Week 8: Here to Stay For a While

We moved to Ireland on Irish Mother's Day, arriving the day after, so I missed it.  Never to fear.  I got another chance this year...American Mother's Day, which happened to fall the day after we got back from our trip.  We took the train in to City Centre to Mass at St. Theresa's and then over to Cafe En Seine for their Sunday jazz brunch.  It was brilliant having Mother's Day all to myself, rather than sharing it with every other mom in the country, so we got right in, despite their losing our reservation.  That place is SO COOL and GORGEOUS!!  What fantastic atmosphere!

Fancy free at Cafe En Seine

Not the best picture of us, but you can tell I love the two o dem!

I am not a big shopper, but shopping in City Centre is fun!  Not like a mall or strip center, but more glamorous and exciting.  I loved Brown Thomas (Who doesn't?), which is the Neimans of Dublin, I would say.  Lots of en vogue, fancy, classy, shiny, unique, new stuff....Who buys 300 Euro sunglasses?  Well I found that putting some on can make anyone feel like a movie star.  Marks and Spenser is a bit more in the middle market as far as quality and expense, but it still seems a bit "Rodeo Drive-ish" when it is on Grafton Street.  Rounded off a beautiful day.  I am truly blessed to have such a loving family.

Monday included some not so glamorous, but much more practical shopping when we went to "Power City" to FINALLY purchase a kettle, a toaster, a vacuum.  I have had so much trouble figuring out where to purchase things here.  I figured Marks and Spenser, a department store, for instance, would have kettles in the kitchen section.  Wrong.  After all, an electric kettle (Yes, that is what everyone uses here....not one for the stove) GETS PLUGGED IN.  Therefore, it would be categorized the same as a tv or a dryer, and must be located at the "plug it in store."  (my words)  Thus, Power City filled a great need.

We got organized and started settling in to school life in our school room (which is AWESOME) and in our new life.   Lots of walks to town, on trails, up the hill, discovering views, discovering the area.  Everything is a new and seems to just sparkle like brand new to us because it is in our eyes.

Killiney Hill covered in gorse flowers

Also this week the kids and I went to our neighborhood park for the first time.  The huge playground and play space is a part of Killiney Hill Park, set up high with a great great view of the sea.  The kids enjoyed all of the equipment, but especially the zip line!  It is really long, and if you are above a certain weight (like me), your butt tends to drag when you go across the middle, so you have to have serious ab and leg strength to keep from getting a butt rug burn!  (The kids are just under the weight where this is an issue....but barely!)

This park is going to be so great to have literally as our front

 garden!

That Saturday we picked up my car (finally).  The only criteria we had was that it be a VW "People Carrier" (their small version of a mini van) so we have room for guests, and that it be an automatic.  Had A LOT of trouble getting a hold of one of those.  They kept asking Thomas, "Are you sure you have to have an automatic?"  But Thomas did not like the idea of me driving on the opposite side of the road, from the opposite side of the car AND drive a stick.  (I just took defensive driving and one of the things they stressed heavily was to know your driving abilities and to choose a car that fits you.  Never heard of that before, but I guess it makes sense.)  Turns out they finally found ONE in the entire country.  We didn't even specify color or anything!  So it took over a month, but I finally had my vehicle.

The rest of the day was spent out and about shopping, mostly for the kitchen (We still didn't have drinking glasses, pots and pans, etc.).  Thomas was enthusiastic about "Woodies," claiming that I could get anything there.  Well it is pretty much true.  It's like a Home Depot, a Party City, a PetSmart, and a Bed Bath and Beyond all rolled into one.  I just couldn't get myself to buy kitchen stuff in a place that smelled like fertilizer, so we moved on.  Next up we headed to Liffey Valley Shopping Center.  Ugh.  A mall.  Soooo American.  What sort of adventures could we possibly find there?  Well, I'll tell you.  It's called THE CAR PARK (parking lot).  We kept trying to go around "just over there....See it?  There's Marks and Spenser JUST OVER THERE."  But "just over there" REALLY meant here and there and around and up and down and, "Don't hit that car" and "which way now?" and "Look out!"  and "How are we WAY OUT HERE suddenly when M&S was JUST OVER THERE?"  These Irish road and car park planners are MAD, I tell ya!

Somehow we managed to find our way to JUST OVER THERE and we had a good time shopping like we were getting married and having the fun of doing a registry all over again to outfit an ENTIRE HOUSE (but this time WE are paying for it!  Actually, Dell gave us a stipend, but we have to make it stretch out for loads of necessities.)  There was absolutely nothing in the house, and it is crazy to think of all the things we use every day that we sort of take for granted.  We ALSO take for granted one stop stores like Target.  There is no such thing here.  One must search and hunt and browse to get what one needs.  However, I FINALLY found a store called Home Store and More, which is almost identical to Bed Bath and Beyond, and while I love the full Irish experience, I have to admit that when I walked in there I had a sense of comfort and home.  Too bad this is not a common store, and the one we found is a ways away.  Oh well, that will keep me from falling too far back into my American ways!  (Although, if you talk to any Dubliner about this plight, they will all say one word..."Ikea."  Yikes!  We have yet to make it over to that maze -- there is one in the country -- but it may have made things a bit easier to get it all in one place, supposedly.)

Attention Woodie's shoppers!  For Senior Citizens Day today come take care of your pets, and pick up a storage bin and some compost while your at it!

If you are looking to host a birthday party, you've come to the right place.  Come to our Party Shop to place an order for your balloons, choose your plates and napkins, and then come pick your paint samples to paint the whole room in your party's theme color!

Next, if you are in the market for fine stem ware and cutlery, head over to the home shop, just past the wheelbarrows.

On special today, just past the toilet plungers you will find kitchen dinette sets, with wood floors to go under them.  You'll find everything you need right here at Woodie's DIY (except what Amy and Thomas are looking for today!)

So typical Irish.  Love it!

Week 7 Holiday in the West PART II

Donegal is known for being the northern most county, for its rugged scenery, its Atlantic coastline and cliffs, its history, its farming, its fishing, its beauty, St. Colmkille (Sam's patron, as his middle name is Colm), the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking country), and apparently its wind and RAIN.  We were greeted at our arrival to the grand, uncovered Lough Eskie castle steps by driving rain and Matthew from Downton Abbey (he reminded me of him) in his tweed hat and tan woolen jacket.  He grabbed our bags and led us down the gravel, wet, puddly paths to our cozy cottage room.  He told us that Donegal gets a lot of rain, but not usually all....day.....long.  Later he came to light our fire (it was necessary!) and share with us all about his fishing family in Donegal.

Lough Eske Castle

Never actually heard a REAL donkey before!

We took refuge in the cozy, modern, lively pub inside the castle, where we enjoyed a leisurely, HOT dinner before retiring.  In fact, we enjoyed many meals in that pub while we were there.  As I mentioned in my last blog, I was feeling inspired to do some research to find out my Leonard family tree.  I would just love to find some gravestones or even find some long lost relatives.  I set to work that night with information Aunt Mary gave me...and I have been addicted ever since.  To this day I am losing sleep trying to solve all the little mysteries of who, what, and where.

The next couple of rainy and cold days were spent relaxing.  A couple of spa sessions for me, some indoor pool time for the kids and Thomas, exercise, walks, some art, some cards and games.  Finally the clouds parted, and we set off for Siabh Liag (prounounced, "Sleeve League"), one of Europe's highest sea cliffs, if not the highest.  What a sight.  We hiked as far up as ability would allow and suddenly those two or three days of constant rain were in the distant past as we enjoyed, along with the sheep, this spectacular, serene, thought provoking, inspiring view.  I was so impressed by how well the kids did on this hike (as well as at Croag Patrick).  I think we were all so in awe of the beauty that the effort was not noticed so much.

Sorry you can't hear this one (file too large), but you can have a snapshot of it.

SPECTACULAR Sliabh Laig

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We made it a point to try to make a pilgrimage to some of the spots where St. Colm walked.  St. Colm (or Colmkille/Colm Cille/Columbkille/Columba, etc. etc.) was a product of 6th Century Ireland
following St. Patrick, and credited with establishing hundreds of monasteries which helped spread the Christian faith to Scotland and around Europe.  He was also known for his manuscripts, including contributions to the Book of Kells.  Sam considers him, along with St. Sebastian (Jan 20), to be his patron saint.  First, we made the hour long drive to the St. Colm Heritage Center.  Not a car in sight in the parking lot, doors locked, the sign clearly stated it was open, but no people as we walked around.  We felt like the scene in Vacation when Clark and his family arrive and the moose character says, "Sorry folks! Park's closed!"  There was a number to call, so Thomas called it and the lady on the other end said, "Sorry.  it's closed."  "But the sign says you're open now."  "Well we are closed."  (Oooookay.  Forget about the poor little boy who ventured ALL THE WAY across the Atlantic Ocean to come to this spot, and all he wants to do is learn about his patron saint.  Oh no, he doesn't matter.  Take a nap or something.  Enjoy your day.  Poor boy.)  Actually, it didn't look that impressive, so we figured there was something else for us.

We learned that there was a chapel ruin around where St. Colm used to pray and which had a stone inside on which he used to sleep between prayer sessions.  We set off, looking for the shrine surrounded by stands with people selling their St. Colm wares.  We struggled to find it, as directions in the guide book was vague and the nav system didn't have a clue, but we happened to stumble upon a small sign.  We followed the dirt road up a big hill and around the bend, and came to a dead end at a sheep herder's house.  There was a sing pointing up another hill (undriveable) that read "St. Colm's Well" (WAY up), but, as the farmer stared at us, we asked him what and where the well was and he replied in some incoherent English or Irish that included the word "lolipop" over and over.  (Sam kept turning to me asking, "Mama, why is he saying lolipop over and over?"  We hadn't a clue.  Then, we asked if he happened to know where the chapel was, and he pointed to the middle of his land, with more incoherent yelling, except we heard, "Don't let the sheep out."  So we parked and walked through this man's muddy pasture, past his barking sheep dogs, through two gates, being sure not to let the sheep out, and up to a round, stone structure.  There it was!  Right in the midst of this shepherd's pasture was the unmarked 6th Century chapel where St. Colm himself prayed.  In ruins, but half a wall high all the way around, and openings for a full door and window, while in the corner was a big stone slab...the very stone that he used to lie on to rest during his marathon prayer sessions.  It struck me that this man, who influenced all of Christendom, only needed this 16 meter square structure, with little view of the outdoors, little or insufficient heat, wind howling through the cracks, probably little light, to be inspired to spend hours in prayer.  That to me is amazing.  It is rare that I can have the temperature right, my cushions comfortable, my tea hot enough, and the room quiet enough for me to really feel the presence of God.  I strive for those moments, regularly, every day, because when they come they fill me so.  But to be so committed as to lie on a rock to replenish oneself just enough to then spend more time with the Lord is real love for Jesus.  REAL love.  Almost heroic love.  And yet, there was not a sign or a granite plaque, or a t-shirt or plastic statue being sold.  Not even an official road leading to it.

St. Colm's Chapel

The stone where St. Colmkille slept between prayer sessions

You can see the shepherd's house in the background.

Next, we had the privilege of stepping on the site where St. Colm was born.  This one was MUCH more well marked.  It was quite pastoral and reverent and stimulated the imagination.

The pastoral little lane to St. Colm's birthplace

Finally, we visited the site of an ancient monastery that  he established or inspired (We were a bit confused about the exact history of this spot, and the conflicting signs didn't help.)

Our castle hotel has quite a history itself, related to the famed O'Donnell clan.  Actually, for quite some time the castle fell on land that had been passed down to a lord that owned pretty much owned the entire area until not too long ago.  The castle had been taken up by the National Forest Department (or something of that nature), had been neglected and fallen into ruins (with TREES growing INSIDE the building and gargoyles being stolen, etc.) until just a few years

 

back when a developer took it over and refurbished it to its current modern, but traditional state.

A quick visit to Donegal town the next day, and we were headed back to Dublin!



BONUS FEATURES!
Here are a few items I forgot to include in previous posts.
First, a video of Sam singing the role of Jesus in the Easter play.  He is a little hard to hear from this distance, but he is the high solo voice with all the other kids singing the repetitive ostinato.  (Actually, I was only able to download this as a "picture."  When we tried to download as a video it said the file was too large :(  I am hoping to find another way to share this and other future special videos with you.



And second, a couple of pics of me at Cashel House:

Stealing away on a law

n ornament

Captain the Horse remembered me!