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Ready to Go?

Spoiler alert: I was not (nor did I ever feel) ready to go home from Ireland.

If you asked me what I loved most about being in Ireland, I wouldn’t be able to give you one straight answer.  I loved getting to know the other HC students who also came to Galway.  I loved meeting new people with their various Irish/French/German/Canadian/etc. accents.  I loved taking classes outside my theatre curriculum and learning more about Irish culture.  I loved finding new theatre and choral opportunities and getting involved in the community.  I loved getting a feel for the pub scene and dancing on Shop Street with several talented performers.  I loved sitting near the Spanish Arch and relaxing by the water as seagulls and swans went about their day.  I loved every downpour of rain, and I loved every sparse sunny day when everyone in town went outside to enjoy the weather.  I loved everything there is to love about Galway, and will continue loving it even when I come back to Holy Cross.

 

My Final Days

For the last two weeks I was in Galway we had the incredible fortune of having beautiful, temperate sunshine.  Shop Street and Eyre Square were crowded with people walking around and running errands at all hours of the day. If there’s anything that brings Irish folks together, it’s a welcome change from the usual rain spells to an early glimpse at summer.  It was a little disappointing to be cooped up in the library studying for exams when the weather outside was so nice, but as soon as exams were over I spent as much time as I possibly could outside.

I walked to Galway Cathedral for my last mass and took a final gander around the inside, which was filled with several shrines (including one to St. Therese, my late grandmother’s Confirmation saint) and displays describing the short yet elaborate history of the cathedral.  I still find it hard to believe that such an iconic landmark is only about fifty years old!

I also took one last look at the swan that has made her home outside the cathedral.  I haven’t seen any of her babies in person, but I did get a peek at a few more eggs underneath her as she sat on her nest.  Meanwhile, her partner swan fended off some neighboring ducks and seagulls as a few passersby tossed their bread in the water for the swan.  I’ve seen other swans take people’s food, but this swan would have none of it.  I almost wish I took a video of the action, but I had so much of the city left to explore.

Galway Cathedral in the summertime.

 

If you look closely you can see several eggs beside the mother swan’s neck!

 

One of my favorite places in the city is St. Nicholas Church, the nearly 700 year-old medieval church where I rehearse and perform with the Choral Scholars during the semester.  Every weekend they host a market where local vendors can sell their homemade wares and yummy food.  You can find just about anything on the short road beside the church: from jewelry to paintings and from pottery to produce.  I bought a couple magnets of paintings of Shop Street and of the Claddagh, the area in the west end of Galway from which the famous Claddagh ring originates, and had a nice conversation with the man who painted them and handmade frames for his paintings and magnets out of scrap wood.  I would also highly recommend buying an 80¢ donut from Boychik’s Donut stand – 80¢ seems too low for a donut that is fried and covered in sugar before your eyes by one of the friendliest fellows in Galway.

A sign for the weekend market outside St. Nicholas Collegiate Church of Galway (PC: Aaron Katz).

 

Always a treat to see this guy on the weekends (PC: Laura Lippstone)!

 

After picking up a falafel meal from one of the other food carts in the market, I made my way towards the Spanish Arch.  On my way down Shop Street I couldn’t help but hear jazz music playing in the distance.  Sure enough, one of the local bars had left their doors open – inside a jazz band played some classic tunes while their audience sipped their drinks and swept their partners off their feet on the dance floor.  It was almost as if I had taken a step back in time into a 50s sock hop, and I loved it.

 

Lunch was well worth having by the water before I ventured further along the coast towards Salthill.  I passed by a huge flock of swans, a game of soccer, and plenty of beachgoers.  I decided to dip my toes in the water, but it was much colder than it would be back home.  It baffled me to see people actually swimming in it.  Even so, it will be hard to beat the West Coast sea breeze.

A lovely view of the water from the promenade.

 

Seems that summer came early in Galway!

 

I walked down the promenade to a park I had seen in passing when coming back to Galway after a trip, but never actually got to visit: the Circle of Life.  This is Ireland’s national commemorative garden dedicated to organ donors and their generosity.  Inside is a lovely pathway around a pond and through some greenery, with stones from all over Ireland and from all over the world.  At its epicenter lie five standing stones that all represent different symbols and stages in the journey of life.  Of course, I had to take pictures.

A welcoming rock at the entrance of the park (fáilte means “welcome” in Irish).

 

Entrance to the rock garden in the center of the park.

 

The original cornerstone from Eyre Square!

 

A panoramic view of the park.

 

You can read more about the park and download a leaflet about it here.

I had plenty of time to make it home before sunset – which began around 9:30pm – but after a solid 3+ hours of walking I wanted to pick up a snack on the way home.  So I made my way back along the coast and got a little something from a new ice cream shop that had just opened recently.  Not only did they deliver handmade ice cream all the way from Dingle (a town in County Kerry, Ireland), but they had quite a tasty assortment: from Dingle Sea Salt to Caramelized Brown Bread.  I got the chance to sample these and other flavors (the brown bread flavor was surprisingly yummy!) and bought a cone with Irish coffee and cookie flavors to enjoy in Eyre Square park.

A local treat from Murphy’s Ice Cream!

 

There’s always something fun to do and see around Galway, and no matter where you go or how bad the weather can get you’re bound to find great food and company as well.  I was half-expecting a good Irish thunderstorm to bid me farewell, but I’m so thankful for those final, sunny days.

 

My Final Thoughts

It’s been a week since I came home from Galway. While I’m happy to be home in the Florida sunshine, I’d take another day of Irish rain in a heartbeat.  I already can’t wait to come back someday.

Looking back on everything I’ve seen and experienced while studying abroad, to say that I’ve learned a lot would be a severe understatement.  Not only have I learned so much about Irish culture and history, but I’ve also learned quite a bit about living on my own in another country for about nine months.  I had to adjust to living in an apartment for the first time, attending the majority of my classes in huge lecture halls with students whom I’d rarely see around campus (much less around town), finding and having to say goodbye to new groups of friends, acclimating myself to the physical and social climate, and most especially trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life after Holy Cross.  In other words, I faced a lot of challenges and anxiety that made junior year my toughest year at Holy Cross (or, rather, away from it).

But my time in Ireland also made it the most fulfilling.  In my very first blog post I set out a few goals that I wanted to accomplish: stretch out of my comfort zone, meet new people, try new things, see more theatre, and so on.  At the end of the semester I can honestly say that I’ve accomplished these goals to the best of my ability, and I’m proud of how much I’ve learned about myself and the Galway community.  I sincerely encourage those thinking of studying abroad to explore your options and apply during sophomore year.  Studying abroad – no matter where you go – is an experience unlike any other.

 

What’s Next?

As much fun as it was to live in Galway, I’m already excited to return to the Hill for senior year.  I’m also beyond excited for next week when I start a Maymester program in London!  The Maymester, called “British Theatre in Perspective”, plunges us into English art and culture and London as we explore several museums, galleries, and exhibits and watch theatrical productions all over London.  I aim to continue blogging about my experience in London and try my hand at writing theatre reviews for the shows we’ll see.  Until then, here are a few parting photos from Galway.

One of my favorite views of what’s called “The Long Walk”

 

So many swans!

 

Hello, neighbor!

 

Eyre Square in the evening.

 

Found a rainbow over one of the old structures near where I walk to class.

 

A painting of the Latin Quarter of Galway.

 

And of course, I can’t ignore the topicality of this video, which shows a good number of places in Galway that I’ve seen:

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my travels throughout Ireland and that you continue to enjoy your summer!  Take care, everyone, and I’ll see you next semester!

 

Cheers,

Ali
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We Interrupt This Blog for an Important Announcement

So, remember that swan I talked about in my last post?  I’m happy to announce that she is now a proud mother of these adorable cygnets!

(PC: Sean Lally for “This is Galway” on Facebook)

 

That’s all for now.  We will return to our regularly scheduled programming momentarily.

 

Cheers,

Ali
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From the Classroom to the Cliffs: Celebrations of Irish Pride

In a little river by Galway Cathedral there’s a swan who has been sitting on her nest for the past few weeks or so, and her eggs are expected to hatch in a few more weeks. Here’s the odd thing about it though: the nest is in the middle of the river, and it’s close enough to the walkway that it can be easily seen, photographed, or hit by a tossed piece of garbage, much of which still litters the area. The area is so exposed that it seems like the least likely spot to build a nest. Still, that’s the spot this swan chose, and every now and then you can see a second swan near her foraging for food or additional brush for the nest.

I was really happy to see the priest bring up the swan in his homily during Easter mass last week. He reminded us that we are often stuck in an environment that might work against us or make us feel exposed, yet even in adversity we — like the swan — still have the capacity to create new life just as God gave new life to Jesus after His death. In celebrating Easter we also celebrate the opportunity to move forward from our struggles of the past and make the most of our present joys.  I hope that now that the Easter season has begun you all have been able to celebrate these joys and opportunities.

The swan and her nest (PC: Aaron Katz).

My sincerest apologies for my inactivity over the last couple months; I’ve been taking care of personal matters while also getting involved in so many activities on and off campus, and I haven’t had much of a chance to write in the meantime.  However, now that final exams season is upon us here in Galway, I have more opportunities to write during study breaks.  So, without further ado, let’s get to it!

 

Irish Pride in the Classroom

If you ever get the chance to study abroad in Ireland (or in any country, for that matter), I would highly recommend taking classes about local culture.  One of my classes, called Imagining Modern Ireland, goes beyond talking about the history of Ireland (from the Famine to the 1916 Rising and beyond) and opens the floor for discussion about English literature in Ireland, Irish literature, Irish film, Irish dance, and Irish music.  In other words, it really brought into perspective the definition of Irishness and how people have interpreted it and demonstrated it throughout Irish history.  I had gotten a taste of this last semester in my course on Irish theatre, but it was really interesting to see representations of Irishness across different disciplines as well.  Whatever you’re interested in – fairy folklore, political debates, rural tradition, feminist perspectives, language differences – you’ll find it in Irish writing and music!  If you’re looking for some poetry, I suggest reading some of the work of Eavan Boland; not only is she a talented writer, but she also raises questions of both national and feminine identity in Ireland and how they intersect.

I’ve also taken a Film Studies seminar, which I found pretty eye-opening.  Most of the films we watched and discussed also displayed different depictions of Irishness, especially through fondness for the West of Ireland and for “the good old days” before modernization.  The lecturer commented on one of the first films we watched, titled Flight of the Doves, as being a classic example of how filmmakers have taken some liberties in portraying true Irishness by playing with what would appeal to a foreign (mostly American) audience.  For example, many scenes in the film show Ireland as being green, historic, and even mythical, without necessarily taking into account how modern certain parts of Ireland can be and how similar Irish culture can be to our own.  There is also a scene where the main characters arrive in Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day (of all days!) and find themselves swept up in a parade full of people from many nationalities, where everyone sings a song called “You Don’t Have to Be Irish to be Irish”.  If you watch the entirety of the scene, you can probably recognize how the scene appears to pander to non-Irish audiences with corny song and dance.  The lecturer made sure to emphasize this point and also noted how the scene seemed less realistic because not everyone in Dublin had a Dublin accent.  Being the only American in the class, I sheepishly admitted that the pandering worked: I liked the song quite a bit, and I never would’ve guessed the differences in Irish accents (even though there really are too many of them to count).

Needless to say, I’m quite glad that I had the opportunity to take classes on Irish culture this year, and I would definitely encourage those looking to study abroad to take classes like these to get a sense of how local culture has developed over time.

 

On the Field – Watching a Hurling Match

Our advisor Kathleen also took us to see a hurling match this past March, which pitted Galway’s team against a team in County Laois (pronounced “leash”).  Hurling is one of Ireland’s oldest and most popular field sports, and is played by hitting a ball (called a sliotar) with a stick (called a hurley).  You score points by hitting the sliotar either through your opponent’s goalposts or past the goalkeeper into their net, in which case you will have scored a goal.  As I watched the match I was reminded of a sort of cross between soccer, football, and baseball, and I was surprised by how intense matches can get.  We witnessed a couple injuries over the course of the match, as well as a couple of small showers that quickly drenched the field and then instantly made way for the sunshine.  We even saw a few rainbows as a result!  Unfortunately, the youth hurling teams that played a short match during halftime also got drenched in the process.  Still, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and Galway won with 31 points and 3 goals!

One of a few rainbows we saw at the match!

In the Streets – St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Now I’m sure everyone reading this is simply dying to know what a typical St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland might entail.  As one might expect, I found it to be quite Irish: Shop Street was decorated with plenty of Irish flags and shamrocks.  Many businesses that didn’t sell alcohol (which included the schools) were closed that day for the holiday.  And, like on any other day in Ireland, it rained; and of course, as a nice holiday treat, it rained a torrential downpour.  As far as I can recall, there hasn’t been a single St Patrick’s Day in Irish history that hasn’t seen at least a little rainfall.  Even so, I braved the rain and wind to see one of the biggest shows of Irish pride walk down the streets of Galway: the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

It had been a good while since I had seen a parade and it was my first time seeing a St. Patrick’s Day parade.  Of course, these parades are held everywhere in Ireland every year, but it was a treat to be able to see one closer to home.  I loved seeing so many diverse community groups come together and show off their strengths and talents while friends and family – buried under their umbrellas and raincoats – cheered them on from the sidewalks.  You can see more of my favorite photos of the parade below!

St. Patrick driving the “snakes” out of Ireland, followed by the Galway Polish Scouts.
An artillery company from Massachusetts representing the US!
Galway’s Filipino-Irish Community put on an impressive display of costume and dance!
The theatre group Macnas made a second appearance after the Halloween parade, and they brought the big owl with them!

 

The Wild [American] Rovers

After classes ended, we had a couple weeks off for study period and for the Easter holiday.  Fortunately, my boyfriend Aaron was able to spend Easter and the week leading up to it in Ireland, and there was quite a lot I wanted to show him.

We met up in Dublin on a chilly Monday morning and we roamed its busy streets as I described some of the landmarks and sites I had seen the first time I had been in Dublin: the Spire on O’Connell Street, the Dublin Post Office, City Hall, and many more.  We even met up with one of our friends from HC who is studying abroad at Trinity College, and they got us tickets to see the Book of Kells and gave us a brief history lesson on the book and the Long Room.  By some miracle we didn’t see one drop of rain all day, so we took advantage of the sunshine and visited St. Stephen’s Green, a lovely park that is currently in full spring bloom, and Christ Church Cathedral, a gorgeous Gothic-style church with a haunting crypt underneath.  It was lovely to meet up with our friend and spend the day walking around Dublin!

This panoramic shot of St. Stephen’s Green barely covers half the park!
A statue of Oscar Wilde in Merrion Square, another park in Dublin City.

 

Outside of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin (PC: Aaron Katz).
Inside of Christ Church Cathedral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of many memorials in the crypt below Christ Church.
A “memorial” to the cat and the rat that were found in one of the organ pipes at Christ Church. In other words, a game of cat and mouse gone wrong.

 

The next day we took a bus to Kilkenny, where we visited Kilkenny castle and the Smithwick’s brewery and museum.  The castle was built in the early 13th century by an Anglo-Norman family after the Norman invasion in Ireland and its ownership was eventually delivered to Ireland in the mid-20th century.  Today, it remains as one of Ireland’s many iconic landmarks and the crown feature of the medieval town of Kilkenny.  Inside the large, U-shaped castle you can see many of the original rooms and halls of the castle with descriptions of their functions, as well as some pieces from the National Art Gallery.  Each room has a unique mixture of modesty, lavishness, and practicality in its design.  Aaron and I loved getting a taste of medieval Irish history, and if you’re looking for places to visit in Ireland Kilkenny should definitely be on your list.

Aaron wishing he owned this castle.
A view of the garden from the top floor of the castle.
One of the main dining rooms inside the castle.
A child’s nursery inside the castle.

Later we went on a tour of the Smithwick’s Experience, which entailed a tour of one of the oldest breweries in Ireland (by over 300 years!) and a description of how the beer is made.  Our tour guide was very easygoing and informative, and the tour also included some impressive dramatizations of the Smithwick family and monks of St. Francis’ Abbey, where the ale was first created.  Not to mention the beer-tasting after the tour was also a nice treat before we caught a bus back to Dublin.  In my personal opinion, I’d take a pint of Smithwick’s over a pint of Guinness any day!

Outside the Smithwick’s brewery (PC: Aaron Katz).

 

We returned to Galway the following day to rest before embarking on a two-day tour to Connemara and to the Cliffs of Moher.  We rode a coach to Connemara to see the beauty of the mountains and the historic Kylemore Abbey and gardens, and neither of us was disappointed.  Luckily the weather remained favorable, so we were able to enjoy spending time in Kylemore gardens and taking pictures of the mountains and lakes from the roadside along the way.  I think my favorite part of the day was seeing so many sheep and lambs in the field, even more than the number of sheep I had seen the last time I was in Connemara.  You could tell that some of the sheep were newborns because of how they wobbled a bit when they walked and how their wool was not yet tagged with paint like their parents’.  Ironically, that didn’t stop us from enjoying a rack of lamb for dinner at McSwiggans, one of my favorite restaurants in Galway.

One of my favorite shots of the mountains in Connemara.
Kylemore Abbey in all its glory.
So many sheep and lambs!
Just two sheep casually walking alongside the road. You can tell the lamb must have been born recently because it doesn’t have any tagging paint on it.

 

On Good Friday we took a bus tour to see the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren, which is a region full of rocky landscapes that are as old as the glaciers that once went through the area.  It’s certainly a unique atmosphere compared to the grassy hills and lakes we had seen in Connemara the day before.  While in the Burren we got to visit Aillwee Cave, one of the oldest caves in Ireland and a quite fascinating one at that.  Our tour guide explained all of the different rock formations – some of which were at least a thousand years old – and she showed us an area where a bear had dug himself a small nook for hibernation hundreds of years ago.  Though we could only go so far in the cave before reaching a pathway blocked by boulders, I loved seeing the small waterfalls inside and the interesting rock formations that had evolved because of them.

When we finally arrived at the Cliffs, the wind had picked up significantly.  Thankfully there was only a little rain, but Aaron and I took extra care not to walk too closely to the edge.  I’ve always found it both humbling and thrilling to stand by cliffs like these and see the neighboring cliffs and ocean below, and I’m so glad I was able to share the experience with Aaron as well.

A view of The Burren from higher ground.
This photo doesn’t do nearly enough justice to the majesty of the Cliffs of Moher.

 

Even so, it was just as wonderful to stay in Galway for Easter Weekend.  I got to show Aaron the highlights of the city – the Spanish Arch, Eyre Square, the cathedral, and so on – and the magic of Shop Street.  I showed him my favorite bookstore, my favorite places to grab a coffee, and a shop called Dungeons and Donuts that sells both nerdy games and accessories and nerd-themed donuts – from Game of Thrones to Pokemon and everything in between, if you want it they’ve got it (check out their website to see all of their amazing donuts)!  I also introduced him to one of my favorite lunch and tea places called Cupan Tae (Irish for “cup of tea”), where we enjoyed lunch and tea served on beautiful china plates and teacups.  I think the best part of this place is that you can order their tea online and have it shipped anywhere in the world for a fairly low price.  I would definitely recommend you check out Cupan Tae’s website and tea selection here, and perhaps order a bag or two for yourself!

A selection of donuts from Dungeons and Donuts. Note the Cookie Monster donuts on the top left and Pokeball donuts on the bottom shelf.
I had a chuckle seeing the Game of Thrones-themed donut named “The White Walker”.
Lunch at Cupan Tae: so pretty it had to be put on Snapchat (PC: Aaron Katz).

 

And of course, how could I forget the small petting zoo that happened to be in town that weekend?  I’m pretty sure I could hear Aaron laughing at me as I joined the small group of children trying to pet the sheep and baby goats, but with animals as cute as these, how could you not?

Apparently the mama sheep wasn’t a huge fan of people, but she let me pet her anyway.
These goats, on the other hand, loved being pet and gently nibbling on people’s fingers (mine included!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoying the sights of the city and attending Easter mass in Galway Cathedral were the perfect way to end the week of our tour around Ireland.  Even though I won’t be seeing Aaron again until we start our next semester at Holy Cross, I’m still so happy and thankful that we were able to spend time together in my home away from home.

Obligatory selfie with a Snapchat location filter (PC: Aaron Katz).

 

What’s Next?

Well, since I’ve been away from the blog for so long and have so much to talk about, I plan on writing more frequent entries before I return home from Ireland in May.  Within the next week I’ll be writing about all of the theatre and choral experiences I’ve had the past couple months.  In another post I’ll be writing about the theatre I’ve seen, especially since last week was Galway’s annual Theatre Festival.  All I can say about it for now is that there’s a good reason Galway’s been named the European Capital of Culture for 2020!

Until then, take care and happy Easter, everyone!

 

Cheers,

Ali