For those of us headed to the west, we had an early morning. We met right in front of the Molly Malone statue and hoped for a sunny day ahead. By 7:30 am we were off to Galway, a mere three hours away from Dublin. Upon arrival we switched buses and off we went to a farm in the mountains of Galway bay. This farm has been family owned and run for over 300 years, and now they run a small chocolate and tea shop. Our guide John welcomed us to hike up the hills covered in lime stone, and explained the hundreds of underground rivers that flow through the country. We also witnessed the tradition of the Irish fairy tree. In ancient times, people would tie ribbons and ropes on the tree and symbolically leave their troubles with the tree. On our hike off the mountain, John encouraged us to lay down and take a moment to ourselves to share in the sheer bliss of the country.
Our next stop was the Cliffs of Moher! Another 45 minutes down the road and we were at the cliffs! Captivated by their beauty, we stared in awe of the magnificence that surrounded us. Words cannot describe the absolute beauty that the cliffs radiate, some of us even left feeling closer than ever to God. This will forever remain a holy place in our hearts.
We then returned to Galway for a quick snack and some shopping for authentic Irish jewelry; Galway is a thriving city with an exciting and young population. After our quick trip, we headed back to Dublin and made it back around 9 pm. Did we mention it didn't rain once! Today was a truly blessed day.
For those of us who chose to stay in Dublin, we explored throughout the city on the hop-on, hop-off bus! It took us to see many of the sites we we're hoping to catch including Saint Patrick's Cathedral and The Guinness Factory. Ms. P, Christie and Jacqui were able to attend a RiverDance performance at a theater on Grafton Street! We also stopped at a local restaurant and visited out favorite store for souvenirs, Carrolls. Although we were sad our day was coming to an end, we were happy to enjoy some wonderful boxtys at Gallagher's for dinner. Leaving tomorrow is bittersweet, we love our friends from Gwynedd and Misericordia and spending time in Ireland, but we are excited to come home and share our stories filled with mercy and fun!