The Year's at the Spring

Flower Pots at NUI Galway

After nine weeks of quiet, winter routine, spring and Nebraska Wesleyan University students arrived in Galway. 

Laurel Butler, Mishayla Richardson and Heidi Dammast arrived in Dublin on Saturday, March 19.  They met Desirae TePoel at the airport.  Desirae is studying abroad in Spain this semester and she and some friends made the trip to Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day.  She separated from her group for one day and night to spend some time with us.  I met the four NWU students at the coach station in Galway where they arrived safely, though short Mishayla’s suitcase. 

Saturday night we ate dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Galway, Il Folletto.  The choice of Italian felt right as Laural, Mishayla and Heidi had all taken my study abroad class in Florence, Italy in the summer of 2009.  Much to my chagrin, I retired before the travelers who really should have been asleep hours before me.

Sunday we walked and walked and walked and walked.  We started up the Corrib River to the Cathedral.  We then walked through the National University of Ireland Galway .  I told the students of a restaurant near the university called the Spud House where almost everything is served on a potato; it seemed an appropriate place for a meal in Ireland.  Unfortunately, the Spud House was closed.  We took a long walk into Salthill where we finally bought something to eat.  Renewed, we enjoyed the beautiful Salthill Promenade as we made our way back to my apartment along Galway Bay.   The day was quite sunny and reasonably warm.  Thankfully, Mishayla’s suitcase arrived that afternoon.  After dinner at the King’s Head, we went back to my apartment to gather up Desirae’s things and then we walked her to the coach station to say goodbye (sniff) for now. 

Mishayla, Heidi, Rachel, Desirae, Laurel

Rachel at one of the entrances to NUI Galway

Building at NUI Galway

Desirae, Laurel, Heidi, Mishayla, Rachel on the Salthill Promenade

My three remaining guests took a tour of Connemara on Monday, a trip to Inishmore on Tuesday and a tour to the Cliffs of Moher on Wednesday.  I worked on my book during the day and we all went to dinner when they returned.  Tuesday night we went to Monroe’s Pub for dinner and live traditional music and dancing.  We all loved it. 

Traditional Irish dancing at Monroe's Pub

Heidi, Rachel, Laurel, Mishayla at Monroe's

Heidi, Mishayla and Laurel are spending the last four nights of their trip in Dublin.  On the day they left Galway, we all ate blackberry pancakes at Ard Bia.  We also were able to do a little shopping in Galway. 

I so enjoyed having these students visit; they are terrific young women who brought a lot of energy with them.  We had many very interesting conversations.

My apartment is quiet again and I am returning, for now, to my routine.  Perhaps because I had grown used to people around, I found myself sending a few fairly lengthy and newsy emails on Friday morning. 

My routine is altering as spring makes itself more and more known in Galway.  I am anxious to spend time outside in the fresh air and I am walking later in the day. 

I leave for six days in Paris on Wednesday.  When I return, I begin the final push on my book.  My work is going well, but there is much left to do.  I anticipate that the Paris trip will renew and reinvigorate me. 

                        The year’s at the spring

                        And day’s at the morn;

                        Morning’s at seven;

                        The hillside’s dew-pearled;

                        The lark’s on the wing;

                        The snail’s on the thorn;

                        God’s in His heaven—

                        All’s right with the world!

                                                -Robert Browning