Syd's Visit

Sydnee and the Liffey

The day after we returned to Ireland I took Sydnee on a tour of Dublin similar to the one Niall took me on so many months ago. But first I took her grocery shopping, which turned out to be a God send because she got off the bus too soon a few days later and was able to suss out what she recognized and what she didn’t until she made it home. It was a God send for me too because it meant a full mini-fridge for once, and I didn’t kill my arms carrying all the groceries home. But returning to the tour, we crossed the Liffey and I showed her the bullet holes in the statue of Daniel O’Connell and the Post Office, then we shopped in Penneys (where I got two sweaters, a dress, a fuzzy blanket, and dry shampoo all for under 15 euros), then I showed her Christ Church Cathedral in the dark, followed by Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and then Fitzgeralds! It was great to show her where we’ve been living all this time—yes, I’m including the pub in this—and to introduce her to the people we always talk about. They all welcomed her as one of our own.

At Fitzgeralds!

Me and Birdie at Howth

On Tuesday she and I took the bus and the DART to Howth. The weather couldn’t have been more different than when Niall, Leonie, Dale, and I went. We were already up the first segment when we realized it was snow or hail hitting the hoods of our jackets. However, we decided to carry on with the brown lab friend who adopted us and we named “Birdie.” We also quickly ran into the only other hiker along the entire four hour walk: red-haired and bearded Bryan, from Seattle. All four of us spent the entire walk together, then said goodbye to Birdie as he joined a new walker and we stepped into the warmth of a pub for fish ’n’ chips, hot port, and, mercifully, radiators. We decided to stay in that night since we were cold and exhausted, so we invited Heather and Anne over. It turned out the entire group was tuckered out, Heather with jetlag, Anne from an early shift, and Dale from working eight of nine days in a row. But to my delight, Anne brought us tea and popcorn from Canada, and Heather brought us Kraft Dinner Macaroni, Reese’s Pieces, and mascara. Well, that last one may have been just for me.

On Wednesday Dale and I were both working, so Sydnee decided to do the Giant’s Causeway tour Dale and I had done two weeks before. She had a blast, making friends with a German girl who said a brown dog also followed her on a Howth walk once. This was the day Sydnee had to rely on our grocery shopping excursion to find her way home. It was another wet day for her, so she bought a fuzzy blanket which got to stay with Dale and I so that now we have two! After work Katie and Karen walked past me at the bus stop and asked on their way if I wanted to join them for a glass of wine. They kept walking, so I simply followed them. Katie and I had been talking for the last hour at work as we polished silverware, and we ended up talking non-stop for another five over four drinks. Karen even went home and we continued! It was a delightful little surprise, and it was a perfect day for it since Sydnee didn’t get back until late.

Dunguaire Castle

Walking on the outer wall of Corcomroe Abbey

Dale asked for Thursday off, his birthday, so we were all able to go to the Cliffs of Moher on another Paddywagon tour! Our stops included Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara, where Sydnee asked the gates if her camera would turn back on since dropping it on the way back from Howth, but received no answer through someone else’s actions. We also carefully walked through the mud around the castle, which supposedly restores your virginity. Next up was the Corcomroe Abbey, then the Burren, where the land grows rocky and make-work projects of stone walls still stand after being set up to employ people during the Potato Famine. Following this was a lunch break at Fitzpatrick’s in Doolin. Dale had an impressive gravy-soaked bacon and potato mess, while I had a seafood chowder, and Sydnee enjoyed the delicious carrot cake, as well as leftover pizza from our night before.

The "Mini Cliffs"

The Burren

Goofing dangerously on the Cliffs of Moher

Finally, we reached the Cliffs of Moher. They were phenomenal, and since it wasn’t too rainy or foggy we were actually able to see them. This was very lucky because it often happens that the tour will arrive and no one can see anything. We took hundreds of gorgeous photos; I wish I could share them all. Most of them involved nervous giggles at what we imagined would be Mum’s reaction. It was an added bonus that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was filmed there, as well as The Princess Bride.

Dale and I on the cliffs

Sydnee and I on the cliffs

The cliffs are a little more scenic than our faces

After the Cliffs of Moher we fell asleep on the bus, but did manage to stop and see Bunratty Castle next to Dirty Nelly’s Pub. When we finally returned to Dublin we took Sydnee to Hot Wok for a cheap dinner, gave her a quick tour of Trinity College, and tried to convince Dale that he didn’t see Sammy walking in the same direction as us on our way to O’Neill’s. The group was waiting there to surprise him and buy him many shots.

The Guinness Storehouse work party with Alison, Katie, and Heather

On Friday Sydnee and Dale (mostly Dale) recovered. We both gave Dale his presents: from Sydnee this was a big hollow book, and from me it was the purple bag of dragons the Triwizard Champions had to pull their dragons from. When I got home from work I got ready for my work Christmas party at the Guinness Storehouse, and then we went over Heather and Anne’s. Anne and Dale were planning on meeting up with various people at various pubs for a pub crawl while Heather and I were on our own. Sydnee had some cabin-fever going on and there was a lot of giggling on the way over and laughter on the bus as we made our way into town afterwards. The work party was surprisingly fun. I suspect the free wine helped. Unfortunately it wasn’t actually in the Gravity Room, so we didn’t get a 360 degree look at Dublin in the night. We did get to spend time outside of work with people who are enjoyable to drink with. Unfortunately the first thing I did was rip a massive hole in the calf of my tights so that Heather heard, “Awwww craaaaaap,” from my bathroom stall, but I was soon warm enough without them. It wasn’t until after midnight that Heather and I finally left to meet up with Dale, Sydnee, Anne, Sammy, and Todd at Sweeney’s, where there were naked ladies on the wall. They had already been to Zaytoons, but as you are supposed to go there at the end of the night we made them go again. Heather and I laughed when we ran into Eduard and Levente inside.

Sammy's hilarious photo at Sweeney's

After three and a half hours of sleep, Heather and I both went to work. I never stay out so late on a work-night, let alone drink so much, so I wasn’t sure how it would go. I was glad so many people were in it with me. It actually wasn’t so bad, and I felt better when we were busier and my mind was off the situation.

After work Sydnee and I took the bus and then the DART to Dalkey, where Annaliese and her Irish boyfriend were visiting. I hadn’t seen Annaliese in five years, and Sydnee last saw her when she was about ten years old. Unfortunately the visit was short and Rosaleen has been sick since Christmas, so the size of our party kept changing. Damien, Roisin, and Sennan arrived while I was showing Sydnee the sights in Dalkey, Dale turned up after finishing Syd’s laundry, and he was later followed by Niall and Leonie. We had a delicious dinner of chilli, and then a surprise birthday cake for Dale! It was a nice visit, and it was really too bad that Sydnee had to leave the next day.

I obviously crashed when we got home, and in the morning took a cab with Sydnee as far as St. Stephen’s Green. I did not envy her the ferry ride ahead. It was surprisingly disappointing to have her gone since I was looking forward to her visit for so long. Dale and I are really confused about what we are doing next considering the job situation, so we’re not sure when we’ll see her again. But after Fitzgeralds tonight it was even clearer to me that I’m not ready to go home yet. I guess I’ll have to cross my fingers. I know Dale’s job matters, but I did hand out a CV after work today since Leonie told me a place right near our flat is hiring. Wouldn’t that be convenient. Regardless, I think my friends are wonderful for suggesting that we camp in their backyard in March.