ireland

[crystalizedjoy]

has anyone been to ireland? or live there?

a vast majority of my bloodlines (second only to my native american blood) is Irish, but I've seen Ireland, and lately, I really want too.

I already live where my Indian ancestors lived. i know the land well. but I feel, lately, that I miss my other "homeland", and am eager for stories and tales. please share.

 

[Nora]

I spent a decent amount of time in Dublin (most of 2 summers) when I was 17 and 18. Of course, since I"m 32 now, I'm sure a lot has changed. Except for the store on the corner of Merrion Row and Grafton St which will forever be "going out of business" and having a sale.

 

[SpiceCake]

has anyone been to ireland? or live there?

a vast majority of my bloodlines (second only to my native american blood) is Irish, but I've seen Ireland, and lately, I really want too.

I already live where my Indian ancestors lived. i know the land well. but I feel, lately, that I miss my other "homeland", and am eager for stories and tales. please share.

Great thread!!!

Same thing here. Irish/Shoshone. I live very near (within 60 miles) of my Shoshone family. I know more about it's history than Irish. I would love to hear stories and tales, too!

*anxiously waiting*

 

[yuppietowngirl]

Irish also...

I have Irish in me...but have never been there. My middle name and my maiden name are all tell tale signs of my Irish background. The closest that I got to Ireland was when I lived in England. Also, English and French background.

 

[Nora]

Not sure what tales I can tell y'all. I mean, I'm guessing that "Irish guys really like to fuck" isn't what you're looking for...although it was damned good for me!

Ok, funny story. I was hanging out, through kinda funny circumstances, with this group of kids (lower-20's) who were putting on a production in this tin-can of a theatre. So we were out en masse advertising the play with leaflets and posters, etc.

I was sitting on the curb on Grafton St taking a break and smoking a smoke when this couple walks up to me. Tourists. The kind that make you cringe to be an American. She with her "Kiss me, I'm Irish" kelly green sweatshirt and him with his plaid pants and kelly green tam. Ugh. The woman says to me, "Miss, would you mind if we took your picture? You're just so Irish looking!"

In my best suthun twang I replied, "You can take my picture, Ma'am, but I'm from Texas!"

Ok, that was MUCH funnier at the time. Did I mention that Irish boys really like to fuck?

 

[Guest]

i find irish accents sexy, drunker the better.

 

[crystalizedjoy]

im irish, as i said, and yes, i like to fuck.. too much, i suspect..

 

[Nora]

See? Case in point.

Ok, Dublin is where I spent most of my time, but I was coming from the continent so I took the ferry over. A few times from Le Havre and a couple of times from Cherbourg. Crossing the Irish Sea is not a good thing for those of us who are prone to seasickness. It's very rough and very cold. The trip is 19 hours or 21 hours depending on the port of embarcation.

The ferry ride is wonderful though. It's all the people who can't afford to fly or who've taken their cars to France on holiday. I always found groups of backpackers to huddle with, and always at least one with a guitar, so the time was spent learning Irish pub songs. *grin* To this day "The Green Fields of France" makes me a little seasick.

You land in Rosslare and take the train up the coast to Dublin. I can't begin to describe how incredible this train trip is. Through the western window you see these rolling storybook fields of misty green littered with sheep. On my first trip, I (being the goofy urbanite I am) pointed and exclaimed enthusiasticly to my seat-mate, "OMG! Look at those sheep! aren't they beautiful!!??" The nun with whom I was seated (and who hadn't cracked a smile the whole time) laughed and asked if we didn't have sheep in the States. hehehe. She was funny.

Through the eastern window you're facing the Irish Sea. For parts of the trip you feel as though you're hanging onto the edge of the high cliffs. The "Cliffs of Insanity" from The Princess Bride is the visual you want. lol The Sea batters the cliffs and the dark spray looks like black diamonds as they glitter back down to rejoin the Sea. It's scary and breathtaking.

You pass through Wexford and Wicklow. The towns are so clean! You kind of skirt Dun Laoghaire (took me a week to work up my nerve to ask how it was pronounced!). It's really amazingly beautiful.

 

[crystalizedjoy]

*sighs happily to Nora's tales*

 

[Nora]

The people there are incredible, crystalizedjoy. Hospitable, interested, friendly...They're even nice to bumbling tourists.

I stayed for a time at a Bed & Breakfast off Lower Baggot St. The women there were so wonderful! They let me take breakfast in the kitchen with them since I was alone, so I got to talk to them while eating. They did draw the line when I offered to help out, though! *grin*

Breakfasts in Ireland are the thing not to miss. A rasher of bacon (not like american bacon..it's more like smoked ham, only...well not. It's bacon, only better!) fried eggs, fried tomatoes, fried mushrooms..OMG if I weren't so queesy right now I'd be drooling!

Now, keep in mind that while i was there I was a stupid teenager without a clue how to get about in the world. People were so kind explaining different customs, foods, how to do and find things and generally being lenient with my stupidity. *smiles*

The kids I met were wonderful. They adopted me. I had one of the girls saying "y'all" before i left. Nothing is as cute as the word "y'all" when said with an Irish accent.

 

[crystalizedjoy]

aw, thank you so much Nora, your stories mean more then gold to me..

*wonders how he got his hint of an irish accent without going to ireland*