My goal for this trip, what I wanted to accomplish, was to be immersed and assimilated into a foreign culture; a culture and history comprised of countless toils and triumphs. It is day 2 of our time on the Aran Island, Inis Mor, a place not yet corrupted by capitalism and enterprise. After eating a "full Irish breakfast" our group traveled to one of the many cemeteries on the island. Now, I am typically not the type of person to get emotional, but as we were given free time to wander through the cemetery, one could feel the presence of those passed. Teary eyed, walking through the cemetery I could feel the holiness in the ground as I stumbled upon the grave stone of Shane O'Connel. Shane was 16 yrs old when she died on May 21, 2000. This grave stood out to me because I was born on May 21, 1999 just one year before her death. It’s so humbling to be on this trip, getting the opportunity of a lifetime, experiencing the rich and prideful culture of Ireland.
After our brief moment at the cemetery, the group was led on a silent, reflective, hike to the top of Inis Mor. Once atop, one could observe hundreds of miles of rock walls, cattle and livestock, and farming houses. This is exactly what I was wishing to experience from my journey to Ireland. From the left one could see the bed and breakfasts, and tourist shops. In front, one could see the docks, livestock, and cemeteries. And to the right, the majestic ocean streting farther than the eye can see. Finally, for all those not on this trip back at home, imagine the wind brushing through the rocks howling, the birds singing their songs in the distance, an occasional "moo" from the cows, and a view of hundreds of miles of history, family traditions and values, and culture. This is what my group and I are currently experiencing atop a mountain that encompasses all these blessings.
Love, Steven
When we were given the opportunity of traveling to Dún Aonghasa or relaxing in the town, we chose to travel on bikes to go see the old fort along with the Worm Hole. Renting bikes, the teachers and three of us biked our way to the cliffs of Dún Aonghasa for forty minutes through rain and sun. The steep hills proved to be challenges for us but the motivation to reach our destination surpassed the sour and lethargic moods we were in. Arriving at the fort, we parked our bikes, and hiked up the rocky terrain all the way to the top. Once we entered the weathered structure, we all gazed down the edges of the cliffs to see the large crashing waves of the Atlantic. The surge of fear and excitement washed over us, tempting us to inch closer to the edge (with the exception of the constant warnings of worry from the teachers). As we walked through the three thousand year old Viking fort, we were given multiple opportunities to gain new perspectives of the cliffs and those around. The cuts of the stone were all unique in their own ways, all weathered down in some way or another. Though it would seem like a hectic environment, we were all able to gain serenity and peace from observing the crashing waves of the deep blue water. I personally have been looking forward to Dún Aonghasa ever since it was first announced, and I was beyond thrilled with my experience. The ability to gain peace in an environment such as that is almost crazy, yet I sat there on the rocks with a clear mind and an open heart. I speak for everyone who experienced this when I say we were all able to find ourselves in this experience. We found our home away from home.
Love, Gabby
After the thrilling experience of the cliffs at the fort, we rode our bikes to the Worm Hole, an Olympic-sized pool crater caused by the erosion of the limestone. The walk there was certainly an adventure as we had to climb over numerous rocks, whilst trying to find the red arrows to lead us to our destination. Once we reached the coast, we were already taken with the beauty of the large waves crashing against the rocks. There were large limestone structures behind us ranging in colors from black to yellow, all in perfect lines streaming down the rocks. The interesting part of the structure was the fact that it looked like it was held up by small rocks. It was almost unbelievable that the perfectly rectangular shape of the Worm Hole (also known as Serpent Hole) was a naturally formed hole. We took our pictures (some silly ones) and headed back to our bikes for the ride home.
Dream team!
Love, Molly
After our brief moment at the cemetery, the group was led on a silent, reflective, hike to the top of Inis Mor. Once atop, one could observe hundreds of miles of rock walls, cattle and livestock, and farming houses. This is exactly what I was wishing to experience from my journey to Ireland. From the left one could see the bed and breakfasts, and tourist shops. In front, one could see the docks, livestock, and cemeteries. And to the right, the majestic ocean streting farther than the eye can see. Finally, for all those not on this trip back at home, imagine the wind brushing through the rocks howling, the birds singing their songs in the distance, an occasional "moo" from the cows, and a view of hundreds of miles of history, family traditions and values, and culture. This is what my group and I are currently experiencing atop a mountain that encompasses all these blessings.
Love, Steven
When we were given the opportunity of traveling to Dún Aonghasa or relaxing in the town, we chose to travel on bikes to go see the old fort along with the Worm Hole. Renting bikes, the teachers and three of us biked our way to the cliffs of Dún Aonghasa for forty minutes through rain and sun. The steep hills proved to be challenges for us but the motivation to reach our destination surpassed the sour and lethargic moods we were in. Arriving at the fort, we parked our bikes, and hiked up the rocky terrain all the way to the top. Once we entered the weathered structure, we all gazed down the edges of the cliffs to see the large crashing waves of the Atlantic. The surge of fear and excitement washed over us, tempting us to inch closer to the edge (with the exception of the constant warnings of worry from the teachers). As we walked through the three thousand year old Viking fort, we were given multiple opportunities to gain new perspectives of the cliffs and those around. The cuts of the stone were all unique in their own ways, all weathered down in some way or another. Though it would seem like a hectic environment, we were all able to gain serenity and peace from observing the crashing waves of the deep blue water. I personally have been looking forward to Dún Aonghasa ever since it was first announced, and I was beyond thrilled with my experience. The ability to gain peace in an environment such as that is almost crazy, yet I sat there on the rocks with a clear mind and an open heart. I speak for everyone who experienced this when I say we were all able to find ourselves in this experience. We found our home away from home.
Love, Gabby
After the thrilling experience of the cliffs at the fort, we rode our bikes to the Worm Hole, an Olympic-sized pool crater caused by the erosion of the limestone. The walk there was certainly an adventure as we had to climb over numerous rocks, whilst trying to find the red arrows to lead us to our destination. Once we reached the coast, we were already taken with the beauty of the large waves crashing against the rocks. There were large limestone structures behind us ranging in colors from black to yellow, all in perfect lines streaming down the rocks. The interesting part of the structure was the fact that it looked like it was held up by small rocks. It was almost unbelievable that the perfectly rectangular shape of the Worm Hole (also known as Serpent Hole) was a naturally formed hole. We took our pictures (some silly ones) and headed back to our bikes for the ride home.
Dream team!
Love, Molly