On Thursday, we had a Bucknell group event at the Stag’s Pub in the heart of Dublin, where we watched an Irish Folklore & Fairies show. The performer told stories of Irish tales about the fairies of Ireland.
We visited three medieval castles this weekend: Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, and Cahir Castle. At Blarney, we waited an hour and a half to kiss the infamous Blarney Stone, where we would be granted the gift of eloquence (according to the legend).
A few of us went to a local farmer’s market outside Dublin at Herbert Park on Sunday morning. There were tons of vendors selling anything from food and groceries to handmade crochet hats. I bought a pastry, cherries, vegetables to cook for dinner and olive oil. The day was beautiful with perfect weather. The group of us all sat on the grass in the park and sunbathed for a while.
Monday afternoon, our Bucknell group went to Kilmainham Gaol (jail), a former prison in Dublin. Thousands of Irish men, women, and children were imprisoned in this jail for minor offenses to more serious crimes such as murder. We learned about the stories and lives of those who were political prisoners (often those who fought for Irish independence) at Kilmainham. One story was that of a young child who was imprisoned at three years old for begging. Begging was illegal at the time in Dublin, and he served his two-week sentence. At the end of the tour, we learned about a group of teenage boys who were executed at Kilmainham; each one of them requested to see their mother as their last wish, but it was not granted. Their final letters to their mothers were saved and kept in the jail museum.
That same day, I met up with one of my friends, and we got pizza at “Bambino,” where I got the vodka sauce pizza (again). We walked around and ate lunch at St. Stephen’s Green together. Afterward, she showed me around Trinity College, where she goes to school. I met my friend at a Shabbat dinner in Dublin. She’s from Lithuania and is studying at Trinity.
One thing I’ve noticed and love about Ireland is how beautiful the flowers are. In the US, flowers usually bloom in the springtime, but they’re still blooming in June. I’ve seen everything from roses to hydrangeas. The weather here is unpredictable, but Ireland is so lush and green because of the amount of rain the region gets.
Wow! the flowers are so pretty!
Dear Aliyah,
Wow, such vivid stories about the prison, and incredibly sad!! Another impressive week for sure!
Miss you tons
XO