This weekend I headed off to see Paula. I decided to take a different bus services due to all the issues I had with missing my bus and everything the weekend before, also it turns out Bus Erinn does not have stops where I need to get to anyways. I left from work and was fairly easily able to find the bus station and find my bus.. although I was a bit confused once inside. I made it onto the bus and was on my way to Strokes town. The bus ride was long and cramped, lots of people leaving Dublin for the weekend. I was very aware of where I was putting all my stuff and made sure to let the bus driver know I had no idea where I was getting off; he was super friendly and had no issue with it which was great. I was the only one to get off in the small town. I talked to Paula on the phone a few min before and was left knowing I was going to be being picked up by Theresa. It took a few min but I found her and we made our way to Paula's. It was SO great to see Theresa and Paula. It's hard for me to given explain how much this weekend hit at the prefect time. I had supper with Paula and Thersea and got to meet Paul's boys. They were all so welcoming and the boys were so cute. It was so great to be around friends. We stayed up and chatted and drank some wine. Paula and Theresa are amazing women and I have been very lucky to have gotten the chance to have them in my life.
The next day Paula took me to a bog and shown me a patch that they are renting from a family. It was crazy because during my trip to the Jail with Martin she had started to talk to me about turf and then informed me about the politics around bogs going on in Ireland. When I got to Paula's she had turf she was burning on the fire and explain that they went to the bog every year and processed turf. Paula was amazing, and took me out to see it and get a better idea of the whole thing. It's really cool to get to see and understand more about some of the issues surrounding it. Most Irish people think it's kinda crazy I was so excited to see a bog but it's just kind of one of those things that aren’t as interesting when you grow up around it.. like the oil sands would be to most Albertans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bog
That afternoon we picked up the boys and Theresa and made our way to a famine museum in Strokestown and checked out Strokestown Park house & Garden. It was really beautiful with so much history. Lots of detail about the famine and the house was so cool, so much history, really incredible.
http://www.strokestownpark.ie/
We then headed back with the boys to the house and picked up some chips on the way. Offered to drive me to Castlecomer the next day as it was a trip I was trying to figure out how to make on my own. It was really incredible of the them to take me as it is a very small town by Kilkenny which is not a tourist hot spot at all so it would have been hard for me to get around and do what I was wanting to do.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlecomer
For those of you who know me well know that this trip would have not have happened without support from my family and as part of that I wanted to give back and visit the area where my ancesters came from. Theresa and Paula made this happen. I do not have enough words to thank these women. The next day we left early as it was a super long trip on pretty much the other side of the country. The whole thing was amazing. I will just say it was kind of crazy how things came together and I ended up not only finding the church my family would have grown up in but got to see where the old homestead would have been and met some people who might have been related in some way. It was a day I will l never forget and for sure it one of the highlights of the trip for me. I got a bus in another town on the way home and made it back to Dublin. Amazing weekend. I am so blessed to have wonderful friends here in Ireland who care so much and made this weekend possible. Once home I chatted with my parents for the first time since being here and chatted with friends. After a crazy week this way for sure a great way to end it.
This weekend I headed off to see Paula. I decided to take a different bus services due to all the issues I had with missing my bus and everything the weekend before, also it turns out Bus Erinn does not have stops where I need to get to anyways. I left from work and was fairly easily able to find the bus station and find my bus.. although I was a bit confused once inside. I made it onto the bus and was on my way to Strokes town. The bus ride was long and cramped, lots of people leaving Dublin for the weekend. I was very aware of where I was putting all my stuff and made sure to let the bus driver know I had no idea where I was getting off; he was super friendly and had no issue with it which was great. I was the only one to get off in the small town. I talked to Paula on the phone a few min before and was left knowing I was going to be being picked up by Theresa. It took a few min but I found her and we made our way to Paula's. It was SO great to see Theresa and Paula. It's hard for me to given explain how much this weekend hit at the prefect time. I had supper with Paula and Thersea and got to meet Paul's boys. They were all so welcoming and the boys were so cute. It was so great to be around friends. We stayed up and chatted and drank some wine. Paula and Theresa are amazing women and I have been very lucky to have gotten the chance to have them in my life.
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