CLAIRE O’REILLY
Staff Writer
While Fredonia kicked off its annual Family Weekend, my “family week” was coming to an end. My mom, dad and oldest sister, Erin, made the journey across the Atlantic to spend time with me and, of course, spend time soaking up the sights and sounds of Ireland.
When they arrived, it had been eight weeks since I had seen anyone in my family’s face, apart from on a computer screen. I set out on this journey when August was coming to a close, and Fredonia students had been in classes for just two weeks. That day, waiting in the security line in Rochester, it felt like their visit was years away. It’s funny how time has a way of sneaking up on you.
I find it so hard to believe that I only have a month and half left until my plane touches down back on American soil. Time has been flying, and I am glad that I could spend a little bit of it adventuring around with my family. In ten days, we hit the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands, Connemara, the Kylemore Abbey and parts of County Kerry. It was a whirlwind week, and I loved every second of it.
Our experience with the Cliffs of Moher started out a little rocky (no pun intended). My dad decided renting a car for the trip was an excellent idea. It couldn’t be that hard, right? Mix in having to drive on the left side of the road with extremely — I mean, extremely — narrow roads and you have what I like to call “an accident waiting to happen.”
We made it to the Cliffs and back alive, only scraping a few walls and hitting a few tree branches on the way. That day, my dad vowed to not drive to any more landmarks in Ireland. We walked into the Lally Tours office and gladly accepted travel by bus.
I won’t go too in depth with the Aran Islands, as I visited once already and have already detailed that experience. All I have to say is that the view was just as beautiful the second time around. Sharing the beauty of the Islands with my sister and my parents made the second trip that much better. Getting to ride in a horse and carriage instead of biking nine miles certainly didn’t hurt the experience either.
Connemara was one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland I have been to. The day we went, a light fog blanketed the mountains and the smell of peat burning filled the air. Our tour stopped in a cute little bar known for its Irish coffee. Irish coffee makes it acceptable to have a shot of whiskey in the morning. I can attest to the fact that the coffee was delicious.
Kylemore Abbey also resides in Connemara. Situated among woods, water and mountains, it is easily one of the most beautiful attractions in Ireland. Kylemore is the oldest of the Irish Benedictine Abbeys. The nuns that came to the Abbey in the 1920s arrived from the the Ypres Abbey in Belgium, which was destroyed during World War I. The castle on the grounds was built from 1867 to 1871 by Mitchell and Margaret Henry. When you take pictures of this place, they look more like paintings than photos.
Our travels down in Dingle, County Kerry were the highlights of my family week. We met up with family friends who were also staying in Dingle. After going so long without seeing people from home, it was nice being around familiar faces. I’m thankful to have had the chance to share a little bit of my experience with people close to me.
The sights and views in Dingle took my breath away. Situated along the coastline, the beaches were incredible and the town, including the people, were extremely charming. When I raved about the ice cream cone I purchased, the man selling it smiled big and said, “that’s made from fresh Kerry cream!” The most interesting part about Dingle is that some of the bars also double as shops. The hardware store is quite literally a hardware store on one side and a full bar on the other. We also went to a shoe repairs shop doubling as a bar.
After 10 days of good old Irish adventures and fun, it was time to say goodbye to my family. A weird feeling settled over me as I watched my sister and parents pack up their bags. I realized I wasn’t going with them this time. Homesickness washed over me and a small part of me wished I could go back to Rochester, New York, with them. In the days since they’ve left me, I have settled back into my routine and am enjoying my days left here in Galway. I know time will continue to fly, and soon enough I’ll be home for Christmas. For now, I’m just going to continue soaking up worldly adventure while I still can.