First of September
My first week in Ireland has come to a close.
If you are reading this, you likely (definitely) are one of the people who have had the privilege of listening to me talk at length about my upcoming move to Dublin to pursue a masters degree in Archives and Records Management. I enjoyed a very long, very anti-Irish goodbye, and, although I have finally left, I have not lost the urge to talk (at length) about this exciting and scary new adventure.
I’m writing now from a large dining table in a beautiful farm house in Co. Clare, on the west coast of the island. At the beginning of this week, I had landed in Dublin on a cool and misty August morning.
When I landed in Dublin, the reality of the transition had not yet begun to sink in. I was tired, hungry, and feared pushing a pile of suitcases through the busy terminal. A few hours later, with the help of some kind passersby and a bit of muscle, I made it to my new flat. The flat is located very centrally in Dublin 2, near St. Stephen’s Green. It is in the ground floor apartment of a classic and beautiful Georgian-style house, between two notable South Dublin streets (Baggot and Leeson, both of which sound like surnames from the Harry Potter franchise). I live just one block over from the Grand Canal, which is absolutely beautiful on a sunny day. I have been lucky to have had a few very lovely sunny days at the end of an otherwise dreary Irish summer.
The first three days in my new home consisted of settling down in various ways: I’ve unpacked my room, and started to add personal touches, so it feels like my own. It faces our little back patio and has a small, but powerful window. At night, I can hear seagulls, and not much else. I hit the city centre for a bit of a shop. Buskers are always taking over Grafton Street, and on Wednesday night, Chris Martin busked for a packed crowd along with Lil Simz and Burna Boy! Hoping I can catch more things like this throughout the year.
I also became more acquainted with my new flatmates, who are both lovely and warm. One of them, Abby, is from Denver, the other, Stephen, is a Dublin native! I hung out with them and some of their friends, and went for a pint of Guinness (ew!) at a pub full of old Irish granddads. It has been nice to be outside, to take in some sights, to hear all the chatter, and to eat some delicious food. A restaurant in city centre called “Tang” has been a standout to me, for their mediterranean-style flatbread burritos. Dublin seems to be a very foodie city, and has a particular interest in perfecting the New York pizza slice, which sounds like an ambitious venture to me. I’ll report back. Once I get my Leap Card (metrocard), which I had to order online, I’ll get to start exploring more of the city.
On Thursday morning, I took the train two hours from Dublin Heuston Station to a little country station called Birdhill. The train is just one car, if you can believe it! I was scooped up by my lovely family friends who live on a farm in a small village overlooking Lough Derg, County Clare. It is completely, utterly, poetically beautiful. Almost everything they eat comes from their own vegetable garden, and they have chickens and a sweet old dog named Willow, who always wants to play.
I went to the city of Limerick on Friday, and took a walk through the Hunt’s Museum, which has a small but mighty collection. They keep some of their artwork in drawers, which you can open in each exhibition room!
I’ve been biking on the bogland, walking on a fairy trail, kayaking across the lake, and have visited the grave of the late Edna O’Brien on Holy Island (which is a UNESCO site and an island of church ruins). I even woke up before sunrise to swim in the lake—in very Autumnal temperatures I might add! I’m unsure if this active streak will stick, but it has been nice to get up and see just how beautiful it is here. I haven’t truly been able to compare it to anything else, except for a few storybooks.
On Monday, I head home to Dublin, and prepare to begin my first term. Throughout this past week, I’ve felt the weight of the change. Leaving home has felt like I’ve pulled a wonderfully shaggy rug out from under myself, and I’m both scared and lonely. I long for the feeling of comfort and familiarity of my family and of my friendships. It does make me appreciate the wonderful life I have cultivated back at home these past few years, and I do feel hopeful that I will be able to find even a drop of something similar whilst I am here. Being able to share this journey with my family and friends makes it all the more comforting to embark on this on my own!
I hope you will follow along with my little journal entries, as I’ll be posting from time to time about my schooling, travels, and Ireland-centric updates. Lots and lots of love!
Sláinte!
Love!! 🤗
Excited to hear more. Great pics