After Avoca, we stopped at Gleann Da Loch, which translated means "Valley of the Two Lakes" and is exactly what it sounds like. We got to take about a 40 minute (freezing cold) walk around the valley and we got a lot of good pictures. It was really pretty, even if it was cold. I'm glad we were able to see it.
Then we continued our bus tour, and our last stop was a hill overlooking Guinness Valley. It was SUPER windy, I almost got blown right off the cliff! (Just kidding, mom!) We were able to see the house (more like mansion) that the Guinnesses still live in. The whole valley was just breathtaking. Our bus driver told us that the Beatles once stayed at the Guinness mansion, and that the valley was actually where Paul McCartney came up with the song "Yesterday".
Our bus driver was absolutely hilarious, and he kept singing random Irish songs (with some Elvis thrown in for good measure)!
After the tour, we got back to Dublin and had a light dinner at the hostel and me and two other girls (Sarah and Emily) went to The Celt, which is a pub near our hostel. I was told that it was basically the IRA bar, and I could definitely see that in the people who were there, as well as the types of things they had for decoration (Think a memorial to the United Irishmen and a "United Ireland" plaque on the wall...among many, many other things). There was a band playing there when we got there and they were really good. I could have definitely spent a lot more time in there talking to people and just hanging out. It was a great atmosphere!
So now I'm back at the hostel, attempting to get in bed by 2am (not going to happen, since it's 1:59 right now! Oops!). So that's my spiel for the day. Tomorrow we head to Belfast, which I'm REALLY looking forward to. I'm interested to see what the contrast is between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. I'm not sure how internet will be while I'm there, I hear the hostel doesn't have wireless, so I might have to find a cafe somewhere. Either way, I'll post more from Belfast eventually!
Love,
Amanda
Ah sounds great!!
ReplyDeleteHave fun in Belfast~ LOVE the pictures!!:)
Odd historical note about the United Irishmen; they were founded by a group of Protestants, including Wolf Tone (who many here in America think was a Catholic!) and were heavily influenced (as were the French) by the revolution in the US... the organization became more and more Catholic-centric, although they never became all-Catholic. The United Irishman uprising in 1798 was a debacle, and set back home rule for Ireland infinitely far (it didn't help that the UI was infiltrated by the British, nor that it became heavily factionalized). And remember; there are essentially two IRAs; the ones that fought the British in '20s- Michael Collins and that lot- and the group that took the name beginning in the 60s. Anyway, I'm blathering on. Looks like a beautiful trip!
ReplyDeleteOops; I meant Robert Emmett, not Wolfe Tone...brain's going. But both were Protestants...
ReplyDeleteAhhhh.... Those Daffy Protestants! My literary contribution to this day's entry is this: I really like the photo of you and the duck next to the loch.
ReplyDeleteOfficial Dad lecture stuff: Be careful with the IRA place. Even though that's mostly in the past, there are still some people who don't let resentment and anger go, and they frequently lubricate that nasty streak with booze.
Okay, 'nuff said. Have a blast and don't get blown off any cliffs.