A Week of Road Tripping!

It has been a week or so since I last checked in with all my faithful blog readers!  Tanner and I were on what the Irish refer to as holiday and what we know as vacation!  Because we were given a week off of school, Tanner and I decided to take the time to travel around the Green Isle.  We left early on the morning of October 26^th along with our friends Eric and Mary Whyte and Shelly Boyd that we have met here at Bible School.  Eric and Mary are a lovely married couple from Canada, and they only live two doors down from us in Student Housing.  We have been truly blessed by their friendship and are looking forward to the many more months ahead of spending time with one another!  Shelley is from a town here in Northern Ireland called Hillsborough!  She is so fun and Tanner and I are so grateful for her friendship.  She loves us really well as she is always willing to drive Tanner and I to the grocery store or the doctor’s office or the bank . . . you name it!  But, not only does Shelley drive us places and help us settle into life here in Northern Ireland, she is an amazing friend full of encouraging words and thoughtful insight into what God is doing in my life especially!  I am simply blown away by God’s goodness in brining these wonderful friends into our lives. 

  

 

Eric, Mary, Shelley, Tanner and I all set out on this road trip on Monday morning in Shelley’s little 2-door car.  So . . . to say it was a bit “tight” in the car is a slight understatement.  With all of our bags, coats, boots, cameras . . . and the food bag of course, we were packed in like a little can of sardines.  On Monday we drove from Belfast, Northern Ireland to Cork, Ireland (by way of Dublin).  We only passed through Dublin, but Tanner and I plan on going back soon to visit.  We made it to Cork in about 4 ½ hours . . . not too bad.  We even made our own Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches on the way to save money on lunch.  Shelley had never heard of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich.  I guess it isn’t a very popular sandwich here.  We explained that in North America a lot of kids take Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches to school with them to eat for lunch.  She thought it was hilarious.  But, I think she enjoyed her sandwich.  After arriving in Cork, we spent the rest of the evening exploring the city center!

On Tuesday morning, October 27^th, we woke up nice and early and headed to the Blarney Castle, which is right outside of Cork.  This is where the infamous Blarney Stone is located.  The weather was a bit foggy and misty, but that is actually a good day here in Ireland . . . so we have learned to be thankful for mist as opposed to torrential downpours!  The Castle was beautiful and we climbed all the way to the top!  All of us kissed the Blarney Stone . . . well all of us but one certain Tanner Richards who claims he has a bit of Irish heritage!  How is that even Irish . . . going all the way to Blarney Castle and NOT kissing the Blarney Stone.  As you can see in the photos below . . . it is a bit of a challenge kissing the Blarney Stone as you have to bend backwards over this little opening looking straight down to kiss the stone . . . a little bit freaky!  Anyways, we had a really fun time exploring the Castle and the gardens around it.  We found some wonderful little waterfalls . . . absolutely brilliant. 

 

 

 

Afterwards we all piled back into the car, made our Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches again and headed toward a town called Killarney.  While in Killarney, we visited another Castle, The Ross Castle.  The Castle sits right on water and it is gorgeous.  We were there right about Sunset, so we were able to sneak a few photos in before the sun said goodnight.  Speaking of the sun setting, it gets dark here around 5 pm.  I know it gets dark early in the winter back home, but MY GOODNESS.  It is hard to stay energetic after Sunset when it is so dark. 

 

From Killarney we headed to a small town called Ballinskellig on the South West coast of Ireland.  We spend Tuesday evening in a hostel there and enjoyed the coastal view when we awoke on the morning of the 28^th.  We spent the morning exploring the coast, taking some fun photos of Castle ruins.  We even ventured up a few roads to the top of this beautiful hill for a stunning view of the coast!  There were quaint cottages at the top of the hill that are available for artists, authors, musicians, etc. to rent for time of rest and inspiration to further their particular art form.  How cool is that!  

 

 

 

So, from Ballinskellig we headed over to the Dingle Peninsula to the town of Inch and Dingle!  We stopped in the town of Inch to take photos of the beach . . . too bad it was too cold to go for a swim!  It would have been fun to spend a day simply relaxing on the beach, soaking in the rays . . . but the clouds were doing their best to restrict the sunlight.  And from Inch we headed to Dingle to try and spot the infamous Dolphin named Funghi that lives in Dingle Bay.  However, we arrived about an hour too late for the Dolphin cruise that takes you out to look for the Dolphin.  From Dingle we headed to Limerick for our next pit stop of our trip.  We didn’t do much in Limerick other than eat at a classic Irish Pub.  We had a great meal while listening to live traditional Irish music!  Tanner and I loved it!

 

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On Thursday morning, October 29^th, we headed from Limerick to The Cliffs of Mohr on the West coast of Ireland.  The drive was beautiful . . . all the driving we did was absolutely stunning!  Sometimes I would look out of my window and see small mountains rolling into the sea, while other times I would notice miles and miles of the greenest pastures full of sheep.  When we arrived at The Cliffs of Mohr, we spent a few hours exploring.  We walked along the nicely cemented and well-guarded path along the cliff’s edge until we came to a sign warning, “Do not cross beyond this barrier.”  Well . . . there were loads of other tourists passing beyond the barrier, and being in a group of adventurous youngsters, we too decided to cross the barrier.  Ok . . . time for my disclaimer . . . just because I was one of the five in this group of adventurous youngsters DOES NOT mean I wanted to cross beyond this sign to walk on a slippery, muddy path less than 10 feet away from falling off the cliffs!  NO THANK YOU!  But, I tried my hardest to be a trooper.  Well, about five minutes into our little hike, after I had already yelled about 3 times at those in our group to be careful and watch what they were doing because I was so paranoid someone was going to get hurt, I simply broke down in tears.  I mean . . . I lost it . . . and I was so embarrassed.  Tanner sat with me for a while and then we turned around and walked back to the safety that is cemented and guarded walkways!  It was crazy . . . seriously . . . there were times that you were only a few feet away from falling off of Ireland! 

 

 

 

From the Cliffs of Mohr we headed to Galway!  Galway is a great town . . . we had loads of fun wandering the streets and finding a good place to eat.  Again, we ended up enjoying some fabulous traditional Irish music at the Spanish Acres Pub.  After spending the night in Galway, we headed on Friday morning to perhaps my favorite stop of the entire trip, Kylemore Abbey and Gardens.  From Galway, we drove another 1 ½ hours West through amazing fields and more stunning scenery, until we came upon the Kylemore Abbey.  The Kylemore Abbey has been the home of Benedictine Nuns since around the time of World War I.  This beautiful castle sits on a lake and we enjoyed walking all around the premises, visiting the Abbey, the Church and the Victorian Gardens.  I am not exaggerating when I say this place was in the middle of nowhere!  There was an absolute serenity and peace as we spent time exploring the Kylemore Estate!  If you are ever afforded the opportunity to travel to West Ireland . . . try and visit the Kylemore Abbey.  It was definitely worth the drive out!

 

 

 

We headed home Friday night, and were back in Belfast by midnight!  The trip seemed to fly by.  Tanner and I were not only blessed to see more of God’s beauty through nature, only further falling in love with our God and His absolute creativity, but we were also blessed by Eric, Mary and Shelley and the conversations we had all throughout Ireland.  We still can’t believe that we are really in Northern Ireland, that our dreams are actually becoming reality.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting us on this journey . . . especially for all your prayers.  It is our prayer that we continue to seek after God’s will for our lives and that we will continue to be available and used by God to be living testaments of His grace and goodness!

 

Comments

[Laura Berg]

What a fun holiday! I loved the photos! Your descriptions remind me of the scenery in "P.S. I Love You".

See you stateside!

[Deborah Chastain]

Wow! You sure packed alot into that week! :0) We lived in Limerick-so you just visited all our old favorite haunts. I must've been to the Cliff of Moher 15 times-and Dingle is one of my favorite places-and Kylemore Abbey-there's an amazing hike nearby with 360 views out to the sea and looking down on Kylemore. One of my favorites (if you head back south) is the Rock of Cashel and at the base, Hore Abbey ruins. Which pub did you go to in Limerick? Was it Dolan's? Blayne used to play in a session (he was getting his master's in Trad Irish Music) there. Our lives there completely revolved around traditional Irish music sessions and tunes. Not a bad way to spend a school year ;0)

So thrilled y'all are getting to have the experience of being there. And so glad for the ready Christian community you have there-that was a big struggle for us to find in Limerick. Your pics made me a little "homesick" for our time there-including the tiny car-we had a 93 Nissan Micra!! And the weather-its funny how your definition of a "fine day" changes after living there for a bit!

[anonymous]

You two are truly blessed! I could read your updates all day long. You are such a wonderful writer and I love those photos. Hope you continue to enjoy your time in Ireland.

[Anonymous]

Emily,
I have always wanted to visit Ireland, and now after reading your blog I am that much more hoping to travel there. It seems like God has really surrounded you with special people during your stay at school. I'm sure those friendships will last a lifetime. Your skill in writing and your desire to share is so inspirational, keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing, and know that we are praying for you guys. Blessings!

[Tiffany]

What a blessing for you and your husband and what a wonderful opportunity you all have! Be thankful unto God each and every moment.

[Stacie Bosquez]

Sounds like and looks like an amazing trip. The picture are wonderful and I love the ones that are b & w with a little color. Thanks for sharing your journey.
God Bless

[Stacie Bosquez]

BTW - I probably would have cried too. I hate things like that.

[Vanessa Schaecher (from Nebraska)]

Emily...so good to hear that you & Tanner had such a good vacation! Glad you got to experience some of the specialness of Ireland & enjoy time together and with friends. Loved seeing all the pictures too! Thanks for sharing your stories and pictures with us. You & Tanner continue to be in my prayers. May God continue to fill you up as you seek Him.

Vanessa:)
Lincoln, NE

[yogamama]

Thanks for sharing so much of your amazing time in Ireland!!! It sounds like God has you on quite the great adventure! :-)

and like Stacie, I would have cried too! Kudos to Tanner for being a 'good' husband!

you are loved!
millie and the boys

ps. I'm so looking forward to seeing your mom next weekend. i'll give her some Sbux Via to send to you :-)

[Sherry]

Thank you Emily for taking us on your journey!I LOVE details, and you made me feel like I was right there.

You are so blesssed to be able to experience such a beautiful place and to have adventure along the way. I look forward to more stories and details!

[Mary]

Emily, Enjoyed your post, sounds like you had a great time. I have been to Ireland a few times and to most of the places you mentioned. And for the record,when my friends climbed over the wall at the Ciffs, I refused to go. I video taped the whole episod and could be heard saying over in over "Please be careful,Lord protect them." each time my voice getting more and more nervous. Glad you all arrived home safe. Isn't Ireland the best?

[Tanya Robinson]

Emily,

What a seriously awesome adventure.....maybe even a GREAT ADVENTURE! :-) Yeah, corny, I know..... God bless you! Praying for you all the time!

Tanya

[santi]

beautiful church.. hmm..

[Stacy Romaine (formerly Batson)]

Emily,
I do not know if you remember me, but I was your counselor at K-Kountry. I just wanted to let you know how proud of you I am and how amazing it is seeing the woman of God you have grown into. May God continue to be your heartbeat. God bless.

[Cindi M.]

Thanks,Emily,for taking us along for the ride.

Do you think your family will visit while you're in Ireland?

[Diane]

AMAZING!!! You are a great writer like your parents. I can really get a picture of the Great Adventure you're on.
I might be off here but it is VERY understandable that you would be sensitive to safety.
Thanks for sharing and God Bless!

[Claudine T in MD]

(((Emily)))

I am SO happy that you and Tanner have met such wonderful people to share your journey with...and to see such beautiful places God created!

I shared this on your mom's comments too this morning, as I was praying for your family:

Jesus said, "I will SEE you again and you WILL rejoice, and NO ONE will take away your JOY." John 16:22

Spring IS Coming,

Claudine T

[Lydia]

I'm Jealous! I want to go to Ireland so bad! Looks like loads of fun!

Many blessings,
Lydia

www.livinglife4jesuschrist.blogspot.com

[lori in nc]

Thanks for the update!! I love reading your updates from Ireland. Enjoyed your dad at the WOF in Greensboro, NC on Friday night. You guys take care and I know you are loving your time there...

[Becky Russell]

Oh how I love you and your family! Your blog posts are encouraging and so "real". Even as your walk with God and each other grows stronger and deeper, you will look back at this time in your life as one of the best.
Becky

[Evie Brown]

We have dear friends who are missionaries at a camp in Annalong, N. Ireland. They would love to have you if you want a weekend away. It's called Mullartown House! Also you must make sure to head to the north coast and see Giant's Causeway. Amazing sight to see!
God Bless You!

[Jen]

Love following your journey with your man :). My husband and I got married and drove 6000 miles from Alaska to Georgia to go to Bible College! IT was so good to be independant for a while and become family! I mean, we didnt go to another country....but we never got to visit our family either cause it was so FAR! Those years were the best in our 13 so far! ENJOY :)Now we are in Tennessee and actually just visited Show HOpe to take our daughter in to meet the gang and say thanks! Love that place. I'm sure you miss it but this time away is so precious!

[Krista O'Donnell]

Hi Emily!

I've thoroughly enjoyed looking at your pictures and reading about the blessed time you've been having so far! I was able to visit Ireland while I was studying over in London, and the beauty amazed me! You can truly see God's eye for beauty every time you look around. The land has such a mysterious feel...it just makes sense that so much folklore abounds! I was able to visit the Dingle Peninsula, The Cliffs of Mohr and Killarney as well...all so unique and beautiful...and the Blarney Stone is super awkward to kiss! Doesn't make for a very flattering picture. =) We were able to hear an Irish storyteller in Killarney and it was one of my fav. experiences! I would def. recommend it! However, just sitting in a pub, eating traditional Irish stew and listening to traditional Irish music is pretty incomparable. =) I hope you continue to enjoy your time and have loads of 'craic'! Haha...I'm sure you're familiar with that term by now. God bless!

[Joanie]

Emily...love your pictures! I've always felt drawn to Ireland & after seeing your pics I can see why...it truly looks like God fingertips must of touched that country...so beautiful & different. You have such an awesome life's journey ahead of you & Tanner. May you grow even closer in knowing the Father's heart in the months to come...keep leading the way for those who follow...though it may not always be easy...you'll never know till heaven the lives you are touching & changing...God bless...Joanie

[Hillary Haynes]

Emily, I so enjoy reading your posts about your time in Ireland. I envy what you and Tanner are doing, and love reading about it, and even more so, seeing the pictures. I am a photographer and hope to travel someday and get pics like you are showing. Take care and God bless the both of you!