A week in Ireland

A view of Dun Laoghaire

Our gentle hike up Killiney Hill wasn’t as gentle as we expected, but it was beautiful. Some of the area was wooded with tall smooth trunks that ended far above our heads in leafy branches. It was different from the ferns and pines that are green from ground to sky at home. When we broke out of the forest area it was to find grassy hills and stone walls. We paused to watch rock climbers making their way up the cliff faces, and enjoyed the view of Dun Laoghaire as the sun began to set. We took different footpaths through the heather until we reached a peak where there was a pointed Obelisk and a block-like pyramid. Both were follies built in 1741 as make-work projects. The panoramic views we enjoyed from the summit were well-worth staying for until the walk back was blurry and dim. Then we were tempted by a children’s park where apparently teeter-totters, zip-lines, and merry-go-rounds are not yet banned. And I’m telling you, I’d risk my kids getting injured for the fun of those playgrounds!

Hello Miss Molly!

Oliver St. John Gogarty's Pub

On Tuesday Fionnuala drove us into Dublin so that Dale could go to the USIT office for his SWAP orientation. He ended up being the only one attending, which meant he received one-on-one attention, and personalised advice. In the meantime, I met up with Niall, who gave me a one-on-one walking tour of Dublin. I couldn’t have had a better guide. We wandered through Trinity College, the Temple Bar area, and eyed the bullet holes in the post office and statue of Daniel O’Connell that the British left when trying to take back Ireland from the rebels. When Dale finished up, Niall took us to a few cheap shopping centres and picked up Dale’s interview clothes and even a new watch, which we’ve been laughing at ever since because we didn’t realize it would glow like a 12-year-old’s. The day was boiling hot, which made for a perfect evening out. Niall and his girlfriend, Leonie (Lay-oh-nee), took us to a pub near Temple Bar to watch some Irish dancing and listen to some “fiddly music.” There were few people upstairs with us, but plenty of clapping and energy. We spent the rest of the night downstairs, which was much more crowded, and watched the musician drain an entire Guinness in front of us. Then another. And after a couple more songs, another. All four of us were impressed. On the cab-ride home I offered a “tenner” to help pay for it, and laughed about how I jumped right in there with the lingo. I honestly think it will be too easy to pick up an accent, or at least phrases, and it scares both Dale and I a little! We stayed the night with Niall and Leonie, who don’t live far from the city centre.

Glendalough ruins in the distance

The tower at Glendalough

Wednesday included an afternoon trip to Glendalough, County Wicklow. Glendalough means “Valley of Two Lakes.” On the drive, Niall pointed out smoke up on the hill where we walked the day before. He said the brush catches fire regularly when it's so hot out. We stopped for lunch at a little café, which had high prices and only tolerable food. We wandered through the ruins of a church, graveyard, and tower where the door was 12 feet up the wall to protect the monks from invaders. We paddled in the lake, the dirt of which shimmered silver. Afterwards, they dropped us off for a last night in Dalkey before we transferred our home base to their house. The next day we spent indoors despite the weather and applied online for jobs. Finally, we went for another walk before Niall drove us back to Dublin. We found a smooth rock large enough for both of us among the bushes and sunbathed while watching the water below us. In the distance, the ocean met the sky so smoothly that the sailboats looked like they could take off into the air. Just as we were about to leave, a tiny black cat popped out of the greenery and joined us in the sun, as friendly as could be.

The church ruins

We woke up early to catch a bus into the centre of Dublin alone, and waited the entire morning for Dale to get his VISA stamped at the Garda National Bureau. It was the longest process imaginable. It was lunchtime when we finally walked out 300 euros poorer. Much of the rest of the day was spent in the USIT office working on Dale’s resume. I tried not to be too antsy that we were stuck inside again, but it was difficult when Dublin and the could-go-anytime-sun were right outside. We called a few people to make appointments to look at houses. Niall and Leonie helpfully took us to them, but one was sold by the time we arrived, and the other turned out to be a room. Nice big window, sure, but seriously all bed. I could have stayed home if I was looking for that. And for two people, for an entire year? I don’t think so. It was a shame that it was in such a great area. There is one other little place that I like, though we have our eyes on a few places.

An example of burnt bushes, at Howth

A view of the cliffs

Saturday saw us hiking with Niall and Leonie in Howth. The cliffs overlooking the ocean were exactly what I hoped to see from Ireland, and it was almost a shock to actually be standing on them rather than looking at a picture. Expecting a walk, Dale didn’t bring his camera, and I wore sandals that fell apart. Luckily, Leonie let us use her phone. The blues aren’t rich enough, and the greens aren’t dark enough, but I’m very happy to have captured some of the scenery. The fact that Niall and Leonie came along with us on all our sightseeing is a testament to what great hosts they’re been. We paid for dinner in an America-style diner in an attempt to thank them.

Niall and Leonie with "the Eye of Ireland" behind them

Roisin’s birthday was Sunday, so Leonie and I went to the shops near her house and picked up flowers, birthday cards, and a thank you for Rosaleen and Vincent for letting us stay with them in Dalkey. We talked about our very old cars, and how hers was actually reliable. But when Dale and I arrived back at the Dalkey house with Niall, Leonie called to say her car was smoking. That was bad timing. The barbeque was very nice, and had us wearing sunglasses at the same time as switching from garden to garden to avoid the breeze. It was comfortable to sit and talk with the Callaghan’s. It really felt like we were family, and even more so like we had been in Ireland for more than a week.

Dale and I on the cliffs