Usually, when spring break rolls around, I don’t do anything major. I am mostly just happy that there is a break so that I can take some time relaxing at home before finals come around. But since I am abroad this semester, things are a little different. With their being a world full of adventures right before me, why wouldn’t I go out there and explore it? So that I did, with a trip to Ireland!
Ireland is one of my favorite countries. Since my first visit, back when I was 17 with my high school theatre troupe, I knew that this country was a magical place. (And no it had nothing to do with the leprechauns.) So when deciding where to go for Spring Break, I knew that Ireland was the place to be. Lucky for me, two of my friends from UCF, Danielle and Mackenzie were able to go with me! Danielle, Mackenzie, and our other friend Kendra are all currently studying abroad in Bournemouth, England. Danielle and Mackenzie happened to have a short break from school and it fell on my spring break. So while Kendra stayed back in Bournemouth and had fun with her sister, who was visiting, we went on out Irish adventure.
Our first stop was in Dublin, the capital of Ireland.After arriving to our hostel, we decided to just relax since it was a very long journey. But the next day, we went on a tour throughout Dublin and saw some cool sights, such as Christ Church, the River Liffey, and the Gaiety Theatre, where I saw the handprints of one of my favorite actors, Rupert Everett.After a day of exploring Dublin, we decided that the next day we would make an impromptu trip to Cork. So we signed up for a day trip tour and the next day at 6:30 in the morning, in our matching Ireland sweatshirts that we had bought the day before, we were on a bus on the way to Cork.
One of my favorite things we did in Cork was go to Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarney Stone. The legend says that once you have kissed the stone, you are blessed with the gift of gab. Having kissed the stone before during my first visit to Ireland and then doing it then, I felt as if I had fully been blessed with the gift. After some more exploring in Cork, it was back to Dublin.
The next day, Danielle, Mackenzie, and I left Dublin and headed to Mullingar, where our next hostel was located. Mullingar is home to One Direction member Niall Horan, so going there for us it was a very special moment. Everyone in Mullingar that we met were very nice and friendly. The town itself is such a small town. I could definitely feel a sense of community there. It was honestly my favorite place to visit on our trip. That night in Mullingar, we celebrated Mackenzie’s 21st birthday and just had a bunch of laughs.
Before we knew it, it was time for us to head back to Dublin for our flight back to England. Going back to Ireland with two of my good friends was an amazing experience. It for sure was one of the best spring breaks that I have ever had. I can’t wait to go back there for more adventures. Ireland has part of my heart.
Until next time!
With love from London.
