In the words of the Irish, we had great craic these past couple weeks
In the words of the Irish, we had great craic these past couple weeks. I felt as though I took a crash course, learning briefly about the different lands that make Ireland so beautiful, big cities and quaint villages alike. We were incredibly lucky to have Breeda, Cepta, Holly and Tomás guiding us through Limerick and advising us on personal trips. With their help and the hospitality of the Pery’s hotel staff, our stay felt a lot like home. It was nice to know that after every excursion, Limerick was waiting to welcome us back from a long day’s end.
The Giant’s Causeway
Belfast was one of my first adventures. A few friends and I took a tour bus, known as a Paddy Wagon, along the northern coast. We came by a couple of famous sights, but the stop that truly took my breath away was the Giant’s Causeway. It’s defined as the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. These words do no justice to its monumental beauty. The water crashing into the shore; the mountains scaling great heights; the green pastures that stretched as far the eye can see; everything about the Causeway was gorgeous. We trekked the beginnings of it, walking past grass that swirled every which way, funnily resembling that of Dr. Suess' picture books. Before long, we took a break to soak everything in. It all seemed larger than life. The mere fact that all this beauty was made by nature was so hard to comprehend. When it was time to get back on the bus, I couldn’t help but wish we had more time to explore.
The View from atop St. Flannan’s Cathedral
Killaloe came next, astounding us with its picturesque landscapes and charm. After a tour through Thomond Park Rugby Stadium, we took a cruise to our next destination. The view from atop the boat was absolutely beautiful. I met the sweetest girl while I was fighting my way against the winds to the front of the boat. She was from Australia and had traveled all over the world. We delved deep into conversation, albeit shouting over the loud noises of the sea breeze. She told me her home in Melbourne was a bit dry and brown, but that it was beautiful nonetheless. I told her New York wasn’t too bad either. We promised each other that one day, we’d visit each other to judge for ourselves. We finally arrived at St. Flannan’s Cathedral, where they allowed us to ring the bells. They brought us to the top, overlooking the village. Within a moment of enjoying the view, we were sadly whisked away to the bus, sleeping the whole way home.
Grafton Street
During one weekend, a few friends and I took a trip to Dublin. Limerick is somewhat a microcosm of New York City, but Dublin was the closest we came to home. Within the first moments of walking into our hostel, we saw a vast diversity in the people and their choice of fashion. One man walked through the doors, dressed in gaudy chains and a scuba diver’s wetsuit. Another wore a leprechaun costume. I’m not too sure where they were headed, but I regret not coming along. Along the way, we visited the Guinness Warehouse and Grafton Street.
Tower Bridge
The last trip I took was to London and let me tell you, I truly enjoyed every moment I spent there. We tried to cover all the tourist activities within a small span of time: Pedal boating in Hyde Park; striding across Abbey Road; riding the London Eye; walking the Tower Bridge; poking fun at the soldiers at Buckingham Palace. However, what I was most excited about was the Harry Potter Studio Tour. I’ve been a fan for a long time, and to see all the production that took place during the movies was unreal.
Ireland treated me well and has genuinely been wonderful. I’m thankful for all the people that helped us feel at home while we were so far away from our own. Though it was bittersweet saying goodbye to them, I’m ready to begin a new adventure in Paris.
Jillian K. Dorego, Fall 2019 Social Media Ambassador