Dear Ireland - Finale - Her People

Your people are gracious, welcoming and wholehearted. In our time there, in all our driving and walking and riding buses, we did not meet one untoward person. For instance the four of us; Cindy, Daniel, Ani, and I, traveled by bus on our last night in Dublin, three buses to be exact for Cindy and I. Each of the drivers was kind and understanding and this in an occupation that tends to breed curmudgeons injecting coarseness into every soul. Thank you for nurturing the collective kindness of your people.

My dear Ireland, you got me over myself in many ways. One result was that I had no problem asking even the simplest thing when we had a question – Where to go? How to tip? Do you have gluten free and vegetarian menu items? When does the music start? (Really though, it never stopped) In every case there was first a smile, then the answer, then the reassurance of ‘no worries’, with a parting wish for a great trip. You made me feel at home and amongst friends. When we looked lost or confused your people stopped and sought us out, going out of their way to make sure we could find our way, always with a smile and so pleased that we were visiting Ireland.

Galway Street Club
See postscript for YouTube links

Speaking of music, on our way back to St. Anthony’s B&B from the Spanish Arch in Galway we chanced upon a joyous scene where a couple of hundred people had gathered as the Galway Street Club performed their music. Performed is not quite the word I want. They reveled in it and the crowd enjoyed a good rollick as well. We took up the whole of the wide cobbled walkway, some dancing where they stood, many tapping out the rhythm, and still more singing along in the well-known choruses. Folks who wanted simply to pass through wormed their way through the crowd and walked between the performers and watchers while skipping and dancing their way by as often as not. I lost track of time we spent there and was lost in the music. After a time we said that we’d leave after the next song and said the same thing song after song until a slight break in the enchanting scene allowed us to break free of the spell and head back to our rooms.

We stayed at an array of Bed and Breakfast establishments and each was overseen by excellent people. Three of them stood out to me and I’ll name them here so that you can remember them with kindness as they represent your people.

Lissyclearig Thatch Cottage
Artwork by Quirky Paintings - Kenmare

Carmel Breen and her husband Davey opened their heart and home to us. Lissyclearig Thatch Cottage has as much country character you could hope for. Davey built it from the ground up as well as most of the furnishings including dining tables, frames, hearths, and lamps. The craftsmanship is superb and is a testament to the Irish tradesman pride. I suspect he implemented Carmel’s vision to a tee. The cottage is decorated throughout with family memorabilia and surrounded by fanciful gardens to the front, vegetables and flowers to the rear. Carmel is gregarious and her convivial approach to the breakfast started our days off on the right foot. While Davey prefers the quiet pursuits of craftsmanship and fishing he took humble delight in our praise of the wonderful cottage. Cindy and I spent our layover day there at the cottage as well as a walkabout in the town of Kenmare. It was a sanctuary for us.

San Augustine’s B&B in Swords, Dublin was our final stop before heading home. Anna Walsh, the proprietress, greeted us with alacrity and a sense of humour that is sure to bring a smile to the weariest of travelers. She got right down to the business of arranging breakfast and a cab for us as we dropped our cars off that night and had a need for an early ride to the airport the next morning. When we jokingly asked about breakfast before our 4 a.m. cab arrived she laughed and said something to the effect that God doesn’t get breakfast at that hour. She related the story of how Ann Eagers dropped off a package for us and how amazing that was to her. I suspect she goes the extra mile when the occasion warrants it just as she did for us with the cab and sharing a laugh with us.

Banner House in Rathcoole, Dublin was our first B&B stop. However, I saved the Banner House story for last because the proprietress, Ann Eagers, was most amazing, even to our friend Anna at San Augustine B&B. Ann got us off on the right foot for our B&B experience welcoming us into her house and showing us the way of things. I loved the sun room between the main house and the extension, great for a read and write session. The Irish breakfast was excellent and she was efficient. As we prepared to leave for our next stop at St. Anthony’s in Galway Ann asked for our voucher. “Voucher”, I replied? I was not aware of the need for vouchers and had failed to print them. Ani and Daniel had already pulled out as we were taking separate routes to Galway that day and I was the lost soul of a rookie B&B’er.

Ann brought me into her kitchen and we sat at her new computer where I was able to find the vouchers. The new computer wasn’t able to send anything to the printer so Ann called her daughter who arrived from next door with her computer and her son in tow. We found and saved he vouchers to her computer and she ran home to print them out. During the interlude I learned that peek-a-boo is an international phenomenon, the boy is delightful. Ann handled a stressful situation for me with grace and I was relieved that I hadn’t ruined the whole trip for us. And this was just the beginning of Ann going the extra mile for us.

Sometime after our arrival at St. Anthony’s B&B we discovered that we’d left something in the wardrobe back at Banner House. We despaired that we would never see the piece again and reduce the once thrifty purchase of the coat to a marginally wise purchase since we had traversed the island from the east coast to west coast on our 210km drive. Prior to our departure after our two night stay at St. Anthony’s I took my newfound shamelessness and emailed Ann about the garment. She answered promptly and ended a couple of logistical questions with “Let me know where you will be staying and we will take it from there.” As it turned out, or so she said, Ann and her husband were visiting family in Swords and dropped the coat liner off at our final B&B at San Augustine.

My final email response to Ann was, “A favorable trip advisor report would have been a joy to write in any case, this puts you in a category beyond any reasonable definition. You have become my Irish champion.” And, she is. Cindy was pleasantly surprised that her coat had been made whole.

A final lesson I learned while being introduced to you, Ireland is this: There is not enough of a life span to know even the smallest of countries. For one, its people are too diverse to allow for a complete understanding of the land. There is only enough time in one’s life to walk with an open heart and receive life’s bounty as it is presented wherever and whenever it comes along.

The greatest vista we enjoyed was overlooking the Lakes of Killarney. Cindy had me stand on the low rock wall at the edge of the car park and lift my hands for a photograph. While posing thus I was drawn to bless Ireland and worship God. I’ll not call it a benediction, I don’t want to put final punctuation to my experience with you.

I love Ireland, her people, her land, and her poetry.

YouTube links to Galway Street Club: 

My short video clip of the group:

A more complete video and song from YouTube: