The west of Ireland - the Cliffs of Moher

May 2024.

Mundane, drab and glistening

Train car flooded with
daylight, it's almost
here, tomorrow
the day I fly away
(how do I know I've
packed the right things)
walk the streets of
Dublin and Edinburgh
(not too much but)
see a book as old
as books
(not too little)
stuff myself with
Atlantic views and
afternoon teas
How do I know
when I've arrived: easy,
it will be more
real than I expected,
populated with as many
mundane, drab and glistening
moments and details as
here
(suitcase or backpack?)
just like everywhere
I've dreamed of
(brown sweater or blue?)
and then arrived at
My eyes will sweep that
panorama of cliffs and
ocean, famous from desktop
wallpapers without number
and there will be curtains
of rain maybe, soft I
hope or
crowds of tourists possibly,
selfie sticks akimbo
and my mother and I will
take a selfie too
And it will all be
so real, real as my
nose running in that
magnificent clifftop wind

- NaPoWriMo #20, April 2024

The west of Ireland - the Ring of Kerry

May 2024.

The west of Ireland - Killarney

I accidentally overexposed this entire roll, and I was so pleased and relieved that it came out quirky instead of catastrophic. 

My mom and I were in Killarney on a bank holiday weekend that was also the weekend of the Rally of the Lakes (I still don't really get what that is, but something with cars). The main streets of this charming little town were consequently PACKED that weekend, especially at night. Young 'uns, couples in noisy cars, and hen parties galore.

My favorite part of it was this long walk we took along the Deenagh River, all the way to where it empties into Lough Leane.

May 2024.

Dublin - first days in Ireland

May 2024. My mother and I spent a couple weeks in Ireland and Scotland this spring, a long-planned and long-awaited trip together.

"Plenty of fresh air to be had in Ireland."
- our driver from the airport, in response to our commenting how nice fresh air felt after the long flight

Dublin highlights included...

• teapots at every occasion
• vegan afternoon tea
  
• beautiful parks full of holly trees and lush unfamiliar birdsong 
• especially St. Stephen's Green at 7 am, hardly anyone there but the birds and me, especially knowing its name from a Mary Chapin Carpenter song from childhood
  
• choosing a silver ring from a museum shop as my primary souvenir
  
• the charming pedestrian bridges across the River Liffey
  
• the history we learned on our excellent (and exhausting) walking tour
• the bookstores
• finding and buying two particularly interesting books on the Irish language
• the doors with doorknobs in the MIDDLE of them, hobbit-style
• vegan lunch at Cornucopia
  
• the Georgian architecture
• getting to see the Oscar Wilde memorial in Merrion Square

My feet were so tired. My mom and I were so jetlagged. It only rained a tiny bit.

 A few things I would have liked to see with a bit more time: Marsh's Library, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Phoenix Park, the Irish Emigration Museum, the Museum of Literature.

 "It's so multicultural now. It's just crazy how much it's changed. When I was growing up, there was nobody different. Now I get my hair cut by Mohammad and the guy I buy the paper from is called Raj."
- cabbie on our last morning, re: Dublin

I had really hoped to see the wondrous Long Room at Trinity College's library, but it was empty of books at the time, so we did not go.

"Is there any Irish connection?"
- literally every driver and guide we encountered - meaning, is there any Irish ancestry?