unveiling the new dungarvan sign

 

Joe O'Flaherty visited the pub while the rest of us visited the castle, and treated us with a lovely song.

kilkenny castle

First Day

After a long grueling 7 hour layover plus a 7 hour flight, I finally made it to Ireland.

Three statements that should never be trusted when said by an Irishman:

1) The meeting will start at 8 o' clock

2) Your check is in the post

3) We'll only have one more drink

- Tom Keith

An overtired, excited, multi-tasking, distracted, bedraggled group of college students arrive at an airport. Instantly, there's flashing of cameras and shouting and people dressed up in medals. But really, this is no joke.

 I was shocked to walk out of the gate today and find a group of three men standing there waiting to welcome us. What was more shocking was that one appeared to be wearing some elaborate thick golden necklace, another was jumping and shaking a sign that read Mercyhurst University, and the last, the eldest, was moving around snapping pictures left and right. Dr. Hosey, the woman who essentially coordinates the Ireland spring term warned us that we would be facing quite the welcome wagon. She also told us that the arrival of the Mercyhurst students every year was big news for Dungarvan, in county Waterford (pronounced done-gar-vin, but in Gaelic, it is dune-gar-vahn, "dun" meaning fort, as in fort of garvan), but that doesn't necessarily mean I believed her. Instantly we were whisked away onto a bus, where Tom Keith, an older, gray-haired man into his second year of retirement from lord-knows-what began to speak over the PA system (see above quote).

 We then traveled to Bewley's Hotel, right near where a woman was assassinated (a woman named Veronica, because of something having to do with the Irish gangs) according to Damien Geoghegan, the substitute mayor of Dungarvan? I ask this question because I'm really not sure. We did end up meeting the actual mayor, and that was when Damien transferred his fancy golden necklace over. At Bewley's I had my first real Irish breakfast consisting of essentially 4 different ways of preparing meat: sausage, rashers (bacon...which was cooked more like sliced ham at the holidays), and black and white pudding, which, as you may have either guessed or already known, is NOT pudding. Of course there was also potatoes as well as eggs and toast. The food was very hearty, which was good, because our day was far from over.

Keep in mind, that I had already lost essentially two nights sleep, so it is safe to say that come breakfast time in Ireland, I was exhausted. Out of the two options, coffee or tea, neither one being my favorite, I have quickly adopted tea for my caffeine-kick. The coffee here is so strong and so bitter I feel like no amount of flavoring (which has thus far not been an option) or sugar could save it. Tea, on the other hand, can be enhanced with a couple heaping spoonfuls of sugar, or three, or four, and dipping the biscuits in was delicious. Mr. Geoghegan also informed me that you could instantly tell an American from the Irish because of the way Americans hold their forks up while eating as if shoveling food into their mouth, whereas the Irish hold their fork upside down. I practiced this, but haven't yet gotten the hang of it.

After breakfast we  began the two and a half hour journey from Dublin to Dungarvan, but we made some stops in between. I struggled to keep my eyes open even for a second on the bus because I was told by Drs. Hosey and Reed that the jet lag is worse when you try to sleep it off during the daytime rather than at night. Mr. Keith took us to the city of Kilkenny, where we visited St. Canice's Cathedral. The cathedral is home to one of several Black Friars' Towers in Ireland, the youngest of which is 1000 years old. This one tower in particular dates back to the time of the Vikings' arrival in Ireland (9th century AD). Mr. Keith explained that the tower was used as a place of refuge as well as a bell tower. There were also several tombstones surrounding the cathedral, but they were all so old, that the writing was almost completely erased. He also elaborated on Ireland's history (protestant british v. irish catholic, the penal laws, etc.) According to Mr. Keith, one of the greatest Irishmen of all time was the lawyer Daniel O'Connell, also known as the Liberator. Keith went on to state that he was also a man about town and at one time, one could not "throw a stone in Ireland without hitting a child of O'Connell's."

As the weather swiftly grew colder, we were brought to Kilkenny Castle, established by the Normans who arrived in Ireland in the 12th century. It would soon fall into the hands of the Butler family who remained in residence for approximately 600 years after. It was built at the top of a hill for obvious defensive reasons, but its positioning on the Nore River ensured its dominance. The castle, of course, was gorgeous. Interesting fact, the Normans that settled in Ireland adopted last names according to their occupation, for example: the Butlers, the Marshals, the Cooks.

 So now I am settled in my townhouse at the Park Hotel in Dungarvan, and posting in this blog. Sorry if it's too lengthy, let me know and I can try to cut down, but this is also serving as a journal for myself on the trip. I've already missed writing down so much other important things from today, so I need this thing!