Travels With Barb: September 2016

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Inis Mor, Killarney~ A Love Life

I’m still thinking about Inis Mor, the writer’s retreat and what a great experience that was. I am remembering how fit we all were. How we climbed tall rock walls, hiked through thick grass, jumped streams and dodged cows, big cows as we walked around, the “Seven Stone Holy Well,” seven times with our guide Dara.

And then there’s Killarney, always warm and welcoming. I only had a week this time and it went fast. I’m happy to say I was able to see most everyone I wanted though. I also got to do the Yoga class one morning that I discovered a couple years ago and I was there for “Culture Night,” and enjoyed hearing some great poetry readings from the local Killarney poets.

Walking through the park is a must. The one day, I got rained on, but the rain in Ireland doesn’t seem to bother anyone. There were still folks on horseback, and the Jaunty Cars were clip clopping through the puddles taking visitors to see the gardens, Ross Castle and the Torc Waterfall.

The next day, I got to see the Red Deer of Killarney National Park. The Red Deer is Ireland’s largest native land mammal and they’ve been around since the last ice age some 10,000 years ago. They’re beautiful and I was able to get a pretty good picture. It was a beautiful sunny day that day, Ireland’s weather can change in a matter of minutes.

I’m now sitting in Washington Dulles Airport waiting for my connection to Las Vegas and this thought occurred to me.

Remember when we were younger, and someone would say “How’s your love life?”

Well I’m thinking our love life is what we’re doing right now, how we’re living. Maybe it’s how we feel connected to the world or a place. Perhaps It’s the conversations we have or how people respond to us. It’s the people we meet when we travel, the women, men and children. It’s the way we feel when we walk into the cathedral, a restaurant, or the pub. It’s the woman who works in the shop, or the older man who gives you a nod at morning mass.

In the end, it’s always the people, those at Murphy’s who welcome me year after year with open arms. Friends I’ve made over the years who are always home when I'm there and make time for a cup of tea, lunch or a pint.

I'm taking this feeling home with me.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Getting High On Inis Mor...

Oh what a week I’ve had!

I am so happy to say participating in a writer’s retreat in Ireland, more specifically the Aran Islands is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

There were 12 women from all over the world, from places like Portugal, Panama, Montana, South Africa and California, Tennessee, England, and our leader, Irene Graham from Ireland. Everyone flew into Galway and took the ferry to Inis Mor.

Irene has created an awesome method and format for teaching. Merged with her casual and practical style, she effectively brings across “how to write a story”

In between workshops, we walked and hiked the beautiful Irish countryside. Our guide was Dara Malloy, a wonderful man who knows the Irish landscape like the back of his hand. Dara was once a Catholic priest and now calls himself a Celtic Priest/Monk. He is married with children. He studies Celtic mythology and celebrates it with Pre-Christian rituals.

The most beautiful hike of all was to the top of Dun Aonghasa. Dun Aonghasa dates back to 1100 B.C. and is the most famous of several prehistoric forts. It lies on Inishmore at the edge of a 100 metre high cliff. You'll see from the pictures how one would feel on top of the world looking out over the Great and Wild Atlantic.

One of the events that took place in the midst of our writing retreat was a renewal of wedding vows. Riana and Johann, the couple from South Africa were on holiday together, they’ve been married 14 years and decided to renew their vows while in Ireland. Dara in all his loveliness officiated over the ceremony. Riana invited the 11 of us in the writing group to join them as her bridesmaids. It was held outside at an ancient church that dates back to the 7^th century.

Inis Mor is the largest of the three Aran Islands, located on the West of Ireland off the coast of Galway. It's about 8 miles long and 2 1/2 miles wide. There are 14 villages and three cemeteries. We stayed at the “Kilmurvey Place” a lovely big bed and breakfast home. There are a few shops, restaurants and pubs, and it appears everyone knows one another. Population on the island is about 840. As you’ll see in the pictures below, Inis Mor is an amazing beauty.

We also spent two days in Doolin. We were scheduled to take the ferry from Inis Mor to Doolin at the end of the week, however due to gale winds and rain showing up that night and early morning the ferry was cancelled. After we arrived by bus, and saw the port the ferry would have come into we were grateful it was cancelled. Due to the weather we missed the walk through the Burren as planned but the Cliffs of Moher the next day, more than made up for it. The weather in Ireland has been known to change from minute to minute.

Saying good-bye was certainly the hardest part of the trip. There we were, all of us with hundreds of pictures, emails exchanged and a story to write. We all promised to stay in touch, there was no doubt we had made friends for a lifetime.

I am still in awe of the fact that I spent the past week with such amazing women. All who have traveled, toured the world, to many places I too have been but so many more I have yet to discover.

Wise women, passionate women, and oh such funny women… Never… ever have I laughed like this before. (you know who you are.)

Women who not only grace others with their presence as they walk through life but have made themselves part of this wonderful world we live in.

Oh what a week I’ve had!