of freedom with some friends! We stopped in at Ormond's Cafe and had some tea and a scone, which are to die for. It was really nice to be able to relax- no classes or schoolwork for almost a week and a half.
We also got to go horseback riding Thursday afternoon! Eight of us in total traveled to stables that are outside Waterford, got a quick lesson, and got to ride for about an hour. The views were really amazing, including a walk along a quiet, peaceful lake. Afterwards we all had our best cowboy walks going, but there were smiles all around.
Thursday night was a great time. Some of the girls organized a surprise going away party/potluck for Dr Reed, our Irish lit professor who was only with us for the first half of the term. I think (and hope) the surprise aspect was pulled off well, and it was nice to have everyone working together on something. Dr Reed managed to squeeze a 3 credit class into less than 4 weeks time, so he definitely deserved a hand by the end of it.
Friday:
We had a nice quiet day at home, and worked on planning an American themed party! James and Ricardo (the ridiculously outnumbered boys in our group- 30 girls and 2 of them) hosted Friday night, which was a blast. The Mercyhurst kids got decked out in their best red, white, and blue/patriotic outfits, and got to show off for some locals! It was really nice to meet some people from the area who are our age, and we had a lot of fun comparing Ireland to the States. The short walk home across the parking lot didn't hurt either.
Saturday:
We had a fantastic "Tom Tour" that took up most of our day, and included some exciting sights. We started at Mt Melleray Grotto, which is the site of an apparition of Mary to some young Irish people back in the 80's. It was a gorgeous spot, and the sun came out too! We also saw two Butler castles, and got to tour them. Later in the afternoon we toured some caves as well. They go on for miles, and we got to see fossils that were millions of years old. Really exciting stuff. It was a jam packed day and we learned a lot, got to see some beautiful sights.
Sunday:
My first Easter away from home! I walked to mass this morning with some of the girls and heard a nice service, then headed back home and got a bit more sleep. It was a really quiet day, but that's fine by me. Tomorrow morning we're headed to Berlin! It's my first time traveling to Germany/mainland Europe, and I'm so excited to get into the culture. We've got an early start (as in 3am early), which means I probably should have been in bed hours ago. It will definitely be an adventure!
Thursday 28 March 2013
Liffey Swim
Sunday 24 March 2013
Up the Deise!
We're off to our first hurling match this afternoon!
The Mercyhurst students have a few great connections with the Dungarvan Town Council, and we were lucky enough to score some tickets to a local hurling match for this afternoon! I've only seen videos of the game, so I'm very excited to see it in person.
Many people associate gaelic football and rugby with Ireland, but hurling is the only true Irish sport (or so I've been told). It's extremely fast-paced, and is supposedly the oldest field game known to man. Teams include 15 players each, and the female version is known as Camogie.
If you'd like to check it out, here's a video explaining a bit of the game! I'll be sure to post an update later after the game to let you know how it went.
The Mercyhurst students have a few great connections with the Dungarvan Town Council, and we were lucky enough to score some tickets to a local hurling match for this afternoon! I've only seen videos of the game, so I'm very excited to see it in person.
Many people associate gaelic football and rugby with Ireland, but hurling is the only true Irish sport (or so I've been told). It's extremely fast-paced, and is supposedly the oldest field game known to man. Teams include 15 players each, and the female version is known as Camogie.
If you'd like to check it out, here's a video explaining a bit of the game! I'll be sure to post an update later after the game to let you know how it went.
Wednesday 20 March 2013
Scaffolding - Seamus Heaney
Masons, when they start upon a building,
Are careful to test out the scaffolding;
Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,
Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.
And yet all this comes down when the job’s done
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.
So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be
Old bridges breaking between you and me
Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall
Confident that we have built our wall.
Are careful to test out the scaffolding;
Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.
Old bridges breaking between you and me
Confident that we have built our wall.
"Scaffolding" is one of the first poems our Lit class has been assigned to read by the poet Seamus Heaney. We've covered Edgeworth, Yeats, and Joyce, so far and will spend the next few days working on Heaney.
I've had a bit of a difficult week, due to unexpected events in Dublin last weekend that were almost completely out of my control (although I'm not blameless by any means). I like this poem in particular because it depicts strong relationships. I consider myself to be extremely interpersonal, and I'm grateful to have strong ties with my family and friends especially in times of crisis. After a crazy hectic weekend, I can really relate with Heaney's words here, and I'm glad to have been assigned the reading tonight.
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Habemas Papem!
Although witnessing the election of a new Pope isn't specific to being in Ireland, it's certainly made for an exciting night in Dungarvan. While I was at dinner with my roommates at the Park I saw an update on my phone that there was white smoke in Rome, and (after finishing dessert) we rushed back to our townhouse to put on the news.
It's really amazing to me how quickly news can travel in today's media-filled world. The thought that this is one of the first few Papal elections that the world has been able to watch in real time is fascinating! Watching with my four roommates and each of our respective laptops/smart phones was interesting as well. We were able to talk with people from home and keep them updated, as well as learn different bits of news about possible candidates before Pope Francis was announced.
The commentators on the news channel that we landed on were also really fun to listen to. It showed a different style of news reporting than I'm used to watching at home, but some of the funnier quotes will definitely stick with me. It's also interesting to be watching all of this while taking an Ethics class- our discussions over the past two days have focused heavily on Catholic Social Teachings, and the place of the church in Ireland historically. I'm looking forward to class tomorrow to hear the opinions of my professor and fellow students on how Pope Francis will fit into the evolving Catholic Church.
It's really amazing to me how quickly news can travel in today's media-filled world. The thought that this is one of the first few Papal elections that the world has been able to watch in real time is fascinating! Watching with my four roommates and each of our respective laptops/smart phones was interesting as well. We were able to talk with people from home and keep them updated, as well as learn different bits of news about possible candidates before Pope Francis was announced.
The commentators on the news channel that we landed on were also really fun to listen to. It showed a different style of news reporting than I'm used to watching at home, but some of the funnier quotes will definitely stick with me. It's also interesting to be watching all of this while taking an Ethics class- our discussions over the past two days have focused heavily on Catholic Social Teachings, and the place of the church in Ireland historically. I'm looking forward to class tomorrow to hear the opinions of my professor and fellow students on how Pope Francis will fit into the evolving Catholic Church.
Sunday 10 March 2013
"No seriously, the guy is a leprechaun."
Well, the craziness of our first weekend in Dublin is behind us! By far one of the most exhausting but exciting weekends in my life. Early Friday morning the Mercyhurst gang headed to Dublin by bus, getting into our hostel, Jacob's Inn, mid-morning. We walked around the city a bit to get our bearings, and took a tour of the Irish Parliament buildings. We also explored the Grafton Street shopping area a bit, and to be honest the day was a bit of a blur.
Saturday was kicked off with a rainy cold walking tour of some of Dublin's more historic areas, like Trinity College and Dublin Castle. Unfortunately the tour was a bit rough because it was difficult to hear our guide at times, but I think overall we learned a lot. After getting in some quality shopping time at Penney's (we are girls, after all), we grabbed dinner and headed to the closest pub to watch the Irish/French rugby game. I must admit that I didn't know much of anything about rugby before this trip, but I'm doing my best to learn. Apparently its normal for a game to end in a tie, without any overtime- news to me! Saturday night most of us got dressed up in our finest and took part in a joint hostel pub crawl. It was exciting to meet people from all over the world, but wasn't exactly the best way to get a feel of what Dublin is like for the locals. Over all we got some great stories out of the night though, and catching up with everyone this morning was certainly fun.
This morning we went to mass in a church we found nearby which was absolutely gorgeous. The people were really welcoming, and it was nice to feel something similar to home. We also walked over to Baggot Street, and saw the original House of Mercy! It was so exciting to be in the place where the Sisters of Mercy were founded, and to consider how different my life would be if they hadn't founded our dear Mercyhurst. Afterwards, a group of seven of us adventured to the Guinness Storehouse and learned how to pour the perfect pint. The Storehouse is fantastic, a really well-planned place where you can learn a lot and have a good time doing so. Although getting back to the hostel was a bit tricky, we made it in time to get on the bus back to Dungarvan with the rest of the Lakers!
I'm really glad that this weekend happened so early on in our trip. It was really the perfect way to get closer with different people in the group; I think we really bonded a lot. I'm looking forward to heading back to Dublin next weekend as well for the craziness of Paddy's Day! Now I'm off to try to unpack and maybe upload some pictures, that is if my legs can manage to carry my upstairs to my room....
Saturday was kicked off with a rainy cold walking tour of some of Dublin's more historic areas, like Trinity College and Dublin Castle. Unfortunately the tour was a bit rough because it was difficult to hear our guide at times, but I think overall we learned a lot. After getting in some quality shopping time at Penney's (we are girls, after all), we grabbed dinner and headed to the closest pub to watch the Irish/French rugby game. I must admit that I didn't know much of anything about rugby before this trip, but I'm doing my best to learn. Apparently its normal for a game to end in a tie, without any overtime- news to me! Saturday night most of us got dressed up in our finest and took part in a joint hostel pub crawl. It was exciting to meet people from all over the world, but wasn't exactly the best way to get a feel of what Dublin is like for the locals. Over all we got some great stories out of the night though, and catching up with everyone this morning was certainly fun.
This morning we went to mass in a church we found nearby which was absolutely gorgeous. The people were really welcoming, and it was nice to feel something similar to home. We also walked over to Baggot Street, and saw the original House of Mercy! It was so exciting to be in the place where the Sisters of Mercy were founded, and to consider how different my life would be if they hadn't founded our dear Mercyhurst. Afterwards, a group of seven of us adventured to the Guinness Storehouse and learned how to pour the perfect pint. The Storehouse is fantastic, a really well-planned place where you can learn a lot and have a good time doing so. Although getting back to the hostel was a bit tricky, we made it in time to get on the bus back to Dungarvan with the rest of the Lakers!
I'm really glad that this weekend happened so early on in our trip. It was really the perfect way to get closer with different people in the group; I think we really bonded a lot. I'm looking forward to heading back to Dublin next weekend as well for the craziness of Paddy's Day! Now I'm off to try to unpack and maybe upload some pictures, that is if my legs can manage to carry my upstairs to my room....
Wednesday 6 March 2013
Today in Lit we had a great discussion starting with Castle Rackrent, the novel we're reading (or supposed to be reading instead of blogging, that is...), and ended up talking about Waking Ned Divine. Many of us in the class were able to give examples of Irish wakes we've attended, and I've had The Night Pat Murphy Died stuck in my head since this afternoon! It's a great song that's all about celebrating the life of a lost friend, which I've recently learned was written by Johnny Burke. This version by Great Big Sea is one that I grew up singing along to with my sister, and I hope you'll enjoy listening. Time to get back to reading and working on my presentation on The Acts of Union for tomorrow's class!
Tuesday 5 March 2013
WIT and Ned Devine!
What I've learned today:
- Some Irish actually like listening to our accents almost as much as we enjoy theirs. Crazy, considering how ugly our speech sounds when compared to theirs.
- The fields/ hills/ homes between Dungarvan and Waterford are just beautiful, especially on a bright and sunny morning.
- Waking Ned Divine is not, in fact, about waking up Kevin Devine's brother/male relation.
- Phone booths can fly (or at least soar rather unrealistically through the air when knocked by vans).
- Turkish refs make terrible red card calls.
- I need to watch Cadet Kelly and The Amanda Show again soon.
Monday 4 March 2013
Welcome to Dungarvan!
Well, we've finished up our first day of classes here at Mercyhurst's Ireland campus and are officially settled in! After arriving in Ireland last Friday morning myself and the other 31 Lakers got the lay of Dungarvan over the weekend. There's many small cultural differences that we've been getting the hang of, like which shops have toiletries or whatever food items we might be looking for. I'm very grateful to be traveling with professors that know the town so well- they've been a big help!
I think I've finally kicked most of the jetlag- our townhouses (or holiday homes as they're known here) are just gorgeous, and I think we've all been very comfortable so far. The Park Hotel which runs these homes has an amazing Leisure Center, so I've been able to get some laps in at the pool! Hopefully I'll keep this up as the term gets more busy- we'll have to wait and see.
In terms of schoolwork, we had our first classes today in Ethics and Irish Literary Heritage. Both classes include a lot of discussions, and I think the variety of students in our group will really keep things interesting. Tomorrow we journey to Waterford for our first class in Irish Language & Culture at Waterford Institute of Technology! I'm looking forward to seeing how Irish colleges are different from schools back home. Because our schedules are shortened to about 8 weeks of classes we have school days that are very long, but I'll be glad to have the extra time to travel at the end of the term!
This weekend we'll be heading to Dublin with Dr Reed, and I'm really hoping that I'll get to see the Book of Kells- it's been on my bucket list for a while now! (Just for the record Dad, the book contains the four primary gospels- neither of us was right.)
Well, that's all for now, but I'll be sure to keep updating as we learn more about the beautiful country that we'll call home for the next two months!
I think I've finally kicked most of the jetlag- our townhouses (or holiday homes as they're known here) are just gorgeous, and I think we've all been very comfortable so far. The Park Hotel which runs these homes has an amazing Leisure Center, so I've been able to get some laps in at the pool! Hopefully I'll keep this up as the term gets more busy- we'll have to wait and see.
In terms of schoolwork, we had our first classes today in Ethics and Irish Literary Heritage. Both classes include a lot of discussions, and I think the variety of students in our group will really keep things interesting. Tomorrow we journey to Waterford for our first class in Irish Language & Culture at Waterford Institute of Technology! I'm looking forward to seeing how Irish colleges are different from schools back home. Because our schedules are shortened to about 8 weeks of classes we have school days that are very long, but I'll be glad to have the extra time to travel at the end of the term!
This weekend we'll be heading to Dublin with Dr Reed, and I'm really hoping that I'll get to see the Book of Kells- it's been on my bucket list for a while now! (Just for the record Dad, the book contains the four primary gospels- neither of us was right.)
Well, that's all for now, but I'll be sure to keep updating as we learn more about the beautiful country that we'll call home for the next two months!
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