Luck Of The Irish

The Cliffs of Moher via Wikipedia

After a week of studying for midterms, I had the privilege to travel to Ireland for our spring break.

We left early Thursday morning for the beautiful green countryside. At the airport, my friend Brittany and I almost missed our flight because we lost track of time while we enjoyed a delicious vegetarian English breakfast. We made it to our terminal moments before the gate closed for take off!

Upon arrival, we were picked up from the Dublin airport from our Shamrocker guide, Sean, who shared history of the country. He was entertaining, and played Irish music for us on the bus, which made the long ride through the countryside quite pleasant.

Our first stop was at Clonmacnoise, an ancient monastic city on the shores of the River Shannon. We spent the night in Ennis (which means “island” in Irish), the capital of County Clare. The town was very small and quaint, but filled with character. There are a lot of narrow side streets with pubs, cafes, churches, and small convenient shops. The town is surrounded by countryside with the greenest grass I have ever seen in my life!

I stayed at the nicest hostel I have been in so far, and was served a gourmet dinner (at least one of the best meals I’ve had abroad!). I ate mozzarella pizza with chicken and vegetables, tortellini, and a delicious slice of cheesecake with graham cracker crust for dessert. The hostel was called Rowan Tree Hostel, and has received an award for being the best hostel in Ireland for two years! Just across the Fergus River is where the town locals gather to enjoy music at many local pubs.

After dinner we had free time to explore the town and take in the local music scene. My favorite stop was at Brogan’s Bar & Restaurant; a traditional pub that had an ‘old school’ and proper atmosphere. There was live traditional Irish music that was most entertaining. The band consisted of a banjo, four violins, an accordion, harmonica, and brush drum. The music was beautiful; I sat in the pub for hours mesmerized by the talent of the musicians. The atmosphere was so cozy, and reminded me how fortunate I am to be abroad. One song that I found to be truly touching was a personal ballad about a man who found letters between his grandfather and great grandfather. The man’s grandfather had moved to America and his father lived in Ireland, so he missed out on a lot in his home country.

The next day, we gathered downstairs at 8:30 in the morning to go to the Cliffs of Moher. This was one of the most magnificent places I have ever visited. The scenery was spectacular, the air was fresh, and it was a wonderful place to clear your mind. After the Cliffs, we explored the Burren Plateau, a barren limestone landscape.

After seeing these beautiful natural landscapes, we headed for lunch to the culture capital of Ireland – Galway. Sean told us tales of the tribes of Galway which was quite interesting. The majority of the town is populated with students, artists, alcoholics, poets or a combination of all four. Overall, the town had a relaxed, cool vibe. After our lunch break, we headed back to the fair city of Dublin to enjoy the nightlife. Ireland’s capital is truly historical and hip. It is filled with castles, churches, cafes, shops, and clubs. I went walking with my friend Brittany at night for two hours and found the vibrant city life to have traditional Irish culture and trendy European spunk. The city is up and coming, with lots of college kids and travelers from all around the world. Dublin city is fascinating and quite picturesque, and the language is the most unusual form of English I have heard.

The following morning we woke up around 8:00 a.m. and met our Shamrocker Adventure guide for a tour of Dublin’s major attractions. We were told tales of troubled times and legends of the ancient city as we explored the cobbled streets of Temple Bar. We also got we see Trinity College, and walk around the campus. Dublin’s history goes back to about 850 A.D. and the Viking excavations are incredible. After walking throughout the city, my friends and I went to The Guinness Brewery to get a tour of the factory. I really enjoyed seeing the brewery and learning how the stout and beer is made. Afterwards, we stopped at O’Brien’s for a quick bite before heading to the airport to return to London.

I really enjoyed my trip to Ireland, and found that Dublin has a lot of diversity from the other small towns I visited. I loved the music scene and the relaxed atmosphere of the city. As a foreigner there, I was treated very well and found the local community to be very accepting. If the opportunity ever presents itself, I will definitely visit Dublin and Ireland again!