November 10 , 2004

I believe I am about at the halfway point of my time on the Emerald Isle. I think I have a pretty good feel for the culture and what life is like here. I've learned that punctuality is optional and that it is bad manners to turn down a drink. Still, I'm sure I won't have time to see and do all the things I want to do while I'm here. This week is ‘reading week’ at Queens, and I’m taking advantage of the time off to visit some of the other parts of the island. I just returned yesterday from an action-packed 4-day tour of the Republic of Ireland, the south part of the island.

The first stop on the tour was Dublin where my housemate Sandy and I met up with ten other backpackers from Australia and a crazy Irish bus driver. Dublin is a really lively place. It is also, I think, a city of contradictions. It’s the supposed heart of Irish culture with its traditional pubs, spirited music, and green pennant flags. But it’s also the most modern city on the island and the largest. Sometimes you can see the old and new coming together quite literally, as in the old cobblestone road that leads you right to the huge shopping mall. Dublin is also a very international city. I was quite shocked when I heard foreign languages in the streets more frequently than the distinct Irish accent.


 

After a night of shopping in Dublin, we drove on into the gorgeous Irish countryside. Clonmacnoise, an ancient monastic settlement nestled on the banks of the river Shannon, was a thoroughly moving experience. The monastery is known for the intricate artistry of its stone Celtic crosses. Despite numerous attacks from invaders, many of the crosses are still well-preserved. Religion plays an enormous role in the shaping of Irish history. The period of Protestant and Catholic infighting, known as ‘the Troubles,’