“O Ireland, isn’t it grand you look,
Like a bride in her rich adornin’
And with all the pent-up love of my heart,
I bid you the top of the mornin’ ”
By John Locke
I wish I were back in Ireland at this time of year with all the Irish events to attend. I worry that the snow on the ground will not be gone by the day of the Southie parade, March 15. Hubby got out on the roof of our front porch two days last week and shoveled off a great deal of snow, which was above his waist when he began. He was worried that the roof wouldn’t be able to take the weight of the snow. Hubby had me walk down the path toward the back yard as he took photos at various intervals so he could document the height of the snow. Our back yard looks positively beautiful with barely a mark in the snow.
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Take heart from all the snow and the cold: Sullivan’s at Castle Island will open for the year this Saturday, Feb.28. If the weather is not the best, Sully’s probably will not stay open too late in the afternoon.
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Because all the events that I hoped to attend were cancelled this past month, I found my columns of my first and only trip to Ireland, in 1994,which I will share with you over the next few weeks:
“A Diary of Our First Irish Vacation”
Boston Irish Reporter, August 1994
“Céad Míle Fáilte!” A hundred thousand welcomes! Hubby and I heard “fáilte” many times as we took a trip across “the great pond” to Ireland. First, we went to our local travel agent, Freda, who made all our arrangements through Celtic International Tours. We chose the second week of July so that Hubby would have a few days to recover from the end of school.
Ladened with suitcases filled with clothes for all types of weather (ponchos, sweaters, even a pair of shorts – and the essential umbrellas), we arrived at Logan Airport Saturday evening and boarded a giant Aer Lingus 747 for the trip. (We had watched the Aer Lingus plane leave for Ireland several nights before our trip (between 7:45 and 8:10 p.m.) as we sat at Castle Island. We tried to sleep on the plane, knowing that it would be 6 a.m. in Ireland when we arrived, but being excited about our first trip to the “old sod,” we found sleeping difficult.
As we came through Shannon, we were greeted by our tour guide, a terrific person named David O’Brien who told us that we were the only ones from Boston, that all the other members of our group had been delayed because of bad weather. He advised us to have some breakfast at the airport’s restaurant as he awaited the rest of the group. As we looked for the restaurant, we saw the reservations desk for Aer Lingus. We went over to the agent, asking her to arrange seats for our return flight in the non-smoking section. On the way over, in order to get adjoining seats, we had to sit in the smoking section, which was difficult.
Finally, the rest of the tour group landed and off we went to the Cliffs of Moher, a dramatic sight as the barren cliffs rise 700 feet from the Atlantic Ocean. (Hubby went to the top of the observation area while I took photos at a strategic spot part way up.) A light rain had begun to fall and it was extremely cool, so we were delighted to get back in the coach. We struggled to stay awake until we arrived at the Limerick Inn Hotel in Limerick, where we slept for a few hours. Then it was off to a medieval dinner at Bunratty Castle. This was a spectacular evening, with the employees dressed in medieval garb. (I thoroughly enjoyed being called “My Lady.”) The meal was interesting, since we were supposed to eat with only the aid of a dagger. (We cheated and used a fork.) After the meal, the waitresses treated us to a wonderful lconcert of traditional Irish music. We poked our heads into the famous Durty Nelly’s Pub, but it was so dark and crowded inside that we retreated back to the bus.
The next morning, we ate breakfast early – a full Irish breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon (I prefer our own crispy kind to the fatty Irish kind.), scones, juices, fruits, croissants, toast (white bread and brownbread), and even different cereals, if you wished. Then off we went throughTipperary to the Waterford factory. Since I had to get a few wedding gifts, I declined to go on the tour and went directly to the Mail Order section. The large crystal pieces on display were spectacular, and Hubby took photos so that we could remember them, in particular the chandeliers. Then it was off for lunch at a place that in English means The Storyteller; I never got the Irish word, except in the photos, which have not yet been developed. Finally, we arrived at our hotel, Jury’s in Cork City where we had a lovely dinner and breakfast the following morning.
The next day, thanks to David, we were the first visitors at Blarney Castle. Up the long flight of stairs we went, difficult, pie-shaped stairs, both narrow and slippery, to the top of the castle. Hubby kissed the Stone, even with his bad back, while I chickened out, a foolish move that I regret. (As long as Hubby would hold my feet while the castle employee held my waist, I would chance it in a minute. We’ll just have to go back!) After a little shopping, we drove through Macroom to the lovely town of Kenmare where we had lunch. Then we rode through the Ring of Kerry and ended at Muckross House, where we took a jaunting car ride. (What a great photo we have of six of us in the jaunting car – just like the scenes from “The Quiet Man.”) The driver (the jarvey) Michael took us back along the main road to our hotel, the Great Southern in Killarney, as a long line of cars and buses queued up behind our slow, little cart. That evening, we went to an Irish theater presentation, “The Bodhran,” at the East Avenue Hotel in Killarney. The evening proved to be delightful, with singing, Irish step dancing, and even set dancing. All during the trip back to the hotel, my feet were doing a great Irish jig – while seated, of course. There will be more about our tip to Ireland next week.
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Here is an Irish blessing, a wee bit early: “May your life be filled with laughter, your home be filled with love, and may the good Lord shower you with many blessings from above.”
