What I Learnt On My Irish Vacation

The Cliffs of Moher

1.  I do not know what old is…We asked about the age of a cathedral and the guide said “It’s new, built in the 18^th century...”

2.  If you have trouble immediately knowing your right from your left, it is exponentially exacerbated when you drive on the left-hand side of the road and are asked which way to turn next…I said the wrong direction 1,254 times. 

3.  Irish people are some of the friendliest people in the whole wide world.

4.  I do not like straight whisky.

5.  I do, however, like Irish coffee.

6.  Lambs are pure joy.  I’m convinced they set the standard for joy when God first created joy.

7.  Sheep run from the sound of a human voice.

8.  You don’t have to pay the VAT tax as a tourist…you can apply to get all taxes paid back to you.  

9.  “Half eight” is not four.  It is 8:30.

10.  Irish people eat a lot of “chips”…otherwise known as french fries.  They serve them with everything…even pizza.  Chips are called crisps.

11.  If it’s raining now, it won’t be in a wee bit.

12.  The Easter Rising for Ireland’s independence was 100 years ago…we went to a centenary celebration and learnt so much.

13.  An Irish breakfast is heavy on the protein…translation:  so much meat.

14.  Most Irish children are not chained to “entertainment”.  We spent several hours outside (rain and sunshine) at the Easter Rising celebration with many speeches and lots of music.  Literally hundreds of children of all ages played and chased and entertained themselves and we did not see a tablet or phone filled with games, babysitting a single child.  It was refreshing.

15.  Irish people are not afraid to talk to strangers…they will stop you in the street to chat.  I met a few characters that will most certainly appear in my writing someday.

16.  Castles are everywhere…in sheep fields, on the side of a winding road, in the yard of a more modern house…We imagined people saying, “I have an abandoned castle in my yard, no big deal”

17.  The Irish brogue is beautiful.

18.  The Irish love America…Americans…all things American.

19.  Irish people look surprised when you tell them what a beautiful country they have.  I suppose if you’ve lived there forever and have admired photos of other places, you might forget.

20.  Early barrel makers are some of the hardest-working people on earth…learnt that at the Guiness Storehouse.

21. Irish people love sweets.

22.  They do not, however, put maple syrup on their pancakes…and they eat a lot of pancakes.

23.  There is no definable border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.  You just arrive.  You can tell you’re there when the currency changes from Euro to Pound Sterling. 

24.  The conflicts in Belfast are still brewing right under the surface.  I understand it a bit better after taking a black cab tour around the “troubled” area.  It was eye-opening. 

25.  The Titanic museum in Belfast is worth every red pence.

We had a fabulous trip...we fell in love with Ireland.  We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to visit! 

*Learnt is an Irish/English word for those cringing spelling/grammar nazi's...relax...it's okay... :)