The way of things in Ireland

A word in any other language....
Although English is spoken fluently in Ireland, there are words that are used much differently than how an American might use them. And of course there's also the accent to consider. Here is a word that I've struggled with understanding in the last few days:
    "Murritt"...as in "are you murrit?"....as in "are you married?"....this from a guy named Dechlin in a pub in Dublin. Took me three tries and finally Nancy had to interpret. Turns out, according to the Dubliner's...he is from Nury, which is near Belfast and they are hard to understand..... 


The rest of his speech I had no trouble understanding at all. :-)...

Ireland's best social network is not on Facebook. In fact last night one of the locals at the engagement party, Paul, said that "Facebook is the scurge of society"....and according to further discussion it was determined that the local pub truly lends itself as a social network nicely - and the feeling is that it is all that is needed.  I can see that....after all, FB is used as a place to voyer the lives of others, catch up with long distant family and friends, and find new friends. All of this can be accomplished over a pint or two in a pub. And by the way, contrary to popular belief, Irish men really DO walk OUT of pubs.

In Search of Murphy
So today I left Dublin by way Camolin, home of Ms. Betty - Finbar's sweet mother. She fixed us a fine  brunch, or "broonch' as it came out - of white pudding (sausage), sausage, ham, homemade bread, scones and tea. It was lovely. Then she filled me with tales of Ireland and life and I couldn't hear enough. The conversation around the table eventually went to beer and whiskey - not surprising. There was "whiskey marmalade" and "guinness bread" and a delicious cake that Maresa (Finbar's sister) made with ...what else...wine.  I was quickly dizzy and it was barely 9 am. This meal is entitled "happiness" by me-
Here's Ms. Betty..

Betty sets a fine table -Finbar cooked!

Meresa's cake....it was delicious

Ms' Betty's homemade bread and scone

Me, Mark and Maresa (Finbar's Sister)- Mark owns a large chain of salons' in Ireland

Me and Ms. Betty

After leaving Ms. Betty Nancy and I took a beautiful drive through the country working our way south. We are bound for Cobh eventually but tonight will stay in Kilkenny. So on the way we went through a town called Ballymurphy - or "Village of Murphy"...which if you have been following my blog you know is my family name (as well as half the names in Ireland).  Anyway, I saw the sign and shouted to stop at the local store, where I asked the young man working about the sign above the door. It's gaelic for "Ballymurphy'...I told him I was a Murphy in search of Murphys to which he smiled (displaying a fine set of braces on his teeth) and said "I'm a Murphy!!"....and so he was. So here's my first Murphy encounter - Jack Murphy

Ballymurphy shop

Jack Murphy of Ballymurphy (translates "Village of Murphy"

Gardens and Graves
Celtic crosses abound over graves of the fallen all over this country. Today while touring an old castle ruin in Gowran, we saw crypts as well. I learned that the carving on the crypt was significant. If a man had his hand on his sword then that meant he died defending his home. If his arms were at his side or crossed that meant he died in battle away from home. Further, if a crypt had a box over the heart, it meant that the body could not be returned home, so the heart was brought and put in a box, thus the phrase "home is where the heart is."

Entrance to circa 1300 St. Mary's church

Hand on sword of crypt means he died defending his home

Hand over the heart meant the heart was brought home, but not the body. Thus the saying "home is where the heart is"

Guinness 
The guinness definately tastes different here - smoother, creamier. And you know I'm a relatively new guinness drinker but this much is obvious to me. As I type this I'm sitting in the rare Irish sun on a patio over the river Nore in Kilkinney, sipping a cold glass of Guinness. It's going down a bit too easy me thinks. 

Thanks for checking in...I'll have more tomorrow. Slainte from the land of warm hearts (my translation)...