Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Greetings from the Mississippi State Wind Ensemble and entourage in the Republic of Ireland.
After more than 24 hours of traveling that included five and a half hours on a bus, two airplane flights totaling a combined 9 hours, multiple hours of waiting at intermittent periods, the Mississippi State Wind Ensemble and entourage arrived in Shannon, Ireland, shortly after 10 a.m. today. We immediately met our tour operator and boarded two motorcoaches for what would be one of the most scenic bus trips many of us had ever experienced.
Leaving Shannon, we began weaving our way through the scenic County Claire, our bus drivers providing us with a variety of interesting facts on everything ranging from the Irish economy to tidbits about the various towns and villages through which we passed.
Almost immediately, we took notice of a golden flowering plant that was growing along the roadway. Called “furze,” the golden flowers bloom in May and September. As our motorcoaches traversed the countryside, we all had to become used to seeing the driver on the right side of the vehicle while driving on the left side of the road – a complete change from America. The narrow roads, too, often meant that our buses would slow down as smaller vehicles approached to let them pass. A lot of compact cars are driven here – we have yet to see anything larger than a Honda Accord, though some of the students spotted an American pickup – with the driver on the left side of the truck – as we entered Galway.
Interesting facts we learned about Ireland included:
The Emerald Isle, as it is popularly nicknamed, is actually two separate countries – The Republic of Ireland, which dominates most of the isle and operates independently from British rule, and Northern Ireland, which is still under the auspices of the British government. The Republic of Ireland has enjoyed self-government since 1922.
The Republic of Ireland has a population of some 4 million people and is divided into 26 counties. Of the major cities, the capital, Dublin, has a population of more than 1.3 million people, in comparison to Cork, with a population of 150,000, and Galway, with a population of around 75,000.
Agriculture and tourism are the predominant industries on the island.
Late American country singer Johnny Cash, we’ve discovered, is quite popular here. According to one of our bus drivers, P.J., he once wrote a song called “40 Shades of Green” that was inspired by a train trip he took across the island nation. Many street performers we heard around Galway could be found singing Cash songs. It was quite interesting hearing “Ring of Fire” with the distinctive Irish brogue.
As we traveled from Shannon to Galway today, we passed through several small towns with many and interesting name and story behind them – towns with names like Ennistymon, Lahinder, Locannor, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, Kimvara. Each town had its own story to tell.
Locannor, for example, is the birthplace of J.P. Holland, the inventor of the submarine. Along the main thoroughfare through the city, one can spot a metal-cast statue of Holland in a submarine on the street corner outside a local hotel.
Lisdoonvarna is known as “Spa Town” because of the natural spring wells there that boast water said to have unique healing properties. The town is also famous for its annual matchmaking festival.
Our first major stop on our travels is the Cliffs of Moher, which are located near Locannor. Jutting some 650 feet above the Atlantic, the Cliffs boast magnificent views in several directions with a variety of avian life found there. Standing atop one of the cliffs is O’Brien Tower, a turreted tower which history says was used to watch for invaders. The tower is named for the family that dominates the immediate region around the cliffs in Locannor. The visitors center there is built into the side of hills there and boasts restaurants, an interpretive exhibit and gift shop.
After leaving the Cliffs of Moher, we next traveled through a region known as the Burren, which is famous for its significant limestone hills. The story is that following the Ice Age, the melting ice and resulting water eroded away the top soil, revealing the huge limestone deposits below the ground. Limestone, we’ve found, is everywhere, used in building churches, homes, fences, etc.
Upon arrival in Galway, we rode along the Galway Bay Promenade to the Salthill area of the city where our hotel is located. The Promenade was bustling with people into the late evening hours – the sun was still out until after 9:30 p.m. – who were walking, jogging, sitting on the beach, and yes, swimming. The temperatures have been in the upper 70s Fahrenheit, which sent many of the younger Irish lads and lasses out to the beach for wading or a dip in some COLD water.
Our dinner included a choice of smoked turkey and ham with gravy and cranberry sauce or smoked haddock with assorted side vegetables including a variation on twice-baked potatoes, steamed zucchini, what we believed was carrot souffle’, English peas and new potatoes. For dessert, we enjoyed chocolate profiterole or rice pudding.
After dinner, many of us took in a Riverdance-style show playing at our hotel, while others went walking along the Promenade and into the Galway Town Centre, which is full of quaint shops, pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.
Greetings from the Mississippi State Wind Ensemble and entourage in the Republic of Ireland.
After more than 24 hours of traveling that included five and a half hours on a bus, two airplane flights totaling a combined 9 hours, multiple hours of waiting at intermittent periods, the Mississippi State Wind Ensemble and entourage arrived in Shannon, Ireland, shortly after 10 a.m. today. We immediately met our tour operator and boarded two motorcoaches for what would be one of the most scenic bus trips many of us had ever experienced.
Leaving Shannon, we began weaving our way through the scenic County Claire, our bus drivers providing us with a variety of interesting facts on everything ranging from the Irish economy to tidbits about the various towns and villages through which we passed.
Almost immediately, we took notice of a golden flowering plant that was growing along the roadway. Called “furze,” the golden flowers bloom in May and September. As our motorcoaches traversed the countryside, we all had to become used to seeing the driver on the right side of the vehicle while driving on the left side of the road – a complete change from America. The narrow roads, too, often meant that our buses would slow down as smaller vehicles approached to let them pass. A lot of compact cars are driven here – we have yet to see anything larger than a Honda Accord, though some of the students spotted an American pickup – with the driver on the left side of the truck – as we entered Galway.
Interesting facts we learned about Ireland included:
The Emerald Isle, as it is popularly nicknamed, is actually two separate countries – The Republic of Ireland, which dominates most of the isle and operates independently from British rule, and Northern Ireland, which is still under the auspices of the British government. The Republic of Ireland has enjoyed self-government since 1922.
The Republic of Ireland has a population of some 4 million people and is divided into 26 counties. Of the major cities, the capital, Dublin, has a population of more than 1.3 million people, in comparison to Cork, with a population of 150,000, and Galway, with a population of around 75,000.
Agriculture and tourism are the predominant industries on the island.
Late American country singer Johnny Cash, we’ve discovered, is quite popular here. According to one of our bus drivers, P.J., he once wrote a song called “40 Shades of Green” that was inspired by a train trip he took across the island nation. Many street performers we heard around Galway could be found singing Cash songs. It was quite interesting hearing “Ring of Fire” with the distinctive Irish brogue.
As we traveled from Shannon to Galway today, we passed through several small towns with many and interesting name and story behind them – towns with names like Ennistymon, Lahinder, Locannor, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, Kimvara. Each town had its own story to tell.
Locannor, for example, is the birthplace of J.P. Holland, the inventor of the submarine. Along the main thoroughfare through the city, one can spot a metal-cast statue of Holland in a submarine on the street corner outside a local hotel.
Lisdoonvarna is known as “Spa Town” because of the natural spring wells there that boast water said to have unique healing properties. The town is also famous for its annual matchmaking festival.
Our first major stop on our travels is the Cliffs of Moher, which are located near Locannor. Jutting some 650 feet above the Atlantic, the Cliffs boast magnificent views in several directions with a variety of avian life found there. Standing atop one of the cliffs is O’Brien Tower, a turreted tower which history says was used to watch for invaders. The tower is named for the family that dominates the immediate region around the cliffs in Locannor. The visitors center there is built into the side of hills there and boasts restaurants, an interpretive exhibit and gift shop.
After leaving the Cliffs of Moher, we next traveled through a region known as the Burren, which is famous for its significant limestone hills. The story is that following the Ice Age, the melting ice and resulting water eroded away the top soil, revealing the huge limestone deposits below the ground. Limestone, we’ve found, is everywhere, used in building churches, homes, fences, etc.
Upon arrival in Galway, we rode along the Galway Bay Promenade to the Salthill area of the city where our hotel is located. The Promenade was bustling with people into the late evening hours – the sun was still out until after 9:30 p.m. – who were walking, jogging, sitting on the beach, and yes, swimming. The temperatures have been in the upper 70s Fahrenheit, which sent many of the younger Irish lads and lasses out to the beach for wading or a dip in some COLD water.
Our dinner included a choice of smoked turkey and ham with gravy and cranberry sauce or smoked haddock with assorted side vegetables including a variation on twice-baked potatoes, steamed zucchini, what we believed was carrot souffle’, English peas and new potatoes. For dessert, we enjoyed chocolate profiterole or rice pudding.
After dinner, many of us took in a Riverdance-style show playing at our hotel, while others went walking along the Promenade and into the Galway Town Centre, which is full of quaint shops, pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.
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