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From the journal of Leah Boshell '09

Day Four- Travel to Cork

Today started with an early morning as we left Dublin at 8 AM for the countryside and Cork. We got some nice surprises when our new bus driver, Roy, told us he would take us to Kilkenny, a charming country town with a beautiful castle and churches, along with narrow, winding streets, lovely cafes, and witches’ houses.

After a quick walk around the town, my group stopped in the International Sandwich Shop for a cappuccino and BLT’s, which were delicious. I wish we had gotten to spend more time in Kilkenny and actually see more than just the outside of the castle, but we had to move on to catch our tour of the Famine Ship Dunbrody in New Ross. This ship represented those of the 1840s who carried thousands upon thousands of Irish away from the deadly effects of the Great Potato Famine. Starving to death and finding little hope for the future in Ireland, millions left and immigrated to places like the U.S., enduring terrible conditions and cramped quarters on the ships that bore them so that they could bring us things like green beer and Notre Dame University. I love the Irish.

Kilmainham Jail, Dublin

Anyway, the ship Dunbrody had two actresses who vividly portrayed two women—one from steerage and one from first class. It amazed me how two people on the same ship could have such different views of the experience. Siobhan and Roy surprised us again with a visit to Waterford Crystal for lunch and a look around (I must say, these surprises were a welcome treat. Siobhan and Roy are the most awesome guides ever.). I was afraid to move around too quickly, for fear I would knock over an $1000E piece that I definitely could not afford. Nevertheless, I saw many gorgeous pieces that blew my mind, such as a huge grandfather clock and an Irish harp, both made almost entirely of heavy, handcrafted crystal. We browsed the extensive store, but I decided that, due to my past history of clumsiness and the likelihood of passing that trait on to my children, I would not buy anything.

Shortly after leaving Waterford, we made it to Cork, where we had a dinner of turkey, ham, and dressing at the Montenotte Hotel—good American fare. Since it was a Friday night, we decided to go out and see the town of Cork in all its glory, and we managed to find a snug, Bohemian-style pub that was set to close forever the next day. It was complete with low lighting and wine-bottle candles, from which wax trickled down the sides. In the spirit of the Irish pub, our little group swapped stories and had many laughs before catching a cab back up to the hotel to sleep. >>Read more.

Click for larger images.

Londonderry	Lusitania Memorial	A common sight in the countryside
Cliffs of Moher	Blarney Castle	Mural tribute to Frederick Douglass, Belfast
Interior of Blarney Castle	Mailbox for Dublin Castle	Ben Bulben Mountain
Giant's Causeway	The gravesite of William Butler Yeats	Clock tower, Londonderry
Government seat, Belfast	Historic Greenhouse, Queens University, Belfast
Photos courtesy of Dr. Dean Thompson, Edmunds Professor of English