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Category Archives: National University of Ireland Maynooth
On the Pacific, In Pubs, With Time
On Sunday afternoons in the oldest pub in Dublin, there’s music in guitars and in glasses of Guinness. I go sometimes. I duck under waving pints and make my way to the center of the room. It looks like every … Continue reading
have your tea biscuits and eat them too
As I was tumbling from a pier in Howth, I felt as though I had a lifetime to think about feathers. Bird feathers and bowling balls because in a vacuum they fall at the same rate, at the exact same … Continue reading
Silent “M”s and Silent Nights: an Ode to “oments”
“Where are my international students?” Unable to escape the subsequent prodding and nudging by the giggling sopranos around me, I warily raise my hand. The director turns his attention to it, unfortunately and apparently the only hand in the room. … Continue reading
Meeting the Road
I used to run in Haiti under a sun made of fire. As I would pass along the road, a flurry of bare feet, brown eyes, and small arms would emerge from the frames of palm-thatched houses. Although their legs … Continue reading
A Basic Guide to Irish Idioms
Last week I was reminded in a rather humorous way of the differences between the Irish and American dialects of English. I was in Lahinch in Co. Clare and needed a way of getting back to Galway, so I posted … Continue reading
West Coast, Best Coast
It is 7am on a Saturday, and the sleepiness in Galway is infectious. Most students have gone home for the weekend, and those who haven’t have yet to stir from the warmth of their abodes. Resisting the temptation to follow … Continue reading
Posted in class of 2016, Irish University, National University of Ireland Galway, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Natural Resources, Travels on the Island, Uncategorized
Tagged aileen's, claremont mckenna college, Cliffs of Moher, county clare, Galway bay, graduate fellowship, mitchell scholar, mitchell scholarship, National University of Ireland Galway, surfing, surfing in Ireland, the burren, the great outdoors, west coast
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Life in Ireland is “grand”
The alarm goes off at 5:30am, signaling the start to my day. As a Muslim, I pray 5 obligatory prayers and our earliest begins at dawn. This means I’m always awake by 5:30am everyday! I also try to spend parts … Continue reading
A Journey and Finale
A dissertation. Those who are writing one typically go through various stages. Love it. Hate it. Rewrite it. Edit it. Despite the late nights and revisions, the final product is rewarding. The writer has reached the mountaintop. While I am … Continue reading
No Ordinary House in the Mountains
Winding through the Wicklow Mountains with the sun glistening off the peaks of green shaded hilltops, I could not stop staring. Known as the “Garden of Ireland”, the landscape was glowing and nearly alive with the abundance of trees and … Continue reading
Ireland: ’tis awful shocking nice (trans: I love it here)
Ireland seems to run on inside jokes, playful self-deprecation, and good-natured resignation to whatever the future may bring. In other words, I have found Ireland remarkably similar to my upbringing – the casual familiarity, the nod of a head imbued … Continue reading
Posted in National University of Ireland Maynooth
Tagged Irish literature, Maynooth University, University of Notre Dame
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The First Day
Swinging open the door, I peeked my head in. A few older gentlemen and ladies peppered the conference room. I was early to my first class. I sat there quietly unpacking my notebook and looked around. I found my first … Continue reading
Thanks, Ireland!
Ireland has had absolutely beautiful weather for the last week. Bright sunshine, no cloud to be found, a light breeze and 75 degrees…this sort of weather makes me want to stay. If only, it was like this year round. Not … Continue reading