With the end of our first semester and the turn of the new year, I have been feeling lately that my precious time in Ireland is quickly slipping away. But sitting down to write this blog was a welcome reminder that I’ve actually made a decent dent in my Irish bucket list. Below is a brief catalog of my adventures around the Island–and I can’t wait for many more!
Killaloe, Co. Clare
In late October, one of my new Irish friends, Sarah, hosted me and another one of our friends from the law school at her home in Killaloe. Nestled on the banks of the River Shannon, Killaloe is a lovely little town that reminded me a lot of where my parents live in Northern Michigan. Sarah and her parents were incredibly kind and gracious hosts, showing us around the town by foot and boat, welcoming us into their beautiful home, and making us delicious meals. Spending the weekend with them and their lovely pups George and Rua somehow cured a bit of homesickness I was quietly I was nursing.
Donegal / Derry
In November, Ali generously invited the Mitchells to tag along as she did research for her book in the North. While Ali was off muckraking, the small collection of Mitchells who made the trip spent a memorable day exploring Derry. The highlights included getting lost in the mall, a funeral convention in the town hall, excellent Mexican food, and many Derry Girls fangirl moments. Spending time with the Mitchells is always a treat, but this goofy little trip was especially so. I feel so lucky to have such a fun group to go call upon for random adventures!
Co. Kerry
Over Christmas, I was incredibly lucky to have my family visit me. We took a road trip around Kerry, stopping on the beautiful Valencia Island (pictures below). Being able to share my life as well as explore new areas in Ireland was really special. My parents immediately began planning this trip when they found out I got the Mitchell so we’d been looking forward to this for a long time.
