Slán: The Final Day

July 30, 2018 Kate Koenig

In the span of a breath, I found myself waking up to the bright sunshine of my last day in Ireland. People warned me I’d be homesick. It would be difficult to get used to a normal routine in Ireland. I would feel foreign, out of place. Eventually I would warm up to the country and feel comfortable. I was anticipating some homesickness. It never really happened. From the moment I walked off the plane, I felt comfortable. It was easy to form routines and feel like I belonged. And as the final day arrived, I struggled to hold back tears as I rolled out of bed. I wished I had been able to stay and study in Ireland for a year. Even though I had already done and seen so much during my five weeks, there was still so much I wanted to experience.

Over the last weeks I spent so much time heading out of the city, doing classwork, and heading to museums and all-day events. For my last day, I wanted to head to one last museum exhibit and walk along the Liffey on a photo-walk. Before I boarded the plane, I wanted to soak up every last moment of my final day to imprint this beautiful and welcoming country into my bones.

My first spot of the day was the General Post Office, the scene of the historic 1916 Easter Rising. It’s a beautiful building with six large columns on O’Connell Street. O’Connell is the main street of Dublin, named after Daniel O’Connell, known as “The Liberator”. His statue sits in the middle stretch of the road.

It’s beautiful inside of the GPO and I enjoyed snapping a few shots inside, but my interests that day were visiting the memorial to the 1916 Rising. I took a few shots on my cellphone of the exhibit. It featured artifacts, touchscreen interactive videos and quizzes, dress sets and uniforms as they would have appeared, but my favorite part was a long video giving a timeline of the events as seen through the eyes of the participants in the Rising, as well as bystanders/civilians, and the British. It goes without saying that I highly recommend this museum exhibit. It’s a must-see.

I have a fondness for old photographs of women, especially if they come from a. time when women were expected to neither be seen nor heard.

I spent a considerable amount of time walking through the exhibit and once I finished, I headed back out to O’Connell Street to take pictures of the statues and monuments on the street. I headed into a few local shops, checking out a bookstore and Pennys, a local clothing store, which had fantastic Dublin Pride shirts in their window.

With some shopping bags in hand, I headed to the closest Luas Stop and took the tram a handful of streets over. Back when we had toured Dublin with the program’s directors, we passed a beautiful bridge in the shape of a harp lying on its side. I’d wanted to photograph it since I first saw it and today presented the best (and last) opportunity to do so.

When I hopped off the tram, something caught my eye before I got to the bridge. Children and teens in wetsuits were jumping into a large pool of water. I thought it was funny to see them playing in a not-swimming pool and making do in the heat. As I approached the bridge, not far from the first batch of kids, I saw more wetsuit clad teens backflipping off the stone walls around the harp bridge and into the Liffey below. I was momentarily distracted from my original desire to shoot the harp bridge and hung around for about forty minutes watching them leap and flip into the river like acrobats. A small crowd of people gathered around them, watching them and filming them on their phones.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed, and I did too. I photographed the bridge on both sides of the river. On the other side, I saw more kids swimming and diving into the river. I really don’t blame them. The temperature was nearly unbearable. The sky remained cloudless all day, the sun beating down its full fury. To escape it myself, I headed to the sidewalk on the other side of the street, sticking to the shadows to shield me from the worst of the day.

I continued down the street photographing until I arrived at the beautiful Custom House.

I proceeded down the street stopping for anything that caught my eye, which a lot of the time was street art.

Irish history is everywhere even outside of pubs.

The rest of my day consisted of a bar crawl, drinking, laughing, and having fun with other travelers and locals. I walked the streets, my eyes scanning madly around trying to set every image into stone in my mind. I didn’t want to forget a single moment.

Days flipped through my mind, all the moments I will cherish for the rest of my life. These moments I would try to explain to all of my loved ones. I would try to explain the briny air of Howth the moment you step off the train or the way the air fills your lungs with its freshness on the hiking path. Would my pictures be able to convey the feelings I felt staring into the horizon on top of the Cliffs of Moher, the waves meeting the rocks below? When I talked about the art on the streets, hanging in museums, in the music, would they be able to imagine it, see the power of those images, hear those songs?

I won’t forget all of the amazing people who treated me with kindness, shared a pint with me, or made me laugh as I navigated life in Ireland. It was so easy for it to become my routine, my comfortable. Now I was faced with the uncomfortable, saying goodbye, leaving Ireland for the States.

I finished my day watching the sunset around the Ha'penny Bridge. And just like the sun, my time in Dublin was setting too.

For all those I met in Dublin and all those who helped make this study abroad trip the most incredible experience, thank you. For those who helped me in preparation for Dublin, to the scholarship committee of the nationality rooms, thank you. I had the time of my life.

And I leave Ireland, with a lifetime of memories.

Slán, Ireland! I promise I’ll be back.

My Goodness, My Guinness

July 24, 2018 Kate Koenig

It’s most definitely one of the top five tourist spots in the city. My student housing was directly across from the entrance to the Guinness Storehouse and a consistent stream of people flowed in and out through the alleyway every day. Those leaving held their Guinness Giftshop purchases in black and gold lettered giftbags. Horses, pulling carriages filled with families holding cameras, selfie-sticks, and Go Pros, trotted out from the alley and on to the road from the storehouse for scenic tours of the city.

A few other students in my program gave lukewarm reactions to the Guinness Storehouse. The tour was self-guided through the massive facility that ends at the famous Gravity Bar, which offers a panoramic view of the city. Despite hearing that it was just an “ok” thing to do, I felt excited to visit.

If you are planning to go, I suggest ordering your tickets online. You can pick your time and you get a small discount. As with most things, I got a discount for being a student (yay!). It’s a bit of a walk from the street to the back of the lot where the entrance is. Once you walk to the entrance of the Storehouse, you see the crowds of people, standing in line waiting to buy tickets and catching horse-drawn carriages to take them to other locations in the city. I was able to bypass the line and get right into the building because I bought my ticket the night before.

The Storehouse is massive. There are seven floors to explore Guinness past and present, and even when you think you’ve gone up a floor, you still may not have reached the next one.

Immediately upon starting your tour, you are greeted by the sound of a roaring waterfall as you enter into a dark room with ingredients used for beer such as hops and barley. Guinness facts dot the wall. One of the facts states that Guinness uses 100,000 tonnes of Irish barley per year. You move through the first floor, reading about the ingredients and then move under the waterfall before taking stairs or elevators to the next floor.

Some parts of the facility are not part of a standard ticket, such as the Guinness tasting room. My ticket did not include this, so I moved past that part to the rest of the Guinness Story.

There is a floor with interactive videos of actors portraying members of the Guinness family and workers talking about their lives and the normal of their everyday. The lower floors contain these stories and more about the brewing process.

Old machinery actually used in days of Guinness past are placed in large rooms.

One of my favorite floors contained old and new advertisements and marketing artifacts, paper, and videos. I love media and marketing and found walking through this section fascinating. Here you see all the Guinness animals, including the bird and sea-lion, and when you walk out of the past section you can enter into a large dark room with more recent advertisements playing. They are dramatic as they light up and surround you.

With your ticket you have two options. You can take it all the way up to the final stop, the Gravity Bar, or you can go to the Guinness Academy and learn to pour your own pint. I chose the latter, naturally. Who wouldn’t want to learn to pour their own pint at the Guinness Storehouse?

The view outside the window while I waited in line for pouring my pint.

At the Academy, ten of us gathered around as the pouring expert showed us on the official glasses on the perfect pour. That perfect pour, by the way, should take 119.5 seconds. First you pour the glass, slowly tipping it back and fill it mostly up. Then you have to wait, as one of the unique parts of Guinness is the nitrogen involved in their brewing. That’s how the iconic head of Guinness comes to be. After the beer has settled and turned from a caramelly color to a dark red with a nice head, then you push the lever the other direction to properly fill your pint glass. Fun fact: I accidently pulled it the wrong way the second time and got a few shouts as I started adding more nitrogen. Oops! I corrected it quickly and had a delicious pint, I promise you.

After the Guinness Academy, there was more exploring old advertisements and playing an interactive harp. I stopped by 1837 Bar & Brasserie for lunch. It was fantastic. The menu had a myriad of options and the best pint to pair with them. Oysters and Guinness have been eaten together since 1837, hence the name of the restaurant. I developed a love of oysters after being introduced to them by my fiancé and his family. I haven’t had any for a while, so I was so excited to have some in Dublin! Pittsburgh oysters are just not the same as oysters from a coastal area.

The pictures will have to do. I can’t describe how good they were! Ah, they taste like summer.

After getting my fill of food and the history and process of beer making, I took the escalators up and a set of stairs to get some great views of Dublin at the Gravity Bar to end my visit. I didn’t get more beer up here, instead I took pictures out of the windows and watched the bartenders fill pint after pint.

My visit exceeded my expectations. I loved every floor and exhibit, and of course all the pints of Guinness! I think it is a must-see/must-do while in Dublin.

After perusing the gift shop and buying a few gifts for family and friends, I left the building and ended my Guinness experience, taking photos of the exterior of the building and the Guinness gate.

I spent about four hours inside the Guinness Storehouse and highly recommend taking your time as you make your way up and around the building. There is so much to see, do, and yes, drink.

Enjoy!

Dublin Zoo

June 21, 2018 Kate Koenig

One of the directors of the program here had told us that the Dublin Zoo was the most popular attraction in the city. Monday June 4th was bank holiday Monday. We did not have classes as a result but many touristy attractions around the city were still running. Dublin Zoo is located inside Phoenix Park, a massive, sprawling park about twenty minutes from my apartment complex. Before I left, I slathered sunscreen over my exposed skin, not wanting another Howth-like sunburn.

The park is massive. At the front is a bike rental location where you can rent a bike to help you get through the truly gigantic space. I followed my google maps and found the zoo. It was madly crowded. In line and inside the zoo, there were tons of families with small children. It makes sense, zoos are a fun place to go for young kids. I was stunned though at how many kids were there, though. I’ve visited the Pittsburgh zoo a handful of times and haven’t seen it so crowded before, especially not with so many kids.

Some flowers on the way to the zoo in Phoenix Park.

I paid for a student ticket and headed inside. Quick note on the student tickets, almost any place in Dublin has student pricing and I think America should definitely take note of that. Please, my wallet is begging you.

I spent about three and a half hours inside the zoo.

I was absolutely mesmerized by the Orangutans. They had a huge swath of land with two large trees and a rope bridge connecting them in the sky. When they climbed over, they were right over your head.

It was a hot and the seal was napping in the sun.

This zoo trip marked a couple firsts for me, including seeing zoo animals mating or attempting to mate (the crowd gathering around that exhibit were highly amused).

The mating penguins are the ones in the back! (Not the picture of course haha)

Look at the top ostrich's chicken wings!

The Rinos were all snoozing as I walked around the enclosure.

And then the baby woke up and wanted attention

He tried waking up this one (unsuccessful)

After the zoo, I walked back to my apartment, tired from the busy weekend.

Howth Part II

June 12, 2018 Kate Koenig

The day after we moved into the student dorms, I decided to go back to Howth. With travelling, I always struggle with wanting to see every corner of the spots I explore but also not missing new opportunities if I linger or return to a place I have already visited. The hike in Howth was exhilarating, but I did miss exploring much of the town and Howth Castle. Will and I loved Howth so much that with a handful of other students newly arrived, we went together as a group.

Everyone in Ireland remarks on the weather. We must enjoy every blue sky and the visible sun while it’s here because rain is surely around the corner. Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I have experienced very few rainy days and a handful of overcast, which I appreciate since there is no air conditioning in any of the buildings. The lack of AC remains the hardest adjustment. In general, the weather has been beautiful, I’ve seen vibrant sapphire skies with comforting breezes accompanying it and slightly cloudy days that keep the temperatures low and enjoyable. That day in Howth was a bright, sapphire sky kinda day. It was much sunnier than when we took our hike, so it felt perfect to explore the shops and see the castle.

Will and I helped other students get their transit cards and we took the same route we did before. The train into Howth was packed with teens and pre-teens who exited one stop before ours in Sutton for swimming. Just writing that makes me want to go swimming now. I definitely plan on a bracing swim in the ocean while I’m here but that’s for another day.

We exited the train greeted by the same smell of brine and the call of the seagulls. Our first stop was to the castle, so we went in the opposite direction of town. It was a ten-minute walk from the station and up a hill to the castle grounds. The castle is still a family home, but they do offer tours of some of the buildings. Unfortunately, the day we went there were no tours happening, so we wandered around as much of the grounds as we were allowed to.

This tank sat outside the National Transportation Museum which was closed at the time of our visit.

After the castle we trekked back to the town and explored some of the shops. Our Pitt group broke off here and Will and I explored the other side of the pier up to Howth Lighthouse we hadn’t walked yet. Howth was packed with locals and tourists basking in the sunny rays and breeze off the sea. My heart felt light walking among so many people having a good time. I really love Howth.

Mads Mikkelsen's face is on so many billboards for this beer (which by the way is very good).

We passed families and couples along the path to the lighthouse. It was in this area where one of my favorite moments and encounters of the trip happened. I spied an older man walking his two dogs along the bottom part of the pier. Will and I were walking along the top. The dogs trotted around the man, eagerly waiting for him to toss a tennis ball into the bay and listening to his whistle for commands. I couldn’t help but get excited to see the dogs, not just because dogs are my favorite creation in the universe, but because they were the breed of my childhood dog and best friend. The day after Christmas in 2016, my 14-year-old English Springer Spaniel, Sam, had to be put down. He meant everything to me and I loved our time together dearly. I still struggle with his passing and miss my furry friend.

A cell phone picture I took of Sam the day I left for college in 2013. He was a goofy boy.

I followed the man along the upper path as he played fetch with his two Springers. I stayed on the higher path for a while, taking pictures of them jumping down into the bay and running back up the steps, soaking and panting hard. While they continued their walk, I hurried to a set of stairs just ahead of me so that I could come down to the lower level, closer to the man and his dogs.

On my way to the steps, I took tons of pictures of the ships scattered around.

It was a great day for sailing. At least I think so, I've never sailed before so don't take my word on it.

And the water was so many shades of blue!

I crept along, taking pictures as I moved closer. I sat down with my camera around my neck on a docking post watching them. I was fairly close to the trio as they played. After one toss of the ball into the bay, the smaller springer bounded down the stairs and leapt into the open water, swimming out to get the bobbing yellow ball. The pup swam back to the steps and ran up them, straight to me. She dropped the wet and drool covered ball at my feet and took a position down on all fours, giving control of the tennis ball to me. I looked to her owner, not wanting to interrupt their time or any rules between them. We started talking and he was more than happy to let me play with his pups. I grabbed the tennis ball and bounced it a handful of times on the cement, the springer sprung up to grab it and brought it back multiple times, impatient for a longer throw. I grabbed the ball again, absolutely drenched in doggy spit, and lobbed it into the bay. The dog took off in a blur.

I walked up to that white block to get a closer look at the dogs. You can see the other people standing around and watching them too!

As soon as the man turned around, she would climb off and slowly walk toward him.

This is what the one dog did when I walked close to them. She dropped the ball at my feet and waited for me to throw it for her.

I spoke with the man about his dogs and their breed. I told him about my own Sam and how much I love the breed and miss them. He expressed genuine sadness at my loss. His own dog, Gerald, was 10 years old and slowing down. He was getting more confused but still loved being outside so much. The other dog, the one I had been playing with for the most part was the younger female. He told me Gerald was perfectly trained (I can attest to this! He was a very good boy) and would never run after a ball unless he heard the whistle which signaled that it was ok. The girl was a little rascal and didn’t like the rules as much. She didn’t wait for the whistle and had so much energy compared to her older doggy friend. He often would tell her to sit on the bench following the lower pier and she would sit, but as soon as he turned to pay attention to Gerald and the attention was off of her, she would creep paw by paw along the sunbaked cement to get closer to the water and the treasured tennis balls.

I wasn’t the only one so enchanted by the man and his dogs. Countless people stopped to take pictures or show their children to the cute dogs as they ran around and splashed in the water below us. They brought smiles to everyone who came across their path on that pier. I played with them for a while, stroking both of their slimy, slicked back fur from the bay. I thanked the man for allowing me to play with his dogs and he was incredibly gracious and went along his way. It seems he had stopped along this point in the path, so I could play with them for a while. After I was ready to move on so was he.

When I walked past them and continued to the lighthouse, I admit, I was a little teary-eyed. I was so grateful to have time to play with the dogs and get to know them. They reminded me of Sam when he was still a young and energetic pup.

Feeling a lightness in my chest, I continued down the pier, continuing to take pictures and watch the people around me. People watching is one of my favorite things to do. It’s fun to sit back and watch everyone existing within their own bubble out in the world. I watched multi-generational families head out to the farthest point of the pier and watch the sailboats around the piers and the larger ships on the horizon zipping through the water.

After the pier, we went back into town and got gelato. It was hot outside and we’d been in the sun for a handful of hours. We were eating in the park when I looked up past the modern buildings and saw an old stone structure, half obscured by surrounding buildings. I wasn’t exactly sure what it was or how to get to it. After we ate, I decided that I wanted to figure it out. I headed past the shops and turned up the nearest street, hoping I could figure it out. I stopped halfway up a hill, unsure of where the entrance was. It looked like it was in the middle of buildings.

I figured I would take random streets and alleys to find it and if I didn’t I’d still be around interesting buildings and maybe I could just stop for a pint at one of the local pubs around the street. I saw a sign for a pub that led to stone steps, curving up and away from view. I walked up them because they were in the direction of the structure. The steps plopped me out onto a roadway with a pretty white and blue building to our right and directly a head of us was exactly what I had been looking for.

I stood on the road which overlooked an old church and cemetery. It was located up on the hill stuck between the main road, Harbour Road, and the road I was standing on, Church Street. I walked down the stone steps into the secluded privacy of the cemetery. The church no longer in use was open to the elements, missing a roof and other structural elements. Graves surrounded it on the outside and some were locked up inside. At the end of the cemetery, against a stone wall, the main road of Howth can be seen as well as the ships in the bay.

I walked along quietly, contemplating as I followed the path. Despite its location in the middle of a bustling area, the cemetery was surprisingly quiet. The church was very old, the original church was built in the 1000's and was rebuilt in the 14th century!

I left just as more visitors descended the steps to the old church. After the unexpected discovery, I headed back into town.

I met up again with the rest of the Pitt group and ran to catch the train home. I left Howth fulfilled, exhausted, and sunburnt. I have since learned and bought sunscreen (silly me thought I was immune from sunburns here??). I also cherished my time with the two Springers and their kind owner who humored me.

I love Ireland.

The Howth Hike and Sharing a Pint

May 29, 2018 Kate Koenig

On Saturday May 26th I wanted to get out of Dublin and find a scenic destination that would provide some natural beauty. I also have been wanting to photograph a castle. Howth offered up the best of both worlds. A little bit about the area. Howth is a village east of Dublin on the peninsula, surrounded by high reaching cliffs, docks and the bracing salty air. The town sits right up against the coast, with fishing boats darting out from the harbor and families walking hand-in-hand along the shops and restaurants. The town is a half hour or so DART ride from Connolly station out to Howth station. DART stands for Dublin Area Rapid Transit. The train services Dublin’s city center and the outlying areas like Howth. It’s an extremely comfortable and reliable system that even includes free WiFi! The seats on the train are comfy and spacious.

My original plan for my day trip to Howth was to head up to the castle and roam the grounds. I had also heard about the trails around the peninsula that offered great views. Once the train pulled into the station and throngs of people poured out into the streets I was a little stunned by how cute the town was. Soft blue, bright yellow, and red houses and businesses line the main street and wind up to the cliffs toward the trails. Along the pier leading to the Howth lighthouse, seafood restaurants taut their fresh fish. Dogs run around on the open grass while their owners sit in the shade reading or eating take-away from fish shops. I lost count of the number of dogs leashed at outside tables with their family or scampering around on the sidewalk. It was at this point that I immediately knew I would like this town.

I was visiting Howth with fellow Pitt student Will, who is also in early for the program. We decided that our big adventure that day would be exploring Howth and a walk along its cliffs as well as the castle that stood outside the main town center. We had been recommended the town and the walk especially. I’ve been stacking my days with several museums visits and lots of city walking and sightseeing. Howth seemed a perfect opportunity for a full day of dedication. One of my favorite things to do (with camera in hand, naturally) is going on hikes along scenic routes. Last summer, I went on a hike with my fiancé and his family along a glacier in Juneau, Alaska. It was an exhilarating and beautiful path; our tour guide led us along the forest to the peak where we overlooked a breathtaking, but sadly receding glacier. I was hoping for a nice walk/hike like that.

As someone with asthma, I am extremely aware of my physical health. I am attuned to how my lungs are working and never leave the house without multiple inhalers in my bags. Hiking alone for my own personal health rules would be a big no! And taking in the views of Howth with a hiking buddy and companion is the best way to do it. But before I get to the hike I want to start at the very beginning of the day!

Will and I met up for breakfast at Third Space in Smithfield Square which is right across from where my hostel is. I had seen a sign the previous day that they had a full Irish breakfast and I was excited to try that. Plus, their coffee is delicious! I’ve enjoyed both their mochas and their cappuccinos, and they taste as good as they look!

The tram station which would take us to the DART station was just outside the square. So, after eating, we grabbed water bottles and headed to the stop. I had purchased my LEAP card the day before which can be used on Dublin’s trams, trains, and buses. We waited about ten minutes before one showed up absolutely packed with people. We almost missed it as we both were uncomfortable in what felt like pushing to get on. We watched how others were managing getting on when no space seemed available. Somehow, they just stepped on and wigged through the small spaces in the wall of people. We did the same, pressed up against many others holding onto rails and handholds.

The tram is frequent, comfortable, and relatively fast. The normally half hour walk only took ten minutes. People exited and entered the tram on the several stops along the way. A main shopping district saw a mass exodus of people and for the remainder of the trip we had a seat. Once we pulled into the last stop, we headed out with the rest of the tram riders and up the steps of Connolly station.

Connolly Station is named after James Connolly, an Irish Revolutionary and one of the leaders of the Easter Rising. The rebellion was launched by Irish Republicans who wanted an Ireland free from British rule and to create an Irish Republic. The armed uprising lasted six days and resulted in Connolly’s, as well as his fellow leaders, execution. The 1916 rebellion is incredibly important in Irish history. Countless streets and buildings bear the name of the leaders of the rebellion such as James Connolly and Patrick Pearse. The day before Howth, when I had gone to Dublin Castle, I had been in the room where an injured Connolly had lain before being taken away to Kilmainham Jail and executed.

This was a picture I took in Dublin Castle of the Proclamation.

I highly suggest learning more about the Easter Rising and the events that followed in Irish history. That’s one of my many history plugs! Ireland has fascinating history and you can interact with it everywhere. Simply walking down the street, there are monuments or street names that harken back to the Easter Rising or another moment in Irish history. Before I began taking classes at Pitt, I had loved Ireland but lacked much knowledge on its history. I feel like that’s true for most Americans. Many come from Irish descent or love images of the rolling green hills and Saint Patrick’s Day without knowing much more about the country. I imagine as I continue to post, I’ll sprinkle more history as I encounter it. After all, there are echoes of the history everywhere.

Anyway, back to the station. We headed up from the lower platform and entered into the train station. A digital screen displayed locations and the platform from which they would depart. We found the train to Howth and headed back. After thirty minutes the train pulled up and, minding the gap, we entered. Unlike the tram, our train was pretty empty, just a handful of people spreading out in the open space. The train ride was exciting as we pulled out from the station and zoomed down the tracks, train car swaying as we went. We watched the city buildings flash by, replaced by beach and water.

We exited the train at the last stop, a thirty-minute ride from Connolly station. Howth greeted us first with its smells. Once the doors opened and we stepped out, the briny sea air whooshed in. Once we exited the station we saw the unfolding town center speckled with colorful shops and restaurants tempting hungry bellies with freshly caught fish and a nice pint.

Apartments stacked above the businesses.

Initially, I wanted to visit the castle just outside the town, but the charm of the town drew us in and we began to walk along the pier. Families sat outside restaurant fronts with their dogs and children. It was busy but not crowded in the town. It made sense considering that it was a Saturday and the sun and air felt therapeutic here. In addition to the harbor, there were large swatches of green space for picnickers, sunbathers, and again, dogs to play in (I really enjoyed the dogs).

A dog sitting beside its family at a restuarant.

Just as I went to snap this picture, this seagull swooped down and landed on it!

After we walked along the pier, we headed back to the main town stretch walking past several bars and gelato stands. Once we reached the end of the businesses, the rest of the sea greeted us and, in the distance, we saw striking cliffs. Thoughts of the castle faded away and we decided to head up the road to the cliffs, a long but enjoyable walk up a steep road.

The view at the end of the road right before we headed up to that cliff in the distance.

A few people were walking among the rocks here.

You can see the lighthouse in the corner where we initially started.

Right before the trails started there was a map, explaining the area and the four different paths you could take. Exhilarated from our walk up to this point, we decided on the longest and hardest trail, but at the beginning all the trails went the same way. We’d walk as far as we wanted. If something interested us we would keep going. If we were bored or started tiring, we would head back. We had enough water and were dressed appropriately. It was cool, the perfect weather for a hike.

We would end up following the majority of the purple trail.

After the day had ended and we retraced our hike it was incredible to us how far we had gone. At this point standing right before the dirt trail, we were buzzing with excitement. The cliffs are huge and filled with rocks at the bottom where land meets sea. Several signs dart along the path reminding walkers how dangerous the area can be if you aren’t careful. Will and I watched hikers move to places that terrified us because of how close they were to the edge. Even with taking pictures, it was a challenge to depict just how large the cliffs were and how far the drop was.

Lots of people at this point on the path.

We spent a lot of time at the biggest cliff head. Tons of other tourists and hikers were around taking pictures and resting against boulders as benches, taking it all in. Periodically, and this was true for further along the hike as well, locals walked with dogs of all sizes and breeds without leashes on the path. This amazed and terrified both Will and me considering dogs could not read the signs warning against the cliffs.

After a certain point, the trail diverged in two places. The purple path was the hardest and continued down the dirt path toward a light house. The other three which would eventually split elsewhere, ended up past another cliff and circled back closer to the center of the peninsula and back to town. Each of those paths were rated with much less difficulty and time commitment. Will and I were enjoying the views of the coast and cliffs and decided at the divergence point to continue down the hardest path. We were still so full of energy.

Before we took the hardest path, we had been traveling around a ton of people, large groups traveling in a pack. Slowly as we made our way further out the numbers dwindled and about an hour into the purple path, we were almost entirely alone. This was fine by us! We enjoyed the solitude and the concentration on the footpath. It was not an even surface but often rocky and sometimes featured large stairs carved from the earth that took considerable time walking up and down. The path we were on would be around seven some miles.

The hike gave me ample opportunity to shoot the nature surrounding us. Toward the end it began to sprinkle, and I decided to put the camera away, not wanting to deal with rain on my gear. Plus, I’d been shooting for hours at this point. The path had gone from following the coast to cutting up sharply into a grassy field and up more man-made steps. Our thighs were burning, and our shoes were soiled with dirt. The path was not a straight one, it often took sharp turns and had us walking back and forth up hills. We had to pay close attention as well because the markers were small and sometimes hard to find. Sometimes they were built into the surrounding space and you had to be vigilant to keep up with them. It could be challenging to juggle keeping up on the right path and watching your footing on the uneven and rocky ground.

And sometimes our path looked like this.

We followed our path and finally found ourselves at a road. We listened to and watched cars flash by as we sipped water and caught our breath. I checked my phone and my signal was wavering a little. On certain parts for brief periods of time, the service would cut off as we were far from civilization. After the break we continued across. The path crossed the road and went up another steep hill. We crossed the street and began the climb stopping forty seconds or so up. We could finish the route, but the sky was clouding, and rain sprinkled for brief moments here and there. It wouldn’t get dark still for quite a few hours. It had been over three and a half hours since we had been at the biggest part of the cliff surrounded by all the people. We talked back and forth for a little and then decided we should take the road. Tiredness had crept up on us. Over the last hour, most of the walk had been steep inclines.

Back on the road I checked my phone, only to discover the signal had disappeared, even though it had been there a moment before. I was able to pull up google maps finally and if we followed the road it would be about forty minutes to walk to Sutton, which had its own railway, and a little longer to get back to Howth. We started walking along the sidewalk. Cars and bikers occasionally passed us as did runners and walkers. We moved slowly, our muscles cramping up a little and feet sore. The hardest part of the last leg of the hike was the rocky surfaces on our feet and the abrupt incline. We had only walked about five minutes when just ahead of us, a woman stood with her personal shopping cart at a bus stop. Will and I exchanged looks and headed up to her.

We knew we could make it back on our own. Walking back to town would probably take more time than finishing the hike but would be a little easier on us. But at this point we were dog tired. I struck up a conversation with the woman and asked her about the bus. She was cheerful and explained this bus would take us into Howth, right back to the harbor. It was due, which was good as another one would not be for a while. We chatted about the hike for a little, a beautiful hike yes, but the weather soured slightly.

The bus showed up and we boarded, practically collapsing into seats. We got off back at the harbor. We stopped at a gelato shop and shared a cup, eating it in the shade before heading to the rail station. Luckily the train was due, and we were able to board immediately. Just like we came, we took the local transit back to Smithfield square. Will and I both showered and took naps, meeting up for dinner at the Generator. We didn’t realize that a huge football match was going on that day. The common area of generator was packed with football fans watching Real Madrid play against Liverpool. The hostel was full of Liverpool fans.

We grabbed dinner and drinks and settled into the basement where there were open tables and a smaller television and watched the game. Not long after we sat down and began eating, a guy asked me if the tables next to us were free. I said they were and after a bit he and his friends sat down. Issh/Ish/Eish (not sure how his name is spelled!) and I started talking. He is a die-hard Real Madrid fan and had a bet that they would beat Liverpool 3 to 1. He introduced me to his friend Dom, a German who had been living in Dublin for a year, and who I found out later that night was leaving to go back soon. During the match we continued talking and joking. A girl at my hostel left her bag and phone with Ish and disappeared up to her room for a few hours. They were leaving once the match was finished, so naturally he wanted to give it back.

We watched the game and Madrid did in fact win 3 to 1. Ish was ecstatic. While we watched he explained certain players and team histories and the significance of this or that. He was so excited to talk about his team who he loved since childhood. Once the game ended and the hostel started clearing up, the group of guys were heading to a local dive bar. They offered an invitation to both of us. Even though we tired from the day, it was a quick decision to say yes to head out to a non-touristy spot just a five-minute walk from the hostel.

The outside was overflowing with people and it was crowded inside too. Apparently, that was unusual, but we managed to squeeze our way to the back. Ish who, I had only known for two hours before this, ordered Will and me a pint of Guinness. In the back he explained that this was a farewell to Dom, who would be leaving soon. We chatted in the back, talking about where I worked back in the US and about business in Europe. I worked at a job involving tech which Dom was interested in. We spent a while talking about Germany as I studied the language and culture while at Pitt.

One of their mutual friends joined us. He happened to be a bartender at Generator and we talked about his job and various stories he had about guests that stayed there. They introduced us to their friends who came into the bar and hugged us as if we had known each other for years. I felt so incredibly welcomed. Will and I stayed chatting for a while, but it was almost midnight and the day was wearing us down considerably. We thanked them and exchanged business cards. I had my photography business card on me and Ish had the card for the restaurant he was in the process of opening in Dublin (I wish it had his name on it though!). We parted ways with strong hugs all around like good friends and I made my way back to the hostel, ready for the sweet embrace of a bed after a long but thoroughly enjoyable day.

My Irish Adventure