Reclaiming Ireland

I know that I am not Irish. But, apart of me feels like I owned it. It was my Ireland. I knew tons of places to enjoy nature and life. There were high crosses and unprotected cliff paths to explore. Finding coves, rock beaches, and ruins were the way I spent my afternoons in Kilkenny. But, I feel like I lost that sense of adventure when I decided to put more time into one relationship. I still did some of that stuff, but it was much less. I put my time and energy into something else. I also shared these places I loved with someone who crushed me. So, in a way, I feel like I lost some of the places that I loved. This trip I took a day to reclaim the places I love. Margaretha and I went to Anne’s town beach and walked the cliff path. We went to Standbally Cove. When I got there, I was overcome by a sense of sadness about the promises that were said and broken. I composed a letter in my mind that I will never send. It spoke of hurt, grief, and lost visions. I had to shake off that mood because it is not fun to travel with someone who is sad. It took me sometime, but seeing Jennifer and helping her with the ceremony made a huge difference in my mood. Now, I just want to raise a pint to lovely memories in lovely places; to the old and new; to staying true to myself; and to not losing hope. Slàinte!

Jennifer's Re-wedding

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Second chances are necessary in life for friends and lovers. That is why I really appreciate Jennifer and Garry doing a second wedding celebration here in Ireland. It gave me an opportunity to be apart of their joy and excitement. I wanted to go to the first wedding in October 2011, but by the time I was looking for tickets, I was also moving into my new place, which caused me to bleed money. During this time, I was also feeling weird about going because the only person I really knew was Jennifer, and I thought I would be in the way.  I doubt that would have been the case, but like I said, I was feeling weird. My official thanks go out to Jennifer and Garry for their lovely celebration yesterday night at Stephen James Stephen hurling Club in Kilkenny. It was a lovely affair. I went over early to help Jennifer get into her dress. Then, after helping bring cakes to the club, I had to dive Garry back to the house because he had forgotten his wedding ring. HE had taken it off in the shower and just a few minutes before the ceremony started Jennifer realized it was gone. We ran back to the house. It was great to be able to spend the 10 minutes with Garry. I am happy that Jennifer found such a wonderful man. They had a renewal of their vows. Garry’s twin sisters Margaret and Ellen read the readings from the wedding. They lit a unity candle, and said ‘I do’ all over again. Then, there were sandwiches, sausages, and sweets. By the end of the night, when the crowd had thinned out a bit, we enjoyed dancing with the bride and groom. It was all a bit of good craic.

Narvik, Norway

Train left abisko at 11:45. It was a great day. We got a map from the tourist station by the railroad and we were hungry so we went and got a pizza. It was delicious, warm, and vegetarian like all of our meals. Then we went to a look out point that you could see all of Narvik. We went to a tourist shop and the things were very similar to sweden except they said Norway instead of Sweden.   It was a beautiful train ride through themountains. Narvik is on the Norwegian Sea. We then returned at 3:14. Margaretha is a great friend and a wonderful person to travel with. 

Some more pictures of the area

Picture one- Just near the river. There are cows everywhere! Dairy is a huge industry.
Picture two- The new friary. There is a bridge the connects it to the old one at the back of the building. It is used now by all sorts of groups. There is a child care center located in it, and theater groups will use it.
Picture three and four- this is called the cross. West street intercests with Green Lane here. The Vaughans is a great place for hamburgers or fish and chips. They serve the great garlic cheese chips. Then there is a pub and another take away shop, but it is not as good. There is a newer coffee shop here also called 'The Cross Cafe'. The green pole there is actually a post box. I think it is super cute. The building next to Vaughan's is a charity shop called Hunter Gatherer. I got a great braclet there today.

Callan Augustinian Friary, known locally as the "Abbey Meadow"

The Callan Augustinian Friary is an Augustinian friary situated in Callan, Co Kilkenny, Ireland. It is known locally as the "Abbey Meadow" and is located to the north-east of the town, on the banks of the Kings River. The new Augustinian Friary located in the town via the river is connected to the Abbey.

Edmund Butler of Pottlerath, a noted patron of literature, successfully petitioned Pope Pius II for the foundation of the friary in 1461. After Edmund died in 1462, the actual buildings were erected by his son, James, probably after 1467 when he received a papal dispensation to marry his concubine, to whom he was related.

In 1472 the friary became observant—its community adopted the fashion then spreading across Europe for the strictest observance of the monastic rules — and in 1479 it became the center of the Irish Observant Congregation.

After it was closed (dissolved) and its lands confiscated by the order of Henry VIII in his campaign against the church, it passed into the hands of the Earls of Ormonde. A new monastery for the Augustinian friars was founded in the town of Callan in 1766.

The friary church is a long, rectangular building with a central bell-tower. The east end or choir, is lit by a fine east window and in its south wall is one of the finest sedelias (a seat for officiating priests) in Ireland.

The domestic buildings and the cloister court no longer survive. However, a freshwater well still remains on the grounds of the abbey.

 For my first walk in Callan, I walked over the the Fiary. I love this old building. It is in the middle of a great big field with a lot of paths to walk on. It was great to go all over it. It still has a running well on the grounds and I took some video of that, but I need to get it off of my phone. I looked up the above history on it, because I did not really know the detail about it.

Pictures

The first picurte is of the new house called An Solas. It is HUGE! But, it is great because it was made specially for L'Arche so it has everything that the core members need. The second is the new Chalets that the ladies live in. They are super cute, and I would not actually mind living in them. The last picture is of a bar in Kilkenny that I love the name and the whole look of it. It just is so Irish! Love it. 

Strange thigs are afoot at the Circle K

So I finally found my bag. I went to tea this morning-well before I was informed they would be here. I call at 2pm the baggage department. After waiting on hold for about 20 minutes, the Aer Lingus man tells me that the delivery service left it in Callan. This is the message I get, "I dropped with your neighbor. An old woman one and a half doors down." The Aer Lingus man asks me if that maked any sense. Hell no, it does not make sense, but I go all around Callan, knocking on strangers doors, asking about my bag, and getting a number of confused people. At least, if I didn't know them before I now know the whole of Callan. Thank God for hospitality, concern, and the good intentions of the people who live here. And what service would not leave a note or call if it had done that. There was nothing at all from the service. How strange? But, I finally found the neighbor with my bag. She saw me as I was knocking on the door and she happened to be walking up. She said, "Are you looking for your luggage?" Thank God. I was able to get a shower and wash my hair. What a luxury!

I am just a ghost in this house.

"I'm just a ghost in this house. I'm all that is left of two hearts on fire." This is the refrain to the song called "Ghost in this House" by Allison Krauss and Union Station. I love this song, but today it has been repeating in my head as a rattle around the house I use to call home. SO I am back in Ireland, as of yesterday. Here is the Kilkenny Castle taken from the bus as I passed. My flight here was not terrible, but I only slept for an hour. I could not really get comfortable or sleepy enough to drift though the uncomfort. But, I had a very short time in London, and so my bag did not make it with me. I am here today waiting for a service to bring me my bag. Unfortunately, as of now 1:45 on Saturday, there is still no sign of my bag. I am jumping every time I think I hear the door.

This morning, when I knew that my bag would not come here, I went to have tea with Mary. Mary is the lady that I used to be her personal assistant- or in L'Arche terms her reference person. She is now living in a flat by herself, and she is a new woman! She is so happy to have her own space and have control over it. They have built a new house, which was specifically designed for L@Arche it is really beautiful. The Irish government is not funding any more people with disabilities to come and live here, so they have two rooms in the house that are empty, but could have core members. It is weird how similar the situation is all over the world.

I think this song has really stuck with me today because so many thing here are the same, but nothing feels that same. Enough has changed that I feel unfamiliar with it all. I always knew that is was the relationships that made up L'Arhce, and now that I am alone today waiting for my bag, I think it just triggered a lot of good memories of times spent here. I think I will get a cuppa now and read a book, praying to St. Anthony that my bag finds me.   

A New Year

It has been a long, long time. But, now it is 2012. How has my year of rebirth gone? Hit and miss... like most things. I had more to say. Deeper... things of the heart, but now it all seems too personal.... So, I'm here. I'm working on it. Still....