However, I have yet do discuss my adventures in Ireland.
I've always been interested in other cultures. For a long time, I had a fascination with Italy and France. I trekked across both countries, and found aspects I loved in both. I love watching films and hearing stories of other countries and lands, where people discover aspects and intricacies of culture and life that are so separate from our own.
I'm lucky enough to have traveled to Europe now four times since I was fifteen years old. Not only am I lucky to travel, I'm lucky to have experienced culture outside of the tourist circuit.
Maybe that luck has something to do with my 1/4 Irish heritage. That's incredibly stereotypical of me to say, yes, but looking back on my time in Ireland, the majority of my experiences would not have happened if it weren't for chance.
Ever since I saw Riverdance at the Lyric Opera House for my 12th birthday, I've been obsessed with Ireland. I don't know what it was about the dance and music, but it infected me. Over the years I also started gaining interest in Celtic design, traditional music, Irish films, Irish actors, the history, etc... I wasn't sure if it was because of my familial roots or because of that initial interest in Riverdance, but my obsession was indescribable.
I had several chances to go to Ireland to visit family and travel the countryside, but all fell by the wayside. When I began college, I immediately went to the Study Abroad office and applied for the Dublin Summer program in 2009. It was three years away, yes, but I didn't care. I was going no matter what. I wanted my name at the top of the list.
In between the summer of 2007 and 2009, I experienced heartbreak and distress, that of which I won't go into much detail. Sure, I was a 19 year old and stupid, but my innocence was destroyed, and I was scarred physically and emotionally. I was forced to grow up and handle my emotions in an adult manner. I also handled relationships entirely differently. No longer did I fall head over heels or wear my heart of my sleeve. I never thought I'd develop strong emotions for any guy ever again.
Thennnn the summer of 2009 approached. I won't lie, I daydreamed about meeting a handsome Irishman with bright green eyes and jet black hair. I thought "How wonderful would it be to meet someone who can show me the true side of Ireland?" I had instincts that told me I would probably meet someone, but again, I don't know where these feelings came from.
Immediately when I landed at Dublin's airport, I felt at home. My first few weeks were greeted with nightlife, pubs, tiny Italian bistros, immigrants from all over Europe, the Dublin Bus experience, and my internship at a trendy music website. On my second weekend, my group and I trekked to Galway, the West Coast city, which is packed with tiny traditional pubs, jewelry shops with the Claddagh rings, breakfast nooks, and of course the mad drunks. In one evening, I was pleasantly approached by three Irishmen who were clearly plastered, but all with whom I held decent conversation. Walking around the bay in the morning was incredibly peaceful and serene. I was beginning to feel emotionally connected to the land, though not so much the rain, which began pelting with the winds in the later afternoon. A few friends and I popped into a bar for our first Hot Whiskey, which surely warmed us up.
I departed from my friends to make my solo journey to Connemara, the barren and desolate landscape that is inhabited by few, and is one of the last remaining areas of Ireland where the native Irish language is spoken. When I got on the bus, I heard an older man speaking in this language, and could pick out absolutely no references to the English language. It was mystical and fascinating. When the bus finally pulled out of Galway, and we made our way into the country side, I popped on my iPod, and on came the Saw Doctors "Green and Red", a tribute song to County Mayo, which is just north of the region I was embarking upon. My tears welled up as I stared out on the country side, much like they're welling up as I write about this excursion. The untouched beauty of this region is settling and comforting. I felt like I was existing on the edge of the world but was nestled among the rock and the green. Around every corner were fields of free range cattle and sheep, horses, stone walls, and peat. The best word to describe this scene was "Fresh".
I last stop the bus made was my stop, Carna. It was here I would meet my grandmother's first cousin, Mary Lyden. I hopped off the bus in my bright green rain coat and pink sweater and rain boots, obviously standing out of the crowd. This crowd was the entire town leaving church that afternoon. Every person was speaking in Irish. I hadn't felt culture shock until that moment. Finally, my cousin's friend Breeds came to "collect" me (never said pick up, that infers a date) and give me a "lift" (never say ride, that infers sex!). Breeds was and is by far one of the most interesting women I've ever met, but more on that later.
My cousin Mary is in her mid seventies and lives more on the edge than any person I know. Literally. Her house is situated on a tiny peninsula; her front and backyards both include views of the sea. That evening, after eating a hefty meal of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes, sitting in her tiny 6-room cottage next to a peat burning stove, we chatted over tea while 40mph winds rattled the windows. We stayed up till 1am talking, I don't even remember about what, all I know is that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Breeds is by far the chattiest elderly woman I had met, but she was full of stimulating conversation. She had traveled the world as a midwife, and was incredibly intelligent. Though she had been all over, she remained a resident of Carna her entire life; her and my aunt were neighbors since birth. After a nightcap of Irish creme, I settled in my bed with an electric blanket, and fell asleep with the sounds of rain and wind pounding with the sea outside.
When I woke, a "fry", or a traditional Irish breakfast, was ready for me. This included eggs, rashers, sausages, pudding, brown bread, beans, and potatoes. You can imagine, this is all one needs for an entire day until dinner. The sun was shining, and I was ready to explore the land. Mary and Breeds were off to mass, and they suggested I walk around and take some pictures. It's hard to put into words how I felt about the land Mary lived on. It was rocky, mossy, green, and fresh. The air was so clean. The shades of green were vast and abundant. The ruined homes still stood. Horses roamed without bounds. In some areas by the bridges, the water was crystal blue and quickly turned teal. It was so incredibly majestic.
Later that day, Mary's tenant Paul took me to see the Twelve Bens, a vast mountain range of twelve points north of her home. It was here I was led to the home of my great grandmother Maggie. This was the first, and probably the only time I will ever become acquainted with my roots in such an intimate way.
After a short nap and a hearty meal of lamb, carrots, potatoes, onions, and Mary's black current bread, I took one last walk to watch the sunset over the sea. The sun was slowly setting behind a thin layer of clouds, casting an amber glow on the rocks and stones. The waves gently crashed against the shore. The wind blew through my hair, and the smell of sea and moss was rich, dewy, and invigorating. While I was by myself, I was not accompanied by any sense of loneliness. My solitude was enriched by my setting. It was here, sitting on the edge of the country, that I think I may have experienced some sort of self-realization or actualization, or some wholeness within myself. At that moment I felt complete, alive, and free.
After the sun finally set (during that time of year it can be around 9:30 or 10pm), I came back to chat with Mary. We began talking about love and relationships. She had never been with anyone, and remained single her entire life with no children, and she was happy that way. Being surrounded by friends and family was satisfying to her. I expressed my concern that my faith had been lost in regards to relationships and men, and that I stopped putting myself out there to date because it seemed like a lost cause. We both agreed I was too young to feel this way, and that I had many many years ahead of me to worry about relationships. Though considering what I had been through in the previous two years, and the fact my best friend was engaged and I had just watched two of my friends get married weeks previously, I couldn't help but have love and relationships on the brain.
Around eleven, Breeds came over, and we continued chatting. While we were finishing our final cup of tea, Mary brought out her fortune set. I had never seen a set like this, and I wasn't quite sure what to do. I was randomly given a card with an angel on it, and it said "Grace". It told me to have grace, or patience, and to allow the universe to have its way with my life. I decided that was the best advice I could allow myself. Everything will fall into place.
Two days later, on July 14th, I met Gerard Kelly.
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