CJ in Kerry

 Being a criminal justice major, anything true crime or anything really related to that catches my attention! So when we were doing a bus tour in the Ring of Kerry and the bus driver mentioned that a man had gone missing, it really caught not only my attention but also my friend's. This was one time when I was really interested in what he had to say! He explained that there was CCTV camera footage of him in Killarney on the 22nd. There were also reports that he took most of his money out of his account and bought a prepaid phone. This man was a farmer in the Kerry area. We actually passed his farm and saw the Garda searching his fields and property not only that but they have called in the Kerry Mountain Rescue to look for the 56-year-old man. Tony, the other bus driver was telling us at a stop that the search and rescue has gone as far as emptying the vats where they store that cow poop, once they clean it, up just to make sure that he was not in there. At this point, the man has been missing for eight days. 

I will not lie, connecting poetry to an event like this can be very difficult, but going through the works of Heaney his poem "The Return". There are no specific lines that I feel can really explain the situation that I am talking about but I feel like this poem has a connection to the topic.  The return being talked about in this is not just physical, but also an emotional and psychological journey. We can only imagine what this man is going through while he is missing. Not only that but if he has family or even friends how is this affecting them. Overall, this is a sad situation and I can imagine it can be difficult for anyone involved. 

The Gift of Gab

"Not the language of the speaker,

But the words that take their time,

Coming slowly from the earth,

Like bricks that build a wall

To keep the voices inside." 

    These are the words of Seamus Heaney in "The Speech of the House" even though this is not specifically talking about the Blarney Stone I feel like it can have some significance to it! For a little bit of background for those who do not know if you kiss the Blaney Stone then you are said to get the gift of the gab. When I told people that I was going on this trip one of the first things that they asked me was if I was going to go see the stone. The first line of this poem really speaks. S
o many people come from so many different parts of the world to kiss the stone. It is well-known that no matter where you come from people go so that they can get this gift! 

    Not only this but the third line also speaks to the experience that I had while we were there. You have to climb up the castle. You may think that it is an easy walk up, that's definitely what I thought but oh was I proven wrong! It is a round stone staircase that is very steep! When you finally get to the top of the stairs you feel like you are out of breath and your legs are sore but not only that you feel like you are coming out of the earth! It seems like you can see for miles after you exit the top of the tower made of the brick walls that had just encapsulated you! 

    Overall the experience is something that was that will give you an adrenaline rush! So you have to sit down on the ledge and then lie down. As you do this you have to grab the two bars they have for you to hold on to. Not to mention that you are leaning over an open grate that you can see the ground below you! At least for me, it feels like it goes so fast but it was actually something fun to do and be able to say that I was able to do! 

Baby Lambs and Dingle Town!

     To continue our trip to the West Coast of Ireland, we explored the Dingle Peninsula! To be very honest, the day we did this was one of my favorite days on the West trip so far! We took most of the day to explore and do some sightseeing. There were only six students and two of our professors on the bus that I was on so therefore we were able to really play the day by ear! Our first stop was so that we could stop and hold baby lambs! It was something that most of us on the bus had wanted to do for a while so when the bus driver asked if we wanted to stop it was a given! Holding that lamb was one of those moments that you can never forget, it brought so much happiness to not just me but all of us! 

    One of our other big stops was a beach, but it was not only that there was a mountain that we could climb. We were quite literally walking on the sheep's path up this mountain. Boy was it worth it though! The views from the top of that mountain were breathtaking. I know that I have said that about many of the views I have talked about but it is true for all of them! In a poem written by Seamus Heaney called "The Peninsula" he says "When you have nothing more to say, just drive/ For a day all round the peninsula." Oh, and did we drive. We just explored the peninsula. If we saw a place that we thought was pretty we would stop! Not only that but when we got back to town we explored the town and just to see what we could find! These are things that I love to do I find them to be very relaxing! Heaney later says "And drive back home, still with nothing to say" On our way back to the hotel I was thinking that this is a place that I would love to stay not only in Dingle but in Ireland as a whole! There is nothing else to say other than this country is so beautiful! 

Potatoes and a yapping bus driver

"The famine was long, and the years were grim,
The fields lay empty, the future dim.
Yet, from this grief, the land will rise,
A testament to survival that never dies."

 Since we have been here there has been a lot of talk about potatoes. Sometimes they are talking about fries but most of the time they are talking about the famine. a quick history. There was a famine in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852. At this time most of the potato crop got what is called blight and did not survive. Because of the blight, they were not able to grow crops on the land that was already infected so there for they could not grow potatoes. This was a huge tragedy that led people to either leave the country or end up dying from hunger. The Irish though are not afraid to talk about this because it was a major part of their history. There are many memorials all over the island remembering those who struggled. 

Anyway while we were on our way to Kylemore Abbey this last weekend our bus driver was feeling very talkative. Most of the time it got a little annoying but at one point I found it interesting. We were driving through the countryside and he pointed out bumps that were on the side of this one hill. There were patches of them everywhere. He went on to explain that on the side of the mountain, those bumps were where during the famine people were trying to grow potatoes but they were still getting the blight, and because of that the land was affected and got these bumps. I thought that it was very interesting. Something that affected people so long ago is still showing reminiscent in the land.

I feel like the poem above by Heaney describes both of these anecdotes well. The famine happened so long and and the fields are still lying empty with the land that is risen from all that time ago. I feel like this shows even though time moves on some things can still stay the same.  

The Cliffs of Moher

 " Did sea define the land or land the sea?/ Each drew new meaning from the waves' collision./Sea broke on land to full identity." Seamus Heaney wrote these words in his poem "Lover on Aran". Yesterday I visited the Cliffs of Moher. It was a sight to see. When you look down it feels like the sea below is miles away. Not only could you see the waves but you could also hear them as you looked at the views! It is interesting to think about the sea. Normally when I think of the sea I think of beaches and warm weather. The cliffs were quite the opposite. it was very rocky and as the poem says it was almost difficult to see where the water ended and the shore began. 

Overall this was an experience that I would never trade. The views were absolutely unbelievable. I have seen and traveled to some great places some of which being the mountains in Romania and the gorgeous landscapes of the west in the states! What they all have in common is the beauty
that they share. I found myself just staring there looking at these cliffs feeling like nothing was wrong with the world. That there are no issues back at home. Really all that I could think about was how do some people not like nature. These views are possibly once in a life time views and while I was there I took all of it in around me.

Am I living an Irish princesses dream?

 During my time in Ireland, I have seen a multitude of castles. I have been making the joke that I am living my princess dream. Growing up I would always watch Disney Princess movies and would think about how wonderful it would be to to live in a castle! In a poem by Yeats called "The Tower". Within the poem, he seems to talk about the life that is going on i and around the tower! "Rose from the table and declared it right/ To test their fancy by their sight," when I read this I think of the rose from Beauty and the Beast and just the fact that there are rooms in castles that have a lot of greenery and are very elegant looking. Kilkenny Castle describes this well. The rooms within those walls were absolutely gorgeous and fancy!

Yeats also goes on to state "Before that ruin came." This also goes along with many of the castles that we have seen. Many of them left to become ruins. Those are the ones that make your mind wander. What parts of the building are missing? What events happened within these walls? What did the decoration look like? These are all things that have crossed my mind when I see these ruined buildings! I believe that everything has a story, whether that all of the pieces
are still there and you can read it clearly or if you have to use a little bit of your imagination when you see the remains. No matter which one it is there is beauty in both places!

An adventure to look back on

 So last weekend me and my friends decided that we were going to rent bikes and ride on the Waterford Greenway! This is a beautiful trail that goes through the countryside and along some coastline starting in Dungarvan and travels 26 up to Waterford. We decided to do half of the trial which was 13 miles, yes you counted right it was 26 miles overall! The scenery that we saw along the way was absolutely breathtaking! We saw a beautiful coastline, and not much later we arrived at the tunnel that is pictured! Leading up to this there were rocky walls that were covered in moss and what looked to be fairy doors on either side! It was gorgeous! These are memories that will hopefully last a lifetime! 

In the poem "When You Are Old" by Yeats he wrote, " When you are old and grey and full of sleep,/ And nodding by the fire, take down this book,/And slowly read." Obviously, I am doing this blog but I am also doing a personal journal that I am physically writing down. Before I left I did a lot of thinking on how I wanted to go about doing my personal journal! Having an adventure to look back on is fun and I enjoy it even more when it is in a book! An important Heirloom within my family is my great great uncle's journal from World War 2 explaining all of the places that he went! Connecting this to the poetic words that Yeats wrote, when I am old I want to be able to share the stories and adventures that I had during my time while I was in this beautiful country! I hope to make it back one day but if I do not I want to be able to remember the time I had while I was here! I also want my future kids to possibly one day be able to read about these adventures! 

Trivia at Minnies

 So, sometimes, the most impromptu decisions create the best memories. Last night was one of those times. 

This is my first blog post ever so bear with me for the first couple of posts to try and figure it out. Anyway, I am studying abroad in Ireland for about 8 weeks! 

Anyway back to last night. We were supposed to go experience our first hurling match. After walking to the field we realized that we were given the wrong date, so a group of us decided to go back to the Park Hotel and have a drink before some were supposed to go to trivia. I was not in the original group of people that were supposed to go, but what took very little persuasion Dr. K convinced me that I should go! And boy am I glad that I did! When we got there everyone was so welcoming! We were in teams for this event so I was paired with two of the guys on our trip. In total, there were eight rounds. The first three rounds were general knowledge questions. The fourth round was a music round and if there is one thing I know it's music! There was a short intermission where Minnie's provided snacks and of course, while we were playing I got a pint of cider! 

During the intermission, a lady walked up to me and introduced herself as Kate! I proceeded to ask her what the money from trivia was going towards, I was made aware that it was for a cause but I was not sure what the cause was for. She simply told me that the money was going towards mission trips through the church. I explained to her that I have been on three mission trips myself so this cause was very near and dear to my heart. We talked for a while about both of our experiences that we have had with mission work! I think that it is very mysterious how God works. I was not planning on attending last night, but I did and I ended up helping to support a cause that I really cared about! 

Within the poem that we talked about in class "The Song of the Happy Shepard" there is a line that I feel really connects with the experience that I had. The line says, "Words alone are certain good." The words that convinced me to go to the pub were good! The words that were exchanged between Kate and I were certainly good! I feel that it is interesting how words from either a poem or words that are spoken between two people can mean so much even if so little is said!

We learned that trivia is an every Thursday thing, so maybe this will be a weekly topic! My group and I didn't end up winning but it was definitely a good time, and memories were made!  

Until next time!