Week 2: Exploring Dublin, Newgrange and Clonmacnoise

Week 2 of study abroad was exhausting and energizing at the same time. During this week it rained quite a bit. At one point my jeans from the knee down were completely soaked through so they looked color blocked when I took my long rain coat off. One of the highlights of the week were the society and club fairs. Societies are like clubs in the US, and clubs are like intramural sports. I joined the Photography Society and Swimming Club! My roommate and I spent some time this week decorating our room and cooking healthy meals for ourselves. We bought a map of Europe to put pins into where we travel, and an aloe vera plant for our window sill that we named Glen.

We had our second program excursion this weekend to Dublin! We left Galway at 7:30 am on Friday morning and drove about three hours to Dublin. We started the day touring Croke Park, then went to the National Museum at Collins Barracks and ended at the Guinness Brewery. I really liked learning about the Gaelic Games and the cultural importance of Croke Park. My favorite part of the entire day was Guinness. I don't even drink beer, but the experience was incredible! The museum you walk through is beautiful and it was really fun to learn how to pour a "perfect pint". The coolest part is the sky bar at the top of the brewery where you get a 360 degree view of Dublin. After finishing the activities of the day we checked into our hostel and had a free afternoon. I wen to Grafton street with a group of friends and we ended up at an American themed diner called Eddie Rockets. After filling up on milkshakes and burgers we headed back to our hostel and crashed for the night.

On Saturday we did a walking tour of the city. We saw Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Trinity College, the National Museum of Archaeology and the National Gallery. My favorite place was Trinity College because we were able to see the Book of Kells and the famous library. Like the true book nerd that I am, I was teary eyed at the sight of the Trinity Library. Not only did I feel like I was in Harry Potter, but it smelled like parchment. After we finished our walking tour I went to a pastry shop called KC Peaches with a few friends and got an oatmeal raisin cookie that was the size of my head. (It was life changing) Later that night I met my friend who studies at UCD for dinner at a restaurant call the Market Bar. It was great to catch up with her! Around 7:30 pm we went to a play at the Abbey Theatre Peacock stage as a group. The play had amazing actors but very heavy subject matter, so I decided to leave at intermission. I went and got gelato with a few people after leaving, then returned to the hostel and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

On Sunday we left bright and early on the bus to visit two archaeological sites on our way back to Galway. Our first stop was Newgrange, an old burial mound built by the ancient Celtic people. The mound is uniquely built because there is a small passageway that allows the sun to pass through and illuminate the inner chamber of the mound. On the winter solstice the sun passes through the chamber and illuminates a triple spiral carved into the stone of the chamber, symbolizing the renewal of the year. The inner chamber of the mound was cramped with very low ceilings. Symbols were carved into the stone walls and there were three alcoves off the main chamber. Cremated remains of Celtic Peoples were poured into the burial mound. After Newgrange we got on the bus and headed to the old monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise, a popular pilgrimage site next to a river. The settlement was burned and pillaged by vikings a ridiculous amount of times, but the old stone buildings and grave markers still stand. It was so peaceful walking around the village and taking the time to imagine what life was like there. I loved the stone carvings on the archways of the buildings. The sun was also setting and faded into twilight as I walked around with my camera, so I was able to take some photos of the lookout tower in front of the lake.

Finally, we got back to Galway around 5 pm. I really loved this excursion. My favorite parts were Trinity, Newgrange and Clonmacnoise. Dublin is so different from Galway in an overwhelming way. I think if I were forced to choose I would definitely stick with the west coast. I'm glad I was able to experience Ireland's capital for a few days. I want to go back with my parents and explore the parts of the city I didn't see. This upcoming weekend I'll be traveling on my first trip to Budapest, Hungary. I'm nervous but I know this will be a wonderful opportunity of growth and exploration. I can't wait to take photos there! (My photos from Dublin, Newgrange and Clonmacnoise can be found in the "Ireland" section of my blog.)