Dublin with the Doyles

This weekend was totally worth waking up at 6 am on both Saturday and today. I had so much fun touring around one of Ireland's most famous and historic cities with Uncle Bill, Aunt Judy, and Teddy. They are probably reading this right now, and pretty soon their ears are going to start ringing as I sing their praises!

Seeing all 3 of them would have been enough to make this the perfect Pre-Thanksgiving Weekend. It was icing on the cake that I got to see so many sites. I had only been to Dublin for about a few hours during my Early Start Archaeology class (that seems like a thousand years ago) when we saw Christ Church and the National Museum of Ireland, so when I got to Dublin Saturday morning I really didn't know what to expect. After spending so much time in Cork, it seems a lot more metropolitan. We don't have Starbucks in Cork so any city that does, like Dublin and London, seem so much bigger and worldly to me!

After stopping by the apartment that Uncle Bill and Aunt Judy rented for the week (we all agreed it was the perfect spot!), Teddy and I went to the Jameson Distillery. Hands down one of the highlights of my semester so far. I've already received my diploma! Let me explain . . . at the beginning of the tour, our tour guide asked for the brightest and most enthusiastic visitors to volunteer to be special taste testers at the end of the tour. Who's hand was the first to shoot up? You guessed it! Didn't exactly phase me it was merely 11:30 in the morning and the "taste testing" at the Jameson Distillery probably had something to do with whiskey. I was making fun of Teddy because he didn't want to; little did I know he was really being the smart one. At the end of the tour, those who volunteered sat down at the VIP table to taste test - you guessed it again - 3 different types of whiskey. Suddenly wish I had made the time to eat something earlier. Certainly an interesting variety of tastes first thing in the morning! At the end of the tour, we each received the certificate you see on the right. I was very proud. As my Mom told me this morning, I may not be completing the Certificate of Irish Studies, but I have received a certificate for being a "Qualified Irish Whiskey Taster!" I think that will be just as impressive to a future boss.

After the distillery we headed over to the William B. Yeats Museum and then decided to stop by another museum next door. Literally took me until we had gone through the door and were into the first exhibit that I realized, yes, I had been there before. It was the same museum I had gone to with my archaeology class. How had I not recognized it?! Clearly it did not make a long lasting impression on me the first time.

Saturday was a very exciting night in Dublin because there was a big rugby match being played between Ireland and New Zealand. Apparently Ireland has never beaten New Zealand so we were rooting for the underdogs. We were in a great, vibrant pub called O'Neills. The atmosphere was amazing; it felt like half the city was crammed into this pub to cheer on their national team. We also somehow got great seats to watch it. I've never watched a rugby game before, and all I can say is "OWWW!" Those guys were wailing into each other full force! I would hate to be the guy who gets caught at the bottom. After watching the game I can't believe there are girls at Holy Cross who play rugby. After the game, even though it was only about 8:00, we headed back to the apartment, and I'm pretty sure I was asleep before 9. Such a great day!

We were in Dublin at the perfect time of year. Despite the cold weather, the Christmas spirit was just starting and you could feel it in the air! Would you even believe we caught a quick glimpse of St. Nick? We started by walking from the apartment to St. Stephen's Green, an old, beautiful park in Dublin, and then over to the absolutely beautiful Shelbourne Hotel for lunch. We spotted more beautiful Christmas decorations and it was the perfect environment for good food and good company! We talked, laughed a lot, and it was just so nice being around family during the holiday time.

We explored the city a little more, strolling down Grafton Street, home of some of Dublin's best shopping. I am not as well versed in the history of Dublin as my Uncle, Aunt, and cousin are, so they filled me in on a lot of the history of the civil war in the last century, and how so many of the current structures in Dublin, such as the Customs House and the Post Office, were quite relevant back then.

I wish I could have stayed with them longer than 2 days! Trust me, it wasn't my classes that pulled me back but my previously booked plane ticket. I would have happily taken an extended weekend. A girl needs a few mental health days now and then! It had been far too long since I had seen the Belmont Doyles. I spent the last 2 years up at HC with Teddy, but Thanksgiving and Easter are certainly not enough to see my Aunt and Uncle! It was so great getting to see them, hearing about what they have been up to and catching them up on my year abroad, although they are both avid readers of When in Cork! I also got to hear some great Doyle tales that reminded me of our wonderfully chaotic get togethers on Nemasket Road that happen about twice a year. Some of my fondest memories are spent at my grandparents house surrounded by my many, many cousins so this weekend with Uncle Bill, Aunt Judy, and Teddy was a great treat. Now I feel like I am not totally missing out on everything this Thursday!

As Thanksgiving approaches, although I am in a place that doesn't recognize the holiday, that doesn't mean I personally will not be. Our advisor, Vicki, has invited us to dinner on Thursday night, but I also will be thinking of everything and everyone I am so incredibly grateful for. I hope everyone else, wherever you are, can enjoy this holiday as well. So give thanks, watch some football, and eat lots and lots of yummy food!

Slan!

P.S. Pictures from this weekend will be coming shortly! Although I cannot take credit for these photos. They are courtesy of our amazing photographer from the weekend, Uncle Bill!