Wandering Around the Island

“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” -Mary Ritter Beard

I’m so happy to call this gorgeous island my home right now. Ireland is a nature appreciator’s wonderland. So far, I have visited all four of Ireland’s coasts and each one is more beautiful than the last. The Wild Atlantic Way is absolutely charming and home to the renowned Cliffs of Moher. Further up the west coast is Connemara National Park, which sports a vast expanse of marshes, lakes, mountains and grasslands. By far one of my favorite things about Connemara were the little crimson and yellow flowers that dotted the hills and gave them a phenomenal vibrance.

About an hour north of the cliffs is Galway, a quaint, sea-side town, which can be easily associated with Ed Sheeran’s hit “Galway Girl.” It boasts many cute shops and is the birth place of  one of my favorite Irish symbols, the Claddagh ring. The ring is symbolic of friendship, loyalty and love. If I had not already had my own Claddagh ring for many years now, I would have most definitely gotten one as memorabilia.

My next adventure took me all the way across the border to Northern Ireland. While there, I visited the Titanic Belfast, where I got to explore the history and tragedy of the Titanic and her fatal maiden voyage. The museum was a masterpiece from the outside and is located directly beside the area where Titanic was assembled.

On my second day in Belfast, I set out on a quest to see as many Game of Thrones filming locations as possible. This included Carrick-a-Rede, the Dark Hedges and a few other notable sites. On the way, I made it to Malin Head, the northernmost point of the island of Ireland. However, perhaps the most captivating stop of the day was Giant’s Causeway. Giant’s Causeway is a natural wonder of stone pillars formed from the quick cooling of molten rock. To make it even more fun, you can climb all the way out to where they sink into the ocean and take a hike along the coastline to see the same pillars etched in the mountainside.

After my wonderful travels in “The North,” I began to explore a little closer to my home base in Maynooth by taking a day trip to Cork and multiple trips to Dublin. Cork was similar to Galway as it is a harbor town, but was considerably larger. While in Cork, I visited the Cork City Gaol museum. A gaol is a former prison. It was interesting to read about the prisoners held there, how the jail functioned, and to be in the small four wall confinement that prisoners were doomed to live in.

On a brighter note, Dublin is probably one of my favorite cities in the world. The charisma of the city wraps you in relaxation and excitement as you meander through the streets filled with pubs, eateries and tiny bits of Irish history. Dublin is just a wonderful place to roam and explore. Whether you’re strolling along the River Liffey with its many bridges, browsing the expensive shops on Grafton Street, or looking for a quick scrumptious bite on Wexford Street, Dublin never disappoints. I think Dublin is my favorite place in Ireland so far because it combines the mellow Irish demeanor with all the perks of a big city.

All in all, studying abroad in Ireland has definitely been one the best choices I have ever made.