Then, I had a revelation over a cup of coffee in the wee hours of the morning. It started with a quote from the famous Irish author, James Joyce:
"My heart is quite calm now. I will go back."
My heart is calm. And quite content. But I'm not satisfied. Not nearly.
My destination may be behind me, but my journey has only just begun.
I'm inspired beyond anything I ever anticipated so I'm going to ride that inspiration into horizons of new discovery. I couldn't stop now if my life depended on it. For as much as I've seen and experienced, I am hungry for more. Who knew that 10 days could have such an impact on a life already well-lived?
Thank you for joining me on the journey to Ireland. I hope it was worth your time. I hope it made you think, laugh or learn. I hope it inspired you for something. Maybe to start your own blog? Or search your own family roots?
I leave you with some of the questions and answers that I've been asked since my return, as well as some pictures I haven't yet shared:
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
I found something I didn't even know that I was looking for - Inspiration. Otherwise, I wasn't really looking for anything in particular...what is anyone who packs a suitcase looking for?....
"What is your biggest take away?"
That' I'm free to pretty much do anything or go anywhere I want. The boundaries that I've had in my mind just melted away.
That and the small pub in Cobh, "Connie Doolan's"...where I met the lobster fisherman and Monica the barmaid. Patrick Liam, Noel, John...what a fabulous cast of characters. It was the hour that I will remember most in the journey.
"What is your best memory?"
Aside from what I just mentioned above, the music in the pubs. Or maybe just the overall pub experience. Quite literally, there was music in every pub I walked into - and most of it traditional celtic music with the guitars, penny-whistles, bodhran's, etc. Toe-tapping, sing-along music that just made you smile and bonded you instantly with the strangers sitting around you. Every interesting person I met - I met in a pub. (and on the train ride to Dublin) Who needs Facebook when you can have the real thing?
"What was the most beautiful place?"Hhmmm....the one place that I can honestly say where I just stood there saying "holy cow" was on the port in Cobh. I kept thinking about the millions of immigrants who left Ireland in the 1800's and realizing that they left from this spot - and that their last view of their homeland and everything familiar was right where I was standing. It wasn't so much beautiful aesthetically, but beautiful in emotion and what it represented.
Looking forward to what is ahead in the journey....
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| Dinner out with Nancy, Finbarr and Tadhg |
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| At Powerscourt |
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| Monk's tower - the window you see was the lowest entrance - be be let in the Monks had to lower a ladder |
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| Susan and Dan - the engaged couple |
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| here a baa, there a baa, everywhere a baa baa |
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| My favorite moment in Ireland in Connie Doolan's pub in Cobh |
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| Peat / bog |
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| Nancy and Finbarr with the groom at the wedding. He was feeling NO pain |
Joyce
Beautiful. Thank you for taking me along on your wonderful trip. Thank you for the memories of the places that I loved so much. By the way - I would have voted for Glenndaloch as the most beautiful place...of course Cashel Rock in the Golden Vale was breathtaking as well.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm glad you had a wonderful time and that you took us along with you. And you're right ...it does change you. Cheers.
Very nice, I enjoyed your journey from start to end, even though I didn't comment much I was still here.
ReplyDeleteWhat words..
ReplyDeletePleasant Post. This post helped me in my college assignment. Thanks Alot
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