King John’s Castle, Limerick, Ireland
This was an unbelievable visit. Throughout my childhood, I remember watching movies and reading books about these awesome castles in Europe, but in these moments, I was actually in a castle!! My group got to spend several hours wandering around the castle, which was amazing. Beyond that, there were lots of interactive activities, like shooting a bow-and-arrow.
One of the best parts about the trip to the castle was the history. Throughout the various parts of the castle, like the armory, courtyard, and towers, there were stories about the history of the castle. I learned about the various inhabitants of the castle. One of the most important aspects of the castle was its defense against attack. There were a lot of diagrams that referenced the defense of the castle.
Another part of the castle included an amazing view of the Shannon River. I may have taken a few too many pictures of myself next to that river…
The Cliffs of Mohr
One of the best parts of being in Ireland, aside from the amazing views and food, is the people. Where-ever I go, people learn I am American, and cannot wait to talk to me. The Irish people are unbelievably kind and wonderfully friendly, even to complete strangers. I have noticed that they all want to give advice. I get constantly asked where I plan to go, and then after I answer, the native people always have a list of places to go and things to see. One of the common places are the Cliffs of Mohr.
A part of this day trip included a visit to the Cliffs of Mohr, so now I can tell the Irish people I meet all about my experience at the cliffs. You see, what started out as a hazy view of the cliffs, soon turned into a hail-like down-pour. I managed to snap a few pictures by the cliffs, however, a lot of my visit to the Cliffs of Mohr was spent inside the visitors’ center. I plan to return to the cliffs, and hopefully it will be a less rainy day!
The Burren and the Little Cliffs
While I may have only had a brief glimpse of the Cliffs of Mohr, our outstanding driver Leo took my classmates and I to the Burren and the Little Cliffs. Thankfully, the sky was clear(ish), and the view was amazing. On our way to the Little Cliffs, Leo explained the significance of the Burren. Since Ireland is so far north, it was uniquely impacted by the last Ice Age centuries ago. As a result of the glaciers and the changing ocean line, the Burren is riddled with oddly and naturally occurring round boulders. More than that, the Burren has amazing rock formations, which seem to glow in the sunlight.
Between the Cliffs of Mohr and the Burren, I noticed that the Irish people are not simply referencing the landmarks when they talk about these areas. Throughout the country, I have started to notice a natural tie to the land. All the people I have met manage to bring land, or agriculture, or location into the conversation. It is amazing that the identity of the Irish people is so tied to the land and to nature.
In contrast, if you look at American culture, what do we identify with? Some people are linked to a social role, like mother or brother, but maybe you are linked to a favorite football team (maybe the Dallas Cowboys or the Arkansas Razorbacks). Many Americans are also linked to a job or a title, like doctor or teacher. With the exception of Texas, not many Americans identify themselves first by their location in the country. Even those occupations that are based in the land, like farmers, do not often start talking about their connection to the land, but rather they turn the conversation to shared attributes.
Within both cultures, identity helps to bring the gap between people, especially in communication. A large part of the course I am taking before my internship is centered on intercultural communication. There are so many differences between cultures, for instance, think about when you are talking to friends and family, a lot of conversation will revolve around politics, or sports, or jobs. What I have noticed in Ireland, is that conversation does not start with what you do or what are you studying, but rather, where are you from. Beyond simply wanting to know where in the United States I am from, I constantly get asked about what life is like in my part of America. It has been a change for me to focus on where I am from, because it is a change from my usual identity.
However, it is essential to notice that people want to be linked together. People want to communicate, whether that is through location or through education or through employment. Communication helps bridge cultures together, because by sharing and learning about other cultures, people are trying to connect. Communication is so central to human nature, so it is only natural that it brings together people of different cultural backgrounds.
A Brief Stop at Corcomroe Abbey
After we left the Little Cliffs, my class headed towards Kinvara, but we made a short pit stop at the Corcomroe Abbey. While it is not necessarily complete, because of the wear and tear of the years, the abbey was really beautiful. There was so much history, and I did not even completely understand it.
Kinvara and the Medieval Banquet
While we were staying at cute bed and breakfasts throughout the town, the looming Dunguaire Castle was the most striking part of the town. I was thrilled once again to get to roam around a castle. Unfortunately, since we were there for the banquet, we did not actually get to roam around the castle. Don’t worry, the banquet was definitely worth the sacrifice of more castle photos. Having attend one other renaissance themed feast, I can honestly say I was excited to see how this one was run.
The Medieval Banquet started with mead in the “foyer” while an extremely talented harpist played a variety of songs. Eventually, after much pomp and circumstance, everyone got to head upstairs into the grand banquet hall. The meal itself consisted of a starter (smoked salmon salad), a soup (potato leek), a main course (chicken with roasted potatoes, carrots, and green beans), and concluded with apple pie.
The most important part of the banquet was not the food; it was the entertainment. Throughout the meal, there were actors who served us and treated us like we were in the medieval era. After the dessert was served however, things took a slightly unexpected twist. Instead of continuing with the medieval theme, the actors put on a show of various Irish songs and stories. They changed outfits, sang songs in Gaelic and in English, and put on parts of a play. Overall, the entertainment made the evening a particularly enjoyable one.
A side note on the songs and stories…I cannot express how beautiful the Gaelic music was. While I did not necessarily understand what was being sung, I felt drawn in. The actors delivering the
performance completely sucked me into the songs.
On a previous day, we were lead on a tour of Dublin. Our guide, Peter, told us about old Irish poets and literature. Much like those poems and stories, the songs performed at the banquet reflected the traditional Irish themes. For instance, in one song, they were singing about love, which may not be a typically Irish theme, however, the love story was. The two feel in love, surrounded by nature. The idea of being connected to and immersed in nature is always present in Irish poems, songs, and stories. If you look at famous Irish authors, like Oscar Wilde or James Joyce, they are also tied to the land and to their people. It all goes to show the importance and the prevalence of the land and the people to the Irish.
When I try to draw similar conclusions with American music and stories, I always come up with an image of the country. By this, I mean country music and the down-home southern life-style. This is practically influenced by how and where I lived throughout my life, but I think that country music speaks to the ideals and imagery of American life. Most country music focused on American pride, a deep-seeded faith and trust in the country, a love of everything that we deem American. Famously, in their song Only in America, Brooks and Dunn say, “One kid dreams of fame and fortune, one kid helps pay the rent, one could end up going to prison, one just might be president.” The ideas of freedom, opportunity and choice are essential to the American image. Later in the song, Brooks and Dunn sing, “ Only in American where we dream as big as we want to, we all get a chance….”
Music, like stories and poems, is simply a reflection of who we are and what we see.
Kylemore Abbey
After a good night’s sleep, my classmates and I left Kinvara and headed towards the Kylemore Abbey. Of all the beautiful scenery I have seen so far, the Kylemore Abbey is quite possibly some of my favorite. It is so secluded and natural. I have never seen anything like it, and I am sure I never will again! I hope you enjoy the pictures!
After finishing up at the Kylemore Abbesy, we headed to Galway. Beyond a few shopping spots, we did not spend too much time in Galway, so that is all I have in regards to this blog post! Hopefully you enjoyed this rather long blog on my two-day adventures! I will be around Dublin for the next day, but on Saturday I am headed down to Southern Ireland, to Blarney Castle and Cork City! Hopefully I have lots to share, until then… Cheers!
-- This was an unbelievable visit. Throughout my childhood, I remember watching movies and reading books about these awesome castles in Europe, but in these moments, I was actually in a castle!! My group got to spend several hours wandering around the castle, which was amazing. Beyond that, there were lots of interactive activities, like shooting a bow-and-arrow.
One of the best parts about the trip to the castle was the history. Throughout the various parts of the castle, like the armory, courtyard, and towers, there were stories about the history of the castle. I learned about the various inhabitants of the castle. One of the most important aspects of the castle was its defense against attack. There were a lot of diagrams that referenced the defense of the castle.
Another part of the castle included an amazing view of the Shannon River. I may have taken a few too many pictures of myself next to that river…
The Cliffs of Mohr
One of the best parts of being in Ireland, aside from the amazing views and food, is the people. Where-ever I go, people learn I am American, and cannot wait to talk to me. The Irish people are unbelievably kind and wonderfully friendly, even to complete strangers. I have noticed that they all want to give advice. I get constantly asked where I plan to go, and then after I answer, the native people always have a list of places to go and things to see. One of the common places are the Cliffs of Mohr.
A part of this day trip included a visit to the Cliffs of Mohr, so now I can tell the Irish people I meet all about my experience at the cliffs. You see, what started out as a hazy view of the cliffs, soon turned into a hail-like down-pour. I managed to snap a few pictures by the cliffs, however, a lot of my visit to the Cliffs of Mohr was spent inside the visitors’ center. I plan to return to the cliffs, and hopefully it will be a less rainy day!
The Burren and the Little Cliffs
While I may have only had a brief glimpse of the Cliffs of Mohr, our outstanding driver Leo took my classmates and I to the Burren and the Little Cliffs. Thankfully, the sky was clear(ish), and the view was amazing. On our way to the Little Cliffs, Leo explained the significance of the Burren. Since Ireland is so far north, it was uniquely impacted by the last Ice Age centuries ago. As a result of the glaciers and the changing ocean line, the Burren is riddled with oddly and naturally occurring round boulders. More than that, the Burren has amazing rock formations, which seem to glow in the sunlight.
Between the Cliffs of Mohr and the Burren, I noticed that the Irish people are not simply referencing the landmarks when they talk about these areas. Throughout the country, I have started to notice a natural tie to the land. All the people I have met manage to bring land, or agriculture, or location into the conversation. It is amazing that the identity of the Irish people is so tied to the land and to nature.
In contrast, if you look at American culture, what do we identify with? Some people are linked to a social role, like mother or brother, but maybe you are linked to a favorite football team (maybe the Dallas Cowboys or the Arkansas Razorbacks). Many Americans are also linked to a job or a title, like doctor or teacher. With the exception of Texas, not many Americans identify themselves first by their location in the country. Even those occupations that are based in the land, like farmers, do not often start talking about their connection to the land, but rather they turn the conversation to shared attributes.
Within both cultures, identity helps to bring the gap between people, especially in communication. A large part of the course I am taking before my internship is centered on intercultural communication. There are so many differences between cultures, for instance, think about when you are talking to friends and family, a lot of conversation will revolve around politics, or sports, or jobs. What I have noticed in Ireland, is that conversation does not start with what you do or what are you studying, but rather, where are you from. Beyond simply wanting to know where in the United States I am from, I constantly get asked about what life is like in my part of America. It has been a change for me to focus on where I am from, because it is a change from my usual identity.
However, it is essential to notice that people want to be linked together. People want to communicate, whether that is through location or through education or through employment. Communication helps bridge cultures together, because by sharing and learning about other cultures, people are trying to connect. Communication is so central to human nature, so it is only natural that it brings together people of different cultural backgrounds.
A Brief Stop at Corcomroe Abbey
After we left the Little Cliffs, my class headed towards Kinvara, but we made a short pit stop at the Corcomroe Abbey. While it is not necessarily complete, because of the wear and tear of the years, the abbey was really beautiful. There was so much history, and I did not even completely understand it.
Kinvara and the Medieval Banquet
While we were staying at cute bed and breakfasts throughout the town, the looming Dunguaire Castle was the most striking part of the town. I was thrilled once again to get to roam around a castle. Unfortunately, since we were there for the banquet, we did not actually get to roam around the castle. Don’t worry, the banquet was definitely worth the sacrifice of more castle photos. Having attend one other renaissance themed feast, I can honestly say I was excited to see how this one was run.
The Medieval Banquet started with mead in the “foyer” while an extremely talented harpist played a variety of songs. Eventually, after much pomp and circumstance, everyone got to head upstairs into the grand banquet hall. The meal itself consisted of a starter (smoked salmon salad), a soup (potato leek), a main course (chicken with roasted potatoes, carrots, and green beans), and concluded with apple pie.
The most important part of the banquet was not the food; it was the entertainment. Throughout the meal, there were actors who served us and treated us like we were in the medieval era. After the dessert was served however, things took a slightly unexpected twist. Instead of continuing with the medieval theme, the actors put on a show of various Irish songs and stories. They changed outfits, sang songs in Gaelic and in English, and put on parts of a play. Overall, the entertainment made the evening a particularly enjoyable one.
A side note on the songs and stories…I cannot express how beautiful the Gaelic music was. While I did not necessarily understand what was being sung, I felt drawn in. The actors delivering the
performance completely sucked me into the songs.
On a previous day, we were lead on a tour of Dublin. Our guide, Peter, told us about old Irish poets and literature. Much like those poems and stories, the songs performed at the banquet reflected the traditional Irish themes. For instance, in one song, they were singing about love, which may not be a typically Irish theme, however, the love story was. The two feel in love, surrounded by nature. The idea of being connected to and immersed in nature is always present in Irish poems, songs, and stories. If you look at famous Irish authors, like Oscar Wilde or James Joyce, they are also tied to the land and to their people. It all goes to show the importance and the prevalence of the land and the people to the Irish.
When I try to draw similar conclusions with American music and stories, I always come up with an image of the country. By this, I mean country music and the down-home southern life-style. This is practically influenced by how and where I lived throughout my life, but I think that country music speaks to the ideals and imagery of American life. Most country music focused on American pride, a deep-seeded faith and trust in the country, a love of everything that we deem American. Famously, in their song Only in America, Brooks and Dunn say, “One kid dreams of fame and fortune, one kid helps pay the rent, one could end up going to prison, one just might be president.” The ideas of freedom, opportunity and choice are essential to the American image. Later in the song, Brooks and Dunn sing, “ Only in American where we dream as big as we want to, we all get a chance….”
Music, like stories and poems, is simply a reflection of who we are and what we see.
Kylemore Abbey
After a good night’s sleep, my classmates and I left Kinvara and headed towards the Kylemore Abbey. Of all the beautiful scenery I have seen so far, the Kylemore Abbey is quite possibly some of my favorite. It is so secluded and natural. I have never seen anything like it, and I am sure I never will again! I hope you enjoy the pictures!
After finishing up at the Kylemore Abbesy, we headed to Galway. Beyond a few shopping spots, we did not spend too much time in Galway, so that is all I have in regards to this blog post! Hopefully you enjoyed this rather long blog on my two-day adventures! I will be around Dublin for the next day, but on Saturday I am headed down to Southern Ireland, to Blarney Castle and Cork City! Hopefully I have lots to share, until then… Cheers!
Read along with Shannon at https://shannonsdublintrip.wordpress.com/
Learn more about the U of A Faculty-Led: Education Abroad: Ireland at https://studyabroad.uark.edu/eduireland
