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The following are some odd tidbits to wrap up my trip to Ireland:
Things I learned in Ireland:
I love being outdoors. I have been rained on in Ireland, snowed on in the Grand Canyon, had the sun shine in Alaska, survived a drought in Arizona, baked in the sun in Germany and it is all worth it because it put me closer to nature. If you are dressed right it is the best place to be.
Ten to twelve days is a good length of time for a bicycling vacation.
The saying "rules where meant to be broken" was written in Ireland. A year and a half ago a smoking ban was initiated in all pubs. When the pub has it's last call and closes the doors to new customers, everyone lights up. If you stick around long enough after closing the bartenders re-appear and will sell you bottles to take to the house party that follows.
When standing outside a pub after closing time never, NEVER, ever ask a cute girl named Sinead if her last name is O'Conner.
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Sitting in the Cork bus Station on one of my many trips through
Fog at Top of the Bens
The bottom of the clouds met me at the top of the mountain and then followed me all the way down. town I looked at a map of Ireland and realized that, in the two month I have been here I have covered just one third of the Island. Eleven years ago when I visited Ireland for the first time, over ten days I circumnavigated the coast and saw two-thirds of the Country.
The first Trip was a celebration of a marriage, a new life, a partnership of love, friendship and financial and lifestyle commitment. The future lay before us: exciting, hopeful, scary, both unknown and secure all at the same time.
The current trip is no less a make of transition. In part it came about to bring closure the marriage that has ended. But more importantly it is a commitment to myself and coming to terms with what is really important. As this trip draws to a close the future is before me: exciting, hopeful, scary, both secure and unknown at the same time.
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Frankly, I found Irish women to be bitchy and Irish guys dull. There is a generation gap in this regard and I am referring to those under 35. I could not get Irish women to flirt with me. Now, I
Doolin
Doolin is a small village on the edge of Coast renown for it's traditional music. There are three pubs spread out along the road and music every night. am no Casanova, but I can hold my own (above example not withstanding). At first I thought it was because A) they are really bad at it and didn’t want to let it be known, B) They are really good at it and could see a rank amateur from a mile away, or C) It was my lack of a good hot shower.
On my last three nights in Cappoquin Ireland, when people knew me and were drunk and therefore let their guard down, I came to realize what was going on. The Irish under 35 have a very low opinion of Americans. I suspect it is not just the Irish in Europe that feel this way. Having met American tourist who where either drunk collage students or overweight tour bus sloths I can see where that impression came from. I think there is also an opinion that electing George Bush the first time is excusable, but doing it the second time is just down right stupid. Proving that not only is George Bush bad for the Environment, the economy and world peace, but he is bad for my sex life.
But there is more to it. The
The Burren
I spent a whole day walking the rocky coast near Doolin photographing the ancient remains of glaciers and Celtic tribes. economic prosperity has changed people’s lives. The Irish have has 40 years of economic development in ten years. It is like everyone under 35 has been invited to a frat party. There are two things about being included in the party. The first is that one wants everyone else to know they have been invited. The second is one want to let those who are not invited, ever so subtly, to know they are not so invited. Underlying all this is an unease that someone is going to find out that they should never have been invited and they will be uninvited. (Now, how is that for arrogant American jingoistic rational for not getting a date in Ireland.)
My last three night is Ireland where spent in the pub's of Cappoquin. There I was recruited to join the Irish Republican Army, and subsequently had a back turned on me when I declined. I was recruited to try to intervene in the tragic love life of a very attractive Irish hippy lass, only to have a back turned on me when I engaged. I got stuck between a very heated yet jocular debate about who was more Irish, those from
Munster Rugby
The South of Ireland is the Munster Reagion. Munster beat Lienster (Dublin) in Rugby. In the town of Limerick you would have thought they replaced the National flag with the Munster red banner. I baught my red shirt, being the great-great grandson of a Munster man. Lismore or Cappoquin (small towns about 4 miles apart), and which landlord was more evil during the famine. Then the grand finally was going to a late night dance club to watch the drunken bitchy and dull rub against each other. The ride home in a shuttle full of drunk and dull young men verbally abusing the driver was an experience not to be missed.
Once my bags where packed and I was waiting for a ride back to Cork so that I could catch a bus to the Shannon Airport I decided to take one last stroll to town. I stopped by the bust of Michael Cavanagh in the square. The list of accomplishments on the bust calls me to make something of this time I have on Earth and leave a lasting legacy. The chilly reception I received in the small rural village reminded me how hard it can be to do the things you feel called to do. Just as it happened 5 years ago I was hit with a wave of conflicting emotions.
I walked across the street to see if Noel the Taylor was in to say one last goodbye. Seeing that he
Standing Stone
On my last full day in Cappoquin Brian with an "i" and I went into the hills where we found a standing stone. was not I headed for the old stone bridge to view the Blackwater River. As I head down the street Scamp came trotting across the street from the direction of the square. Scamp was the dog that I got to know on his appointed daily rounds on my first weeks in Ireland. He greeted me with an active tail and a kiss. After a few jumps and a good pat on the chest he bounded off.
It was as if after this journey of loss and discovery that it was left to the town dog to say "You'll be alright lad." Like the core elements of this town, the very fibers, were glad I was there even if the inhabitants were not too sure what to do with me.
After a trip through the Shannon Airport where I almost went postal I arrived in Germany exhausted to spend two weeks with my collage friend Sarah and her husband and three kids. It is nice to be among friends again, people who know me. It is also been great to be able to catch up on sleep and relax.
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Anne Marie
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I agree!
Hi Bryan, I came across your blog while doing my own 'post-Ireland-trip' research and reminiscing. I hope you don't mind if I comment, as well. You see, we spent a quick 10 day vacation in SW irealnd in early -mid April. We flew in and out of Shannon and drove the SW route staying in Dingle, Kenmare, Kinsale and Lahinch with delightful driving day trips in between (Beara, Cork, Killarney, the Burren). I read with fascination your discription of not only the scenery and your experiences in nature and your soul, but also your interactions with the Irish. We are what most American's think of as a 'cute' family. My husband and I are both of Irish descent and have 4 beautiful children to 'prove' it. We are educated (both with doctoral degrees-in the sciences so please don't judge my writing!)) and are considered by our friends to be the 'calm, quiet' ones. We are in our mid 40's. We were really surprised and somewhat disappointed in the way the Irish treated us. Not with outright disrespect, but with an underlying and sometimes not so discreet, disdane. The more we thought about it, we came to the same conclusion as you, the Irish just don't like Americans! The European media certainly does the US an injustice and you're right, certain of us that have visited Ireland may not have left the best impression. Anyway, it is a little sad ... still, I am very glad that my children have been able to see the beauty of our ancestry (we have been to Ireland as a family twice) and while out exploring on our own, we realy feel our Irish blood stirring and connect fully to the 'land.' Take care and enjoy the rest of lifes journey! ~Anne Marie