Week four (June 25th-30th):

New week, more adventures.  What better to start a new week than with an 18 hour day trip to the Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry definitely needs more than one day to really enjoy all of it. I saw some of the bluest waters and most spectacular views.  The train ride home was also worth noting.  It consisted of another Skype call home to view a sporting event but instead of Ireland playing, it was Croatia.  My family is from Croatia so this game was a must see for me.  However, being on a train traveling from one side of Ireland to the other apparently is not enough time to watch a Euro Cup game.  I am so dedicated to this sport (remember my family is a ride or die soccer family) that I actually watched the end of the game in the Dublin train station.  No shame.

After yesterday’s Croatia craze, Ireland played France in the Euro Cup. A group of us headed to the famous pub, The Bleeding Horse (I mean, where else would we go?), to watch the game. Although Ireland lost and was officially out of the running for Euro Cup Champions, the atmosphere was great. After the game we headed to Zaytoon, which is a Persian food place, followed by dining at Bunsen’s a few hours later.  Warning, Bunsen’s has its own cooking scale for their burgers so be sure to ask what their medium is because you may end up being served very red meat.  I have to order my burgers medium well there.  On my way back I met up with my classmate Matt and we explored more of the night life Dublin had to offer.

Our professor took us to Kilmainham Gaol on Wednesday where we learned about how there was an increase in the population of the Gaol during the potato famine. People wanted to be in the Gaol at that time because while they were there they had to be fed. The gaol became so packed that women and children would sleep in the hallways.  Later in the week, we made our way back to Howth.  While the other students went to a radio tower in Howth, I walked around the city and explored.  I wondered down two piers and go caught in the pouring rain, again. While I was there I met a dog that was so well trained. The owner had him sit on a ledge and then walked down the pier and the dog just sat there and waited for his command. After walking around the city we had our goodbye dinner at the Doghouse.

#someonepleasetakemebacktoireland