Jan. 29, 2007
Céad Míle Fáilte!
My name is Sarah Falvey, and I’m a sophomore communications and religious studies double major from Georgia. I’ve been in Ireland for about four months now, and I love it. Classes start on Monday, but I’ve been done with my finals now for about two weeks. In my time off, I decided to hit the road, and I’ve had a very busy week of travel.
Last Thursday, I went to Brussels, Belgium with five other SMC students studying in Ireland. Though it was only a 3 
day trip, we managed to see just about everything: the Grand Place—the central market, the Manneken Pis (a statue of a little boy, famous for putting out an enemy fire), the EU, and the Royal Palace of Brussels. We tried the local cuisine—waffles, chocolate, and French fries. All in all, it was a fun trip, except when we jumped on the wrong train and wound up in Amsterdam on accident. I guess that’s what happens when you’re using broken French to communicate! It was quite an adventure. Luckily, no one seemed to check tickets on the entire four-hour escapade, and we met a few friendly people who 
were more than happy to help us figure out which train to get on to get back to Brussels. It was a relief to finally be back. We also went to Luxembourg (though we actually meant to get on that train travelling to a foreign country). It was possibly my favourite place I’ve visited since coming to Ireland. It was all very quaint and clean, and small--we saw it all in 2 hours. Everything was centrally located, even the home of the ruling Ducal family. The best part was, the city of Luxembourg didn’t seem very touristy, even though it did have a Sephora and an H&M on the main shopping street.
Once we got back to Ireland, I repacked my bag and went to Cork—only a four hour bus ride from Maynooth. My dad’s side of the family emigrated from Cork in the 19 th century, and apparently, some distant relatives still remain—there was a Falvey’s pharmacy right down the road from our hostel! It made me feel truly Irish. In the morning, I went for a run around Cork. It was like any port town, with houses lining the river. Looking back, I think Cork is like Dublin, but without as much tourism. The city is very industrial. I found Saint Paul Street, which is the 
Cork equivalent Dublin’s Temple Bar district, St. Patrick’s Street, the main drag, and Saint Finbarr’s cathedral, a gothic spectacle right by the River Lee. It seemed out of place, a beautiful building surrounded by old restaurants and houses. I also made it out to Blarney, a small town about 5 miles from Cork, and home of a very famous historic castle. I got to kiss the Blarney stone, and I now have the “gift of gab.”
Though Cork and Blarney were fun, I was ready to come back to Maynooth. Now, I’m waiting for classes to start on Monday and getting to know the new members of the program. I’m excited to see what the new semester brings. On that note, I’ll say slán abhaile—goodbye!
Feb. 2, 2007
I started class this week...
...Since I’ve been off of school since the middle of December, it felt weird to open up my notebooks and start taking notes once again. This semester, I’m taking biology, 2 anthropology courses, and introduction to Irish. Irish starts sometime next week, but I’m excited to study it—my flatmates even promised to help me practice speaking it.
I’ve found that college in Ireland is very different than at Saint Mary’s. The classes are huge lectures of 200+ students. Last semester, that was a hard adjustment for me, but this semester it’s a much easier transition. Because classes are so big, the professors don’t notice if a student misses class; it takes a lot of self-discipline to wake up for those early morning classes! Most of our grades come from our “tutorials,” which are smaller classes that meet once a week to review the course. All of my classes have students of various ages and backgrounds. NUIM has a large international population, so often you’ll find yourself sitting next to someone who doesn’t speak English very well, or a “mature student” who is well into his or her forties or fifties. It really brings a lot of variety into tutorial groups, and every person has a different perspective.
Since Irish doesn’t start until next week, I’ve only met three of my professors—and only my biology professor is Irish! Last semester, almost all of my professors were Irish. At first I had a hard time understanding them through their accents, but now I can understand and pick out different Irish accents—it’s almost like living in America and being able to distinguish between a New York accent and a Georgia drawl. 
Tonight, some of my friends and I are having a “weekly dinner”—it’s a great way to save money on food and catch up with each other after a busy week. Tomorrow I’m planning on going to Dublin since I don’t have class, and on Saturday I’m going to see a Robin Hood Panto—a play that relies heavily on audience participation. It should be a fun weekend. For now though, I have to get going to my biology lab!
Feb. 9, 2007
This week has been a lesson in cultural differences between Ireland and America.
On Monday, the Saint Mary’s students met with our international coordinator and did an exercise assessing the differences between America and Ireland. It was interesting to hear the new student’s take—they noticed things I’d gotten used to, like the fact that Ireland moves at a much slower pace than America—the Irish don’t seem to feel a rush to get things done. We also talked about the personal space differences between America and Europe—in America, we value our personal space and will offer a firm handshake as a greeting, whereas in Ireland and the rest of Europe, it is not uncommon to see people greet each other with a tight embrace. I’m hoping the transition back to the American way of life won’t be too difficult!
I also started Irish this week and now I can say a handful of phrases, such as “How are you?” and “Where are you from?” My Irish class is made up entirely of international students—American, German, Spanish, and French. Everyone’s accent causes them to pronounce the same phrase differently, much to our professor’s chagrin. I think I’m really going to enjoy the class. I even spoke a little Irish with my flatmates.
Today, it started snowing! Though it was only a few flurries at first, by the time I got out of class it had started to stick and everything was white. It was a full-fledged snow storm by my Georgia standards! Since Ireland’s usually just above freezing temperature in the winter, snow is a rare occurrence here. It was interesting to watch Irish students in the snow—they were walking around with their umbrellas open to stay dry and trying to avoid slipping in the slushy streets. It was like being at home—a few flurries turn everything upside down! The campus looks really beautiful covered in snow; I hope it will last long enough for me to have a snowball fight!
Despite the cultural differences, everything is going well. I’m really enjoying the start to my second semester here!
Feb. 22, 2007
This past weekend, the Saint Mary’s group took a trip..
... around Kildare to the National Stud, the Japanese Gardens, and St. Brigid’s well. The National Stud is home to 
many famous thoroughbred horses, and it plays a large role in breeding and rearing the animals. Since right now they’re in breeding season, we saw some of the stallions, and even a few foals here and there. The Japanese Gardens are on the same bit of land and were originally created by the man who owned the Stud. It is said to be the finest Japanese garden in Europe, although I can’t make that comparison just yet! The gardens 
were quite miraculous though, especially considering they were made in 1906! It was a walk through life, from creation, to birth, education, to marriage, and finally on to death. It was a very peaceful place and I could see why it was built—a little piece of tranquillity in a very hectic work environment. Finally, we went to St. Brigid’s well, said to have healing properties. Though it was most likely a pagan well to begin with, the devotion of people is quite apparent, as the well was quite crowded and people were praying rosaries. That was also a very tranquil place.
Lent began this week and I was lucky enough to celebrate Mardi Gras the Irish way: with pancakes! Apparently, the day before Ash Wednesday is called Pancake day in Ireland. The student’s union was giving away free pancakes, though my flatmates and I had more fun making our own creations. I even introduced them to chocolate chip pancakes! I’m interested to see the differences in the season of Lent between Ireland and America. I’m sure there are a few different traditions, although I’m hoping that the Friday Fish Fry is a custom here like it is at my home parish!
Tonight, my flatmates and I are going out to a céilí hosted by the Irish department. A céilí is like a square dance of Irish dancing. I went to one last semester and it was a lot of fun, although it was really tiring. I didn’t stop moving all night! The best part was that no one at the céilí minded that I didn’t actually know how to Irish dance—it was all about having fun, and learning new things. For now, I should go get ready for class, so I’ll leave you with a bit of Irish—slán go fóill!
March 9, 2007
Lately, Irish weather has been in the throes of March.
The weather varies from sunny and warm to cold and rainy—sometimes both in the same day! It hasn’t been enough to dampen my spirits though, and I’ve taken to going on afternoon walks around Maynooth, even in the rain. I’ve found out a lot more about this small town I’ve lived in for almost 6 months now, including a great running path that leads to a famous golf course and hotel nearby. For anyone travelling abroad, I highly recommend getting to know the area in which you’re studying—you learn so much about local culture and it makes it feel more like home!
Because I’ve got a very busy few months coming up (a trip planned for every weekend!), I decided to take some time off of travelling and work on some of the papers I have due at the end of March. Oddly enough, my anthropology class ended this week and our “final” is a 2000 word paper graded by my tutor. I did take a small break to go into Dublin on Saturday night for a birthday party. Dublin is a great city by night—the touristy districts are far less crowded and the city looks quite beautiful when it’s all lit up. I even got to meet some other American students, and we swapped stories of our travels for a bit.
Next week is RAG week—short for ‘raise and give’. Various societies and clubs on campus put on events to raise money for charity. Everyone on campus seems really excited for it, and as I understand it a lot of lectures are cancelled to allow students to really enjoy the week. The highlight of the week is the Vengaboys concert (apparently, they’re quite big over here). Sadly, the concert is sold out, but I’m still planning on enjoying the other events of the week, such as a Mystery bus tour—where we board a bus and go to an undetermined location somewhere in Ireland—and the hypnotist. It’s all for a good cause!
March 16, 2007
It’s been a very busy week on campus...
...“Rag week” got under way very loudly, and everyone has been excited for the upcoming break. The campus has 
been swamped with different events, though my favourite event was definitely the MUCK mud wrestling. I went to support my roommate and her team while they wrestled. They wound up winning so it was very exciting! I also went to a Trampoline club meeting, where I learned how to bounce—they start slow with the beginners. It was a little intimidating to see some of the better members of the club on the trampoline. They got so high! Maybe I’ll get there one day, but I think I’m content enough with both feet on the ground.
I also took a trip to Howth, which is a little fishing village on the coast near Dublin. It’s famous for the seals which live on the rocks. They were so cute! The weather was nice and so it was a great day to walk around. Sadly, I forgot my camera so I’m going to have to take another trip back to get a picture of me with the seals!
Today, I’m going to Dublin for Saint Patrick’s Day. Everyone seems really excited, but my roommates tell me that the holiday isn’t as big here as it is in the states! Nonetheless, the River Liffey will be dyed green and there’s supposed to be a giant parade/céilí through the main street. I look forward to seeing the difference between the American and Irish celebrations, though I’m sure everyone here will get into the spirit.
This weekend, the Saint Mary’s group is headed down to County Wicklow to see Powers Court Gardens and Glendaloch monastery. After looking at pictures online, I think it’ll be a great trip; the scenery is gorgeous and right at the foothills of the mountains. Until later, have a happy Saint Patrick’s day!
April 5, 2007
I’ve had a very hectic week…
...in both Ireland and Austria! It was really good preparation for my hectic month to come (a trip planned for 
every weekend!). This past Saturday, my family arrived in Dublin. I spent the weekend seeing all the “touristy” things with them—St. Stephen’s Green, O’Connell Street, and even the Guinness factory. I had a lot of fun playing tour guide on Saturday, but on Sunday my family opted to do a “hop-on hop-off” bus tour of Dublin. I went along and actually wound up finding out a few things I didn’t know. I wished I had done it earlier in the year! The best part about having my family visit is that they take me out to dinner—a welcome break from cooking!
I also got first-hand experience at a religious cultural difference between Ireland and America this week. At Palm Sunday Mass, we were given yew branches instead of the traditional palm leaves we get at home! I was a bit sad at first because I wanted to make a cross, but I suppose it’s nice to see local shrubbery incorporated into the Mass—it makes it uniquely Irish!
On Tuesday, my family took a trip down south to Cork, Mallow, and Kerry. I opted to go to Austria instead to meet up with a few other Saint Mary’s girls from my tandem last year. It was a whirlwind trip in both Salzburg and Vienna, but it was definitely worth it. I got to see Mozart’s house and eat giant pretzels while catching up with friends I haven’t seen since September! As we all caught up and talked about our experiences, I realized how much I love studying in Ireland, and how it has become a home to me. It was also really fun to trade stories—even though we all have different experiences, it seems like we’re able to relate to one another and that we’ve gained the same insights into life abroad.
I returned today to Ireland accompanied by my friend Sarah from the Rome program. I showed her around Maynooth and we’ve been enjoying the lovely spring weather (it’s 13 degrees here! Quite a treat!). Tomorrow, she and I are going into Dublin and Howth after observing Good Friday at the local church. When she leaves for Galway on Saturday I’ll get to catch back up with my family and spend Easter with them before they leave on Monday. Next week, I’m off from class, and I think I’ll head down to the Dingle Peninsula to relax—who knows, I might even get to speak a little Irish! J
Until next time!
April 12, 2007
My week started on Easter Sunday with my family
We went to Mass at a Carmelite church and found ourselves over dressed! The Mass was quite informal, and there was no singing—something very different from American Easter Mass. After Mass, my family and I wandered over to O’Connell street and wound up in the middle of festivities commemorating the 1916 Easter rising. It was held right outside of the General Post Office, where the bulk of the battle took place. We stayed and listened to a few of the speeches—the most exciting speech came from John Adams, the president of Sinn Fein.
This week also marked Easter break at NUIM, which meant no classes for me! I decided to go to County Kerry—decidedly the “tourist trap” of Ireland. I wound up going by myself, and though I was a bit nervous about travelling alone at first, it actually worked out well. I met several other students from NUIM—we agreed to grab a pint together if we were ever in the SU at the same time.
Tuesday, I went on the “Ring of Kerry tour.” The Ring of Kerry is a 100-mile loop around the Iveragh peninsula; taking
the tour was the tourist thing to do, but it was the only way for me to see the whole ring without a car. It seemed like it would be fun and since it was guided, I learned a lot about each place on the Ring. We made several stops throughout the day, at Killorglin, Sneem, and Cahersiveen (where I saw Daniel O’Connell’s birthplace!). My favourite stop was at the top of one of the hills, where I got to hold a baby deer! It had wonderful views of the ocean.
Wednesday, I decided to rent a bike since the road to Dingle was closed due to a landslide. I thought I’d try to bike to the Gap of Dunloe—only about 7 miles from my hostel. While it seemed like a good idea, I learned one very important lesson: I am not a mountain biker. I’ve never been so sore and tired in all my life! The view throughout the entire gap was worth the trek though—surrounded by the Purple and Toomes Mountains on either side and the Black valley at the end. I had a lot of fun speeding down those hills! When I finally arrived at Lord Brandon’s cottage at the far side of the Gap, I decided to take a boat back across the 3 lakes to Ross Castle in Killarney. I’m very glad I did—it would have been another 20 miles by bike! The water was lovely and I got to see Inisfallen Island and the meeting of the waters (where all 3 lakes meet up). After I was back on dry land, I returned the bike and walked to Muckross house and abbey—only a short distance away through Killarney National Park. It was very scenic and calm, but at that point in the day, I was ready for a nap!
I returned today to Maynooth early in hopes of resting before my next trip. This weekend the Saint Mary’s group is headed up to Sligo!
April 27, 2007
Last weekend, the SMC Ireland group took a trip to Sligo,
at the north-west of the country. We saw quite a bit on the trip: Parks Castle, Lissadell House, Sligo Abbey, 
Carrowmore megalithic cemetery, and Maeve’s tomb, where the fairy queen Maeve is supposedly buried upright. To get to Maeve’s tomb, we had to climb up Carrowkeel hill. I think it was more like a mountain than a hill! The view was spectacular, but it was a long hike to see a lot of rocks… even if they are very substantial rocks in Irish mythology. At Lissadell house, I felt like I was touring the White House: a family lives there currently, so we were only allowed to see certain rooms. The house has a lot of history, as it was the childhood home of Eva and Constance Gore-Booth, influential women in Irish politics. At Parks Castle, we also got to take a boat ride across Loch Gill, and were treated to some of WB Yates’ poetry courtesy of the captain. He even tried to get all of us to recite along with him!
For the most part, classes are winding down now. We only have another 3 weeks left, but since most of my classes have their finals during the last week, the professors have started to review. It’s really taken the pressure off of the students, and combined with the lovely spring weather we have, it’s created a very relaxed air on campus. I keep seeing students sprawled on the greens in between lectures just chilling out, though I’m sure in a few weeks they’ll be cramming for their exams!
This weekend, there is another Saint Mary’s trip to New Grange, Malefont Abbey, and Tara Hill. It’s going to be a full trip! I’m really looking forward to New Grange, because it’s supposed to be even better than Stonehenge; the girls who went last semester loved it.
For now, I have to go—my roommates and I are watching Home and Away!
May 10, 2007
This is my last journal entry-
—I can’t even believe how fast my time in Ireland has flown by. It seems like just yesterday my room was this empty because I was moving in! I’ve been busy with packing and studying for exams (and travelling a little bit too) and now suddenly I’ve got less than a week until I’m back home to America!
Looking back, I’ve had quite a terrific year. It’s hard to pick a favourite memory from the year, because there are so many that stand out in my mind. I loved exploring both Ireland and Europe with my friends; introducing my Irish friends to American customs while they introduced me to Irish customs (like drinking tea), and getting used to the laid-back Irish way of life. I’ll always remember nights out at the Roost, watching Home and Away with my roommates, and debating on the proper spelling of “specialization” with my biology lab partner. I’m very glad I got the experience to study in Ireland with a program that allows you to experience Irish culture first hand. I’m also glad I’ll have American friends to reminisce with next year.
This year has taught me a lot. I’ve learned about both Irish and American culture and how wrong my first perceptions were. Irish culture is very relaxed, while American culture is distinctly loud and fast-paced. I remember being so confused when I arrived—Irish accents, euros, and registering for classes really overwhelmed me. Now, I can laugh at the memory of my first day here because those things all seem insignificant now. I’ve learned to try new things and step outside of my comfort zone—I’ve really grown up a lot and become independent.
Even though I’m ready to go home (I miss American food!), I’m very sad to be leaving. I’ll miss the small-town feel of Maynooth, my Irish friends, and maybe even the weather (where else are you guaranteed rain nearly every day?). However, I know that I’ll come back to Ireland one day!
