(Blog 11)
Class: This week we learned more about the tin whistle. We sad outside and soaked up some of the unusual sunshine while Kelly taught us a few new tunes. The hotels and other venues in Spiddal are just beginning to open for the tourism season so we have also begun to see a lot of new faces around town. In our time spent in Ireland, a day of constant sunshine is something I haven't seen yet however this particular week we have nearly five straight days of sun! Its amazing how different everything looks when its cast against sunlight instead of gray skies! Absolutely beautiful!
W.B. Yeats: Our first stop on our weekend excursion to Northern Ireland was to stop at the grave of W.B. Yeats. He is a wonderful writes as well as an important influential figure in Ireland. We have read so many of his works as well as learned a great deal about him in Lit class so it was really interesting to see where he was buried. It was a bit crazy to me that his grave was so simple and almost dismal, however.
Class: This week we learned more about the tin whistle. We sad outside and soaked up some of the unusual sunshine while Kelly taught us a few new tunes. The hotels and other venues in Spiddal are just beginning to open for the tourism season so we have also begun to see a lot of new faces around town. In our time spent in Ireland, a day of constant sunshine is something I haven't seen yet however this particular week we have nearly five straight days of sun! Its amazing how different everything looks when its cast against sunlight instead of gray skies! Absolutely beautiful!
W.B. Yeats: Our first stop on our weekend excursion to Northern Ireland was to stop at the grave of W.B. Yeats. He is a wonderful writes as well as an important influential figure in Ireland. We have read so many of his works as well as learned a great deal about him in Lit class so it was really interesting to see where he was buried. It was a bit crazy to me that his grave was so simple and almost dismal, however.
Jackie & Bloody Sunday: On our first day we met up with, what would become, our tour guide for the next two days. Her name is Jackie and she is an absolutely fascinating individual with such a wealth of knowledge! There was never a dull moment with her around. She took us around many of the sites in Derry where the initial fighting took place during the struggles and shared with us her own personal stories of living in Derry during its more hostile years. Walking around with her helped me gain a better understanding of the issues during the last 100 years in northern Ireland and she made every story so passionate it was impossible not to be entertained! She told us how when she was younger they would bang on trash can lids as an early warning system for advancing police forces and how they would fight them back away from their streets. Once we had finished our walking tour of Derry she took us to the top of a large hillside in Donegal. There Grianan of Alleach was located. It is the oldest and largest extant ringfort in all of Ireland (and possibly the UK). The view from the top was absolutely unbelievable! You could look out over the entire town of Derry as well as take in a vast expanse of the sea. Truly worth the drive.
Giants Causeway: Our next stop was one of the most breath-taking places I've visited so far in Ireland. I could have spent days watching the waves crash repeatedly against the stones or walking across the high path. It was crazy to me how each stone was in the shape of a perfectly interlocking hexagon! We explored around the upper hill, followed the path down to the water and then climbed to the top of a smaller hill that overlooked directly out over the water. Being so close to the ocean can make you feel so small and it is one of the things I will miss the most about Ireland!
Belfast: Once we arrived in Belfast our guide Jackie began showing us all of the significant murals and wall art throughout Belfast. She also showed us the difference between murals on the Catholic side of Belfast vs. the Protestant side. There was one specifically on the Protestant side that really caught my attention. It was that of a sniper but as you walked it seemed that his gaze and his gun never left you. They moved as you walked across which was absolutely mental. We also had the chance to write on the peace wall which separates the two religious sides of Belfast. It was really cool to see so many messages of love and understanding and to have an opportunity to add to that. She also showed us the international wall which tackled sever issues world wide and spanned the length of a few blocks.
Hostel & Night Life: While our first hostel in Derry was clean and wonderful, the hostel in Belfast was a bit of a miss. Usually the front desk will allot you a towel for a small fee or if they hold onto a personal item but this particular hostel wouldn't. They also had a no food policy after 11 pm and the beds were fairly uncomfortable. If I was to recommend a place I would say check out other options besides the Belfast Youth Hostel. The neighborhood we were in felt a little sketchy as well. It definitely goes to show that no two hostels are alike! Once we had dropped our stuff off at home a few of us did venture out and try out a nearby bar called Filthy McNasty's. The building itself was 3 stories tall and each level had a different feel from live music, dance floor, upscale cocktail bar and out door cantina pretty much any atmosphere you were looking for could have been achieved!
Crumlin Road Jail: Our next two big stops were 'The Crum' and the Titanic museum. We have learned so much about the Crumlin Road Jail and its infamous H blocks that were essentially a way of splitting Catholic and Protestant inmates into their own self-governing wings. It was interesting to see where so many people had been held during the troubles as well as how they executed people who had been sent to death. We also spent some time walking through the underground tunnel that links the Courthouse to the jail for safe passage of prisoners.
Titanic! First off, I wasn't aware that the Titanic had been built in Belfast. I guess I was much more ignorant on the subject than I thought! It was incredibly interesting to walk through and see the entire process that the Titanic went to prior to her maiden voyage. We were able to view the actual shipyard that it was built in as well as hear first hand witness stories. The museum was very easy to follow and very interactive. I learned a lot about a famous event in world history and it felt very cool to be able to see where it all began.
Battle of the Boyne: On our final day in Northern Ireland we stopped to see the battle sight where "The Battle of the Boyne" occurred. It was the largest battle to have taken place on Irish soil and a huge turning point in the war between Catholics and Protestants. This is a battle we study even in American history class so for that purpose I thought it was interesting to stop and see. Beyond that there really wasn't much to look at. The battle field was merely a green field next to the small ticket center and cafe. Its worth going for the historical aspect but not much beyond that.
Knowth: Our final stop of the weekend was at a historical site called Knowth. It is a site of ruins that predate stone henge and the great pyramids. It felt like the entire place was somewhat shrouded in mystery! All of the rocks contained runes from a people well past and thrown to history. It was very humbling to be in one of the oldest manmade structures in the world! This site is not only extremely well kept and historically relevant, but like most of Ireland, it has an absolutely gorgeous view! I would absolutely recommend giving this hidden gem a bit of attention if you have the time.
With the conclusion of this weekend trip, we are creeping ever closer to our departure date back to America. For many reasons I am excited to return home, but the more beautifully breath-taking things I see in Ireland and the amazing people I continually meet, the more my heart grows fond for this 2nd home.