My First Night in Ireland

Maidin mhaith, gach duine!

I made it through my first night in Ireland. I checked into my hostel, took a quick shower, medicated my head cold, and then promptly went to sleep. I laid down about 4:30pm and managed to sleep pretty much straight through until 7:30 am this morning. It was glorious. I did wake up once last night around midnight, and I could hear someone playing a whistle off in the distance. The folklore part of me was amused, and I chuckled to myself, “I’ve been in Ireland for less than a day. It is far too early into my trip to be absconded by the Gentry.”

My room was small but nice. While it had a musty smell that reminded me of the grandmother’s old club house, the bed was very comfortable. I will be staying at Corrib Village again for my last two nights in Ireland. It is a scenic place and the staff are very friendly. Plus I get a free breakfast. What more could I want in a place to stay?

The common room in my hostel suite.

My hostel room as I was packing up this morning. Cozy but comfortable.

I had to check out of the hostel this morning at 10:00am (it is currently quarter past ten over here). My bus for An Cheathrú Rua doesn’t leave the University until 2:30pm; so, I am keeping myself busy over in the game room, which is right across from the registration office. They have WiFi over here, and I figure that I will spend the morning managing my online affairs (that means taking care of you, dear reader), as well as editing the Gaelic Fusion videos. The best part is that the WiFi reaches outside. As long as the power supply on my laptop remains in good spirits, I will be able to sit and enjoy the lovely breeze this morning.

This is my view this morning as I write this post. 'Sé radharc álainn é.

I figured out how to text from my email yesterday. While I cannot receive texts on my phone, I can email text people who then can reply to my email address [I think that’s how it works?]. It’s a pretty neat system. So, if I text you at 2:00am, you’re welcome and I love you.

I am excited to head off to the Gaeltacht this afternoon. Thus far, I have seen Irish signs but have not heard any Irish spoken. I have, however, heard quite a bit of Polish, especially at the shops downtown. From what I have been told, and pardon the political incorrectness of this statement, the Polish are Ireland’s Mexicans. Nevertheless, I still find it comforting to hear Polish; it kind of reminds of being back in Stevens Point.

Speaking of language, I had a very nice Irish gentleman ask me this morning for a biro. Of course, being a freshly imported American and not knowing much Irish slang—other than to never ask for a “ride”—I politely stared at him and asked, “I’m sorry, a what? I’m not familiar with that word.” I now know that biro = pen in Hiberno-English. Thankfully, I did have several pens with me and was able to lend one the nice man. Still, I’m such a damn Yank.

And now, to end this lovely post, here is a picture that best sums up my day yesterday:

Apparently, if you attempt to wheel your luggage the two-ish miles from the center of Galway City to Corrib Village, your wheels go from rounded, rubber-covered contraptions to disemboweled flattened dragging surfaces.

Safely Landed

I made it safely to Ireland. Flying with a head cold was definitely not the most graceful thing that I have ever done—changes in pressure while battling sinus problems just leads to disastrous headaches. Nevertheless, I made it and even managed to get a few hours of sleep on the plane.

I arrived in Shannon this morning at 7:30. From there I took Bus Éireann to Galway City. Along the way, I met a very nice family from Missouri, as well as several very friendly Irish people. So far everyone has been very kind and helpful. I am very grateful for that!

Traveling the Irish countryside this morning taught me two things:

1)      Irish speed limits are really just loose suggestions     

2)      The crows in Ireland could carry off a small child. Seriously, those things are huge. I can see why the Badb struck fear into people’s hearts!

After arriving in Galway City, I went about arranging my way to my hostel. I am staying at Corrib Village, a section of the University’s housing. I asked downtown at the information booth how to get to Corrib Village, and they told me that there was a regular shuttle bus that I could access. Well, I went to the pick-up location and no bus ever came. Drat. Oh well, it was a nice day outside and I decided to walk.

I ended up making my way around pretty much the entire campus before finally finding the back entrance to Corrib Village. Then I had to make my way all the way up to the registration house. It’s not that it was a bad it. I just sweat a lot and was rather moist by the time that I reached check-in. I figured, whatever, I’d shower once I got my room. Wrong.

I choose Corrib Village for a number of reasons: (1) It’s on campus which will help me out tomorrow as I will be leaving for An Cheathrú Rua from campus; (2) I was able to get a private room for cheap; and (3) there was a 24-hour check-in. Well, it seems that the last point was a bit exaggerated. Check-in is not until 4:00pm. So here I am at 12:15, full of sweat, wanting nothing more than a shower and a nap, and I am now sitting in the game room trying to slowly dry myself off—I am sure that I smell of foreign, German-bred despair.

Still, whatever. I am in Ireland! That’s the exciting part, no matter what my stench/moisture level is at. I am very excited to be here. It is absolutely lovely, even if a bit warm for my tastes. In fact, after posting this, I think that I may change my clothes quick in the bathroom and then go for a walk. Perhaps I will be able to find a watch. I hadn’t even thought to bring one, but seeing as I have no cell phone, I now have no way of telling what time it is or of setting an alarm. I may want/need those things in the near future.

Before I leave, though, here are some quick pictures that I took during my transits this morning. I have not heard any Irish spoken yet, but there are plenty of bilingual signs. Enjoy!

Bilingual sign at the airport bus station.

Bilingual sign from downtown Galway City.

Travel Plans

I’m going to Ireland tomorrow! Well, Thursday really. But still! Everything seems so much more real now that I am packing and getting all of the final odds and ends in order. It all kind of feels like a dream, but that could also be due to this nasty head cold that I am currently pushing through.

I am unbelievably exciting and grateful for the opportunity to go study in Ireland. At the same time, though, I am a bit sad to have to leave for a month. I mean, we just got a new house! Plus a month with no dance classes and no Josh will be challenging. But, realistically, I know that this is an incredible opportunity for me, and I could really not be happier.

Josh will be dropping me off tomorrow morning at the Chazen so that I can catch the Van Galder at 8:30am. The bus will take me right to the international gate at O’Hare. My first flight leaves at 2:00pm. I will fly to Newark and then have a three hour layover. Then it’s off to Ireland! If all goes well, I will come into Ireland at 7:00am on Thursday morning. After arriving in Ireland, I will take Bus Éireann from the Shannon Airport to Galway city. Then I’m sure that I’ll be off to the hostel for some sleep!

The first day is going to be a long one! But I am thinking that it won’t be too bad seeing as I am flying overnight. Hopefully I will be able to get some sleep. Also, I’ll hopefully be able to post a quick update on how things are going once I get to the hostel.

Until then, wish me luck!

And on the seventh day, there was internet!

We have internet at the house! Woohoo! Honestly, it was kind of nice to have a break from technology for a bit. It gave me enough time to get all of my stuff moved in and to get the house set up—well, the downstairs of the house, that is. Nevertheless, I am glad to be able to connect with people again, especially as I prepare to leave for Ireland in under 48 hours!

Josh and I closed on the house on Monday. I was able to move everything in on Tuesday thanks to Jourdyn’s help. My old apartment is cleared out and cleaned. All I have to do now is drop off the last month’s rent, the keys, and an address for where they can send the security deposit. I really loved having an apartment to myself this last year and a half, and I am sure that there will be times when I miss having absolute privacy. Still, I could not be happier with the house, and I am really looking forward to fully settling in once I get back from Ireland.

Speaking of the house, here are some quick pictures. Not everything is quite set up, but I think it’s a good start.

Our entryway. I love the runner we got from Josh's parents.

Our makeshift living room. Eventually we will get matching furniture.

Kitchen.

Dining room, complete with a beautiful table gifted to us by Josh's parents.

Downstairs bathroom. I wasn't sure how I felt about the blue, but the brown accents it nicely.

Master bedroom.

Master bathroom.

Deck and part of the backyard. This is quickly becoming my favorite place at the house

It has been one heck of a week. Moving took a lot out of me, just in time for a weekend full of dance. On Saturday, I traveled to Minnesota to dance with the Guthrie School of Dance at the Hopkins Art Festival and the Burnsville International Festival. It was a very long day considering that I drove to and from Minnesota, but it was well worth it. The shows went great, and I made some new friends. Besides, it was wonderful to do some dancing before heading off abroad.

Shuffling through the Triubhas.

Sword dance.

And a mass Fling to finish.

And, did I mention that I got adjustable hilt practice swords?!

Sunday I had a video shoot of Gaelic Fusion. We are putting together some promo videos for the company. I think that the shoot went well. Now I just need to figure out how to edit the videos properly. My computer is doing funny things to the video format. Hrm…Oh well, I suppose that is what downtime in an Irish hostel is for!

I leave for Ireland in less than two days! How unbelievable is that?! Now that everything is moved into the house and the weekend dancing is done, it’s finally starting to register that I will leaving. I have dreamed of going to Ireland my whole life, and this is such an exciting opportunity. Of course, I am planning to keep everyone updated via this blog, and I’ll be sure to include plenty of pictures.

And naturally, a song to end. Cá bhfuil mé ag dul? Bhuel, siar go Conamara, ar ndóigh!

A Good Ol' Revival

Madainn mhath, a-huile duine!

I've decided to revive this blog. Why? Well, on the one hand, since graduating college, I have been a bit bored and in need of a hobby other than dance--there is only so much time in a day that your body will let you practice pas de basques. I figure that writing is a good way to keep me busy. Plus I rather enjoy blogging, even if I'm not always the best at keeping it going.

Also, I will be heading to Ireland in a few weeks. Maintaining a blog while in Ireland seems like a great way to stay in touch with people, as well as a nice way to practice my written Irish. (Oh yeah, you totally know that Irish posts are coming.) This way I can let friends know what I am up to without having to rely on obsessive Facebook messaging or a phone, which I won't have.

It's been quite a few months since I last posted, and so a quick updated is probably in order. In May, I graduated from undergrad with a B.A. in Religious Studies and a certificate in Celtic Studies. I am now taking a few years off before grad school in order to explore dance and acquire some other skills, like learning Gàidhlig. In February I became a competitive Highland Dancer as I competed in the Chicago Spring Fling. Since then I have done four other competitions; so, five in total. I am doing well for a beginner, and I have won the trophy for my category at all of my competitions and have taken first in all of my dances at my last three competitions. It's very gratifying to know that hard work does pay off, and I am really enjoying being even more involved in Highland Dance.

I won an award to attend NUI Galway's International Summer School program for the Irish language. I will be in An Cheathrú Rua (English: Carraroe) from July 18th to August 18th. I am very grateful for the opportunity to study Irish in a communal context. I am also incredibly excited to finally go to Ireland. I can't even imagine what an awesome experience it will be.

Josh and I--okay, really Josh--bought a house on the southwest side of Madison. We will be moving in starting the 8th of July. I cannot wait to have a house and to be 'settled'. Given that I am a homebody, it will be so nice to come home to a space that is uniquely mine [and Josh's]. I also look forward to living with Josh. I'm sure that it will be challenging for a variety of reasons, but I really love that man, and this is such an incredible step in our relationship.

And now that we're all caught up, here is a video of Mànran's cover of the Runrig song, Tillidh Mi:

Reminiscing on the International Festival

Yesterday Gaelic Fusion performed at the Overture Center’s International Festival. This was my third time performing at the festival and my second time introducing the show. This time, however, I introduced our piece in Gàidhlig, which was a fun change of pace. (I may be trying to infiltrate the company with Scottish Gaelic. Shhh…)

The show went really well, if you ask me. It was the best that I had seen us do. It is really great to be able to watch the progress my fellow dancers—and the company as a whole—throughout the years. We have all grown so much since beginning Highland dance, and I am very lucky to have the chance to perform with the others.

The company prior to the performance

For perhaps the first time, I was truthfully very pleased with my performance pieces. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely things that I could have done better, but all and all, they turned out really well. I did a duet with Carrie entitled “High Step” and I was also part of our six-person sword dance, which I helped title “An Cogadh”. [Videos listed below]

What pleased me most was the progress that I had made over the years. I have been doing Highland dance now for three years, and, this year in particular, you can really see how much I have improved. Here are some video examples of my progress:

International Festival 2011

This was the first show that I did with Gaelic Fusion. I attempt to do a step from the Highland Jig—I’m not sure it worked out so well, though. I also did a sword dance this year, but I unfortunately do not have a video for that.

International Festival 2012

This is my second year at the International Festival. The first video is the Broadsword. I was fairly happy with this dance—well, until I saw it on video and realized how much I needed to work on my technique, that is. Nevertheless, it is a really fun dance to do.

The second video is a rendition of the Highland Fling. I really liked doing this dance, and it was right when I had begun working on my Fling technique. I was still a little shaky on my feet, but I think that it turned out well--even if my double-shakes were obnoxiously high.

The final video is a piece that I choreographed for the 2012 International Festival. It is a fusion of the Highland Jig and an Irish jig. It was a great piece to work on; though if I were to do it again, there are a few things that I’d do differently.

International Festival 2013

Finally, these are the videos from my performance this year. The first the duet with Carrie, named “High Step”. I really enjoyed working on this dance. I felt very honored to be selected for a duet and, beyond that, I was really excited to learn some of the steps for the “Barracks, Johnny?”.   There were some shortcomings in the dance that I could feel while I was up on stage, but these didn’t seem to come through to the audience.

The second video was our finale from yesterday. It is a rendition of the Jacobite, which I helped to name “An Cogadh”, meaning “The War[fare]” in both Gàidhlig and Gaeilge. The dance itself was a bit trying to learn because of all the minute details, but it really came together. My only problem was that I could not get my sporran to stay put due to all of the turning pas-de-bas. I always ended up with a satchel by the end of the dance.

As I think is well evinced by the videos, I have really progressed in the last three years. This makes me very excited to start competing this year. I know that I am not the best dancer, but holy crap, I am getting much better.

The whole video playlist of the Gaelic Fusion performance at the 2013 International Festival can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMipah6nUBu3Q8yZUKpTu5RkZzDkxEmnW.

Online Shopping Spree

It’s winter break, which means that I should ardently working on my senior thesis. Yeah, that’s what I should be doing. But I’m not; well, not yet…

So far, I have spent quite a bit of my break relaxing and perusing online shops. Seriously, the amount of stuff I have ordered has been insane. I have packages coming in the mail everyday. At the same time, though, it’s not like I am frivolously spending money—well, not completely frivolously. Most of the things I have ordered so far I have need or had a genuine use for. For example, I ordered the things that I needed to complete my Highland wardrobe prior to the January show, including a vest, bow tie, sporran, and cap badge.

The style of my new cap badge. It matches my sporran.

I have also ordered a good amount of books on the Gaelics. Thanks to my boyfriend’s copious amounts of gift cards—he doesn’t believe in using them, so he gives them to me—I have bought two books on Gàidhlig, one on Gaelg, and a textbook on Sengoídelc. I think I may have a problem…

My new books!

Whilst doing all of this online shopping, I have become slight obsessed with the idea of adding more kilts and plaid to my small collection. They’d be wonderful for dancing and other formal occasions. I totally need to start a ‘Kilt and Accessories’ budget.

I am particularly obsessed with this kilt from Sport Kilt:

I really, really, really want one of these for Irish dance. Only I would have Kelley green in the pleats, and for extra security, I’d opt for the buckle option. I think that I may get this as a birthday present for myself, in about three months of course. I envision wearing it with a black dress shirt, black vest, matching green tie, and black hose. I really like the black with a shock of color idea.

After looking into my ancestry towards the beginning of break, I have realized that, while I have no detectable Gaelic blood in me, I do have a fair amount of Cornish ancestry. This of course has led me to discover Cornish tartans, and there’s a nice little store in Cornwall that supplies Cornish kilts: www.cornish-tartans.co.uk.

[As far as I can tell, a Cornish kilt is just a regular kilt in a Cornish tartan.]

Cornish tartans

If I ever get a new, or second, dance kilt, I think that I would get it in the St. Piran dress tartan—it’s one of the Cornish national tartans:

I really like the white and black dress tartans. I know they don’t stand out like the colored ones do, but with a black doublet, especially a Montrose jacket, I think black and white tartans can look quite dapper.

For now, though, I think that I will settle my desire for Cornish tartans with a Cornish national cummerbund and bow tie. They’d look nice with my black dress pants and a white tuxedo shirt.

Cornish National cummerbund from Cornovi

Also, if I ever get to choreographing something of Manx influence, I think that I’d really like a vest one of the Manx tartans. As I am discovering, you can never have too much plaid!

Isle of Man Cornaa tartan

 I have been doing some shopping on iTunes as well—thanks to an iTunes gift card from my mom. Thus far I have managed to find a couple of Manx and Cornish songs and tunes. I leave you, then, with a song from the Cornish group, Dalla:

Dean Younk a Gernow -- Dalla