My Day in Dingle

The final blog and my favorite day. Over the course of this trip, I've been to many places: Kilkenny, Dublin, 

Belfast, Galway, Killarney, Blarney, Ardmore, Lismore, and many places in between. My favorite day was during our West trip. On that day we went with our driver Tony pretty much around the Ring of Kerry. He stopped numerous times to let us take photos; he sung traditional Irish music for us on the bus, and told us stories of fairies, wild colonial boys, women from Ireland, and it was a wonderful experience.

We then went to Inch beach where we took some photos of the water and hung out for a bit. There was a billboard at Inch that read "DEAR INCH MUST I LEAVE YOU/ I HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP/ PERHAPS MILES TO GO/ TO MY LAST SLEEP" I absolute loved the poetry prominently displayed on the hillside at Inch and after that the day continued to get better. Tony asked us if we wanted to see lambs, we did so we went to a feeding area. There were lambs, sheep, goats, pigs, ponies, alpacas, etc. The experience was indescribable, and I loved every minute of it. To hold a lamb and have it fall asleep against you felt like you were the chosen one and I never wanted to let go... but I did, and the day continued. 

       When you have nothing more to say, just drive

       For a day all round the peninsula.

       The sky is tall as over a runway,

       The land without marks so you will not arrive

       But pass through, though always skirting landfall. 

This stanza and line bring me back to Dingle peninsula. Heaney is inviting the reader on a drive: one with an open sky and vast landscape that hasn't been tampered with because it's the "old" Ireland. He sends the reader to a limitless journey full of imagination that also keeps you grounded with nature. I felt all of these emotions during our day through Dingle and around the Ring of Kerry. When we finally arrived in the town of Dingle, I saw colorful buildings, ate an amazing fish fry and hung out with my friends. I wouldn't change this day for anything and I'm very grateful for my experience during these two months in Ireland.