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Show . IT DEE S Bl ! I B PJ T MSS I HARBOUR I !' 0 'MaliiMMfe mmmiimmM j ' " 1 1 T B - li-j r GfttbAttii II II I I , i I I ' I j "r v , p ... ; II in uu mi mm iiimai ii i i "" 1 "v li -- ' r I S - f - Story and photos bj Jennifer Peterson 0 Ireland, isn't it grand you look Like a bride in her rich adornin"? And with all he pent-up love of my heart I bid you the top o' the mornin'! John Locke (1847-1889) 'The Exile's Return (Th' an'am an Dhia:MySou)toGodf I've never met a soul who hasn't enjoyed their stay in Ireland, the fantastic Irish people and the beautiful sights the country has to offer. Ireland is the home of dark green Connemara Marble, a thick, brown brew called Guinness, the swirling rock formations known as the Twelve Pins, the stone Burren desert and perhaps more stories and superstitions than any other country in the Western world. Where else can kissing a stone bring one the gift of verbal eloquence? Ireland, while quite a small country, is chock-full of picturesque castles and homes, bridges and farms, coast and countryside. Perhaps one of the most fantastic settings is that on which Kylemore Abbey is set. Kylemore Abbey in County Connemara is a beautiful stone L. '1 J' L'l i i i place for friendly gatherings, storytelling and music. As the sun sinks into the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the pubs begin to fill with men and women, their children, family and friends. Going to the pub is like going to a family reunion. In this case, however, no one is an outsider. Doolin, a small village in County Clare, is famous for its excellence in traditional Irish music. McGann's and Gus O'Connor's pubs hold open invitations to those interested in playing or singing along. Both pubs are packed on St. Patrick's Day eve as residents from throughout the county coming to town to whoop it up. Musicians brings whatever instruments they can play and join the fun. After eating a large bowl of Irish Stew and drinking half pint of the. national beer. Guinness, I met a young couple from Ennistymon, a town not far from Doolin. As we visited, listened to the music and stories and began talkimr lo some of the musicians, the young woman asked to borrow one of the musician's drum. "She was county champion at one time," her boyfriend told us. Neither the owner of the drum nor I believed the couple until she picked An Irishman and his closest friends at a crossroads in Lahinch, County Clare. ounuing oesiue a lane in a nooK amongst the hills. The main building, now a private girls' school, was built by a wealthy Englishman as a gift for his wife. In spite of the care he took in preparing every detail, the man's wife was ungrateful. Upon entering the mansion she demanded that all the marble be removed and tossed into the lake. She persisted until the floors were finally sunk and replaced with wood. Locals say the the woman was punished for this thoughtless action when her son, while rowing on the lake, fell overboard and drowned. ri i i . i i t .i i . residents of days gone by then scared away a passing boy child with ghostly "ooo"s . Storytelling has a long tradition in Ireland and remains popular despite the relatively recent acquisition of television. Locals meet at public houses pubs nightly to tell stories, play traditional Irish music or just sit back and listen. Although pubs are drinking establishments, they are completely different than the smoke-filled, meat-markets Americans call bars. Unlike bars, the Irish pub is geared toward the family a it up began to play. She was excellent. Lesson 487: The Irish may may tell stories about mythological people and places, but they never tell lies on themselves. The Irish are not only humble, but they are also very helpful. They give perfect directions and often offer to simply show the way. In many other countries tourists should be wary of individuals offering to guide them as ungodly fees usually come into the picture long after guides get you lost. But in Ireland, an offer of a drink, directions, dinner, conversation or even a place to stay is generally just a friendly gesture. FZ1 ' PH ATV1' L -- . "A Ay) I gym; v - J h'j r The woman mourned her loss and neglected her husband and remaining daughter, oblivious to the sorrow they, too, were feeling. Again the woman was punished for her selfishness when, as the daughter was riding up the mountainside behind the house, the horse threw the girl to her death. The house was abandoned less than one year after its completion. Later the building was used asa monastery, then an abbey and finally became the girls' school it remains today. Surrounded by mountains and forrest, the girls who attend school spend hours hiking and reading by the lake. Occassionaly, however, they do sneak into town six miles west. The foyer, chapel and library of the main building are supposed to he open to the public. However, our knocks on the enormous front door were greeted by a 5 sour old nun who refused to let us in. We wandered around the property and came upon three friendly students. They, as most of the Irish, were extremely friendly and invited us on a tour. "We'll just say you're our cousins from America," a giggly twin said. Q About 100 yards east of the main building is a church which was closed about ten years ago for renovation. Currently, the girls said, no work is being done on Jjjl the church, and it is never used. But the girlsled us through an open window to the crypt. This was their secret place, their midnight meeting place. We crawled in the hole behind a pony-tailed teenager teen-ager who held the two-by-four ramp still for us. "All of the head nuns are kept here until it gets full," a dark-haired, blue eyed girl explained. "Then the old ones are buried in the churchyard." All but one of the nuns had apparently been removed since the church's closure. We crept up for a look into the main church wilh its enormous arched roof and gorgeous, pink-marbled floors and columns. A stained glass window allowed plenty of light for us to see (he pews stacked against a wall and 3rnoldslowly enveloping the beautiful marble. The girls told ghost stories about old nuns and local It is also different to see so many people hitch-hiking nowadays. But in Ireland, with its horrible mass transit system, hitching is often the only option. Approaching the bus stop in my little rental car one day I ran across a bus stop just loaded with people of all ages sticking out their thumbs. Old women hitch to town to shop, children hitch home from school, and adults hitch to work. The buses never run on time here, they told me. And when they do, just when you get used to it, they change the schedule without warning. Transit in, Dublin, the big city is much more efficient. Dublin is "the music center of Ireland." This booming metropolis of more than 600,000 residents is more than three times the size of Cork, the next largest city in Ireland, but somehow it maintains its friendly feel. Directions can still be had, people are still easy to meet and wandering alone is, generally, still safe. Dublin is the home of the national brew-Guinness, a thick, dark, heavy ale. The aroma of the brew fills the air of Dublin while the Royal Canal looks as if it was pure Guinness as the dark brown water runs through town to the River Liffey and out to the Irish Channel. A tour through the brewery includes a historic slide show discussing the origin of Guinness and his family's brewery and brewing techniques from the days of wooden barrels to today's kegs. The final stop on the tour is the tasting room where visitors are invited to try the slightly bitter, slightly mocha flavored drink. Hanging on the walls are old advertisements. "Drirrk-Guinness, "Drirrk-Guinness, it's what you're right arm's for" and "Guinness, for health." It is said that Irish doctors actually did prescribe a pint of Guinness per day to help cure various illnesses at one time. A trip to Ireland is fantastic for those willing to trade good weather for great companionship. The warm, friendly people make up for the cold winds and rain so prevalent in this island country. Ireland is the place where there's always a story to be heard and a song to be sung. Two young girls don traditional Irish garb and dancing shoes for a St. Patrick's Day parade in An Spideal, County Galway. 1 |