We have arrived at the Glen Eagles Hotel in Killarney, where the Irish Way is staying in apartments for the remainder of our time in Ireland. The kids all settled in with their new roommates, hosting dinner parties for one another. While in Killarney, the group tours different places in Kerry each day leaving Thursday, our last day, as time to pack and tie up loose ends.
Yesterday, we woke up to a constant rain. We have been fortunate enough that this was the only day of steady rain that our group encountered since our trip began, but it did spoil some of our plans. The students were brave enough to run from store to store as we made a stop in Dingle. After that, we forged on to the cultural heritage center for the Blasket Islands. These islands are no longer inhabited but once had up to 200 residents living on them at one time. The islands are most famous for their use of Gaelic language and for the amount of writers and storytellers to have lived or been inspired by them. From the museum on the mainland, we could just make out the shape of the islands through the fog. Even though the rain wasn't ideal, the beautiful green of the countryside was made even more vivid by the precipitation.
The weather today was gorgeous and our group made our way through an abridged version of the famed Ring of Kerry. We stopped in the small town of Kenmere, where we visited the site of a historic stone ring where sacrificed were preformed in pagan times. After meditating in a circle around the stones, our students explored the open air market in the town, buying jewelry and crepes. Next stop was Killarney National Park, where we went on a quick hike. With our calves burning, we watched a waterfall and snapped photos. We finished the day with a trip to the Muckrus House, the home and grounds of an English land lord that have been preserved by the state. We were all impressed with the magnitude of the house and the beauty of the gardens. Sadly, that was our last tour in Ireland. The sing-alongs, the scenery and the 'craic' will all be missed.
Yesterday, we woke up to a constant rain. We have been fortunate enough that this was the only day of steady rain that our group encountered since our trip began, but it did spoil some of our plans. The students were brave enough to run from store to store as we made a stop in Dingle. After that, we forged on to the cultural heritage center for the Blasket Islands. These islands are no longer inhabited but once had up to 200 residents living on them at one time. The islands are most famous for their use of Gaelic language and for the amount of writers and storytellers to have lived or been inspired by them. From the museum on the mainland, we could just make out the shape of the islands through the fog. Even though the rain wasn't ideal, the beautiful green of the countryside was made even more vivid by the precipitation.
The weather today was gorgeous and our group made our way through an abridged version of the famed Ring of Kerry. We stopped in the small town of Kenmere, where we visited the site of a historic stone ring where sacrificed were preformed in pagan times. After meditating in a circle around the stones, our students explored the open air market in the town, buying jewelry and crepes. Next stop was Killarney National Park, where we went on a quick hike. With our calves burning, we watched a waterfall and snapped photos. We finished the day with a trip to the Muckrus House, the home and grounds of an English land lord that have been preserved by the state. We were all impressed with the magnitude of the house and the beauty of the gardens. Sadly, that was our last tour in Ireland. The sing-alongs, the scenery and the 'craic' will all be missed.
