Day One

We are sitting on a short stone wall waiting for Grainne and Fionnuala to come back and retrieve us from what remains of Boyle Abbey. An old ruins from the 1100's, which is currently being partially restored. Though not much of it is left, it's amazing what is still in tact, and was incredible to see. Prior to this educational experience, we went to the farmers market in Carrick to pick up some fresh fish and veggies (one of which looked like some kind of sea urchin but tasted like cauliflower) and went for a walk along the River Shannon. The whole getting used to cars driving on the other side of the road is gonna take Kelly a while longer...as she almost killed herself (with a giant truck) for only looking one way...the "American" way...before crossing the street. A street where jaywalking doesn't exist. Cross wherever you like...Love it!








We like to consider today our "first day" in Ireland, although we arrived yesterday to the welcoming arms of Grainne and her mother (Fionnuala). Grainne was standing there with crutches, clutching a sign her mother's students had made for our arrival. After our long trip to the car (since Grainne's basically a cripple, ha poor thing) we started for home, making a quick stop at Liffey Valley Shopping Center in Dublin for some Starbucks (Irish, right?) and some new shoes for Grainne...all her shoes were stolen by her crazy French roommates during her last semester in Toulouse. When we got to their cute little house way out in the countryside of County Roscommon, in a small town called Roosky, Fionnuala cooked us a traditional Irish breakfast of eggs, sausage, soda bread, rashers, and black and white pudding...aka pigs blood and guts. No wonder they wouldn't tell us what it consisted of until after complete consumption. haha. Then...we promptly slept till noon today...just in time for the market and other previously mentioned events.