The Road Trip

Day Three
As we left Doolin I had a great sense of sadness fall over me. Not because I was missing home but because I felt a deep connection there and did not want to leave. Ann, the hostel hostess at Allie River Hostel, was gracious, kind and very enjoyable. She did everything she could to make us feel at home. She introduced me to Francis Noel, who was an encyclopedia of local information, lore and the history of the area.

I took him to a local pub and bought him a pint as we sat down and he began telling me some stories. He went on to explain migration patterns of the Scotch-Irish and how it was the Irish who crossed over to Scotland, Northern Scotland and fought with the tribes of Picts. It would be later in history that some of those same Irish, now Scots would be brought back into what would be known as the Ulster Plantation of King Henry VIII. I sat mesmerized as he spun his tales and as we walked back to the hostel he told me from where he came.

His family is of the Weir, not to be confused with Wier of England, and how he came to be at the hostel in what started out as a night camping in a tent and his becoming a tenant there. He shared a story with Jill and we had such a grand time that we stayed an extra night in order to enjoy their company some more. I must confess that I did not want to leave Doolin, it was a place that seemed to call out to my soul.

The night before we left I hugged Noel long and firmly. He is a man of impeccable qualities and I hope to meet up with him in the future, I have a deep feeling we will be back there. Ann was just such a delight and I cannot say enough about her. This lady from Australia beamed of the qualities one would find in any good person and I found myself very drawn to her friendliness. Later during our stay we met Carl, the proprietor of the hostel, and he was a fine gentleman. He shared with me tips of the bodhran and even played mine for a few moments.

When all was said and done I went to bed dreaming of returning and hoping it would not be so long to do so. The morning greeted us with great weather, again, and we continued our road trip to Galway.

Day Four
Day four was an incredibly chilly morning, and day, as we sped onwards towards Budget car rentals in Galway to drop off the car. We had a deadline and needed to be there in time, fortunately for us our hostel was but a few steps away.

Tired from all the driving and walking we just chilled in the Eyre Square locale and had a pint, some good fish and chips and settled in for the lengthy bus ride the next day towards our final destination.

That word means so much more to me now. Destination, the final place one goes when they are on a journey, or Great Walk (Siúl Mór), to met up with whatever may come. I hold no expectations, I hold no disillusions as I promised myself to emulate a fellow classmate and be free to see what may come.

I have seen, thanks Ian.