On Saturday, our Bucknell group traveled around the Celtic Boyne Valley, where we visited the Hill of Tara, Trim Castle, Loughcrew Passage Tomb, and the Hill of Uisneach. The Hill of Tara dates back to the Stone Age and was once used as an ancient ceremonial and burial site. The site also used to be the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. The High King was chosen by the “Stone of Destiny” (Lia Fáil). Legend has it that the stone will let out a roar when touched by the rightful King of Tara. Additionally, we learned that from the Hill of Tara, one can see half of the counties in Ireland.
Our next stop was Trim Castle in Trim, which I later learned was where Braveheart was filmed. Then, we visited Loughcrew Passage Tomb, also known as the Hill of the Witch. Finally, our last stop was the Hill of Uisneach. The Hill of Uisneach is an ancient ceremonial site and is said to be the burial site of Eiru, the goddess of Ireland (which is where Ireland gets its name). Her final resting place is said to be beneath “The Cat Stone” on the Hill of Uisneach.
On Sunday, I got ramen with Stella at “The Ramen Bar” in Dublin. I got the “Garlic Lovers” ramen with Tonkotsu and miso broth, grilled chicken, bean sprouts, choi-sum, egg, bamboo shoots, fried onion, and, of course, garlic. It was delicious. After that, we walked around, and I finally saw the Molly Mallone statue! Later in the day, we got “Bambino” for pizza. I’ve eaten a lot of pizza since being here in Dublin. I’ve concluded that Cirillo’s makes some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. They’re known for their Neapolitan-style pizza. I can thank Margaret for taking me here; we’ve been planning to go back together.
At my internship, I began a three-week program called the “Young Entrepreneurs Training Program” with Inner City Enterprise (ICE). During the program, I’m gaining personal development skills and practical business advice on starting a business.
This weekend is our free weekend, and Stella and I are going to Nice, France. We’re going to explore the city and travel around the French Riviera. I am so excited. I really can’t believe how fast the summer has gone by. We’ll be on our way home before we know it.