Day 12 - 7/3/16

Hello, pilgrims, and families and friends of pilgrims!

We hope that you enjoy this blog!

Immediately below you will find a few links to some of the mementos and other pearls from our trips, such as the handout on Irish blessings, which several of you wanted.

If anyone has anything you'd like added here, please just send an e-mail.

Thanks, and enjoy!

Nathan Flynn and Steve Cunningham

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Irish blessings

Irish-language packet from Fionnuala

Ogham alphabet

Saint Brigid's Garden brochure

Additional photos from other days are here

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AND NOW, THE SJEC 2016 PILGRIMAGE BLOG:

Heading home

Waiting in Dublin Airport

Boarding the plane in Dublin

Homecoming

Welcome home!

Link to all photos, day 12

Day 11 - 7/2/2016

Leaving the Aran Islands

Shopping in Dublin

Having fun in Dublin

Drummers

Drumming workshop

Long Room at Trinity Library, upstairs from The Book of Kells 

Irish for "Welcome to Inis Mor (largest of the Aran Islands), County of Gallway"

Today the hotel seated the leaders at their own table

Link to all of day 11 photos

Today we said our goodbyes to the beautiful, rocky Aran islands.

We then took a bus ride with Rory and Jack, our expert guides, to Dublin. On the way, for the first time we had a "traditional Irish lunch" of Burger King, which made some of us feel like we had a little taste of home, whetting our appetites for actually going home tomorrow.

When we got to Dublin, we went to the Trinity College library and saw the book of Kells and ancient artifacts in the Museum of archaeology in Dublin.

Back at the hotel we had dinner at the hotel near the airport and after dinner there was an awesome drum workshop.

In a meeting after that we shared our final reflections as our 2016 pilgrimage to Ireland comes to a close.

    - Lucas and other pilgrims

Day 10 - 7/1/2016

 Beehive Hut

Afternoon bike tour

Pilgrims at Dun Aonghasa

Looking over the cliff (safely and carefully!)

Pilgrims with Dun Aonghasa in the background

Link to all photos, day 10

Today we awoke in our bed-and-breakfasts on the main island (Inis Mor) of the Aran Islands and we went to the ruins of old forts, ceremonial sites and other ancient ruins that are thousands of years old. From one point on Inis Mor we had a beautiful view of the entire island. You could see the ocean on both sides and it looked amazing. It was a very mix-mash a day where it would pour rain one moment and then be super sunny the next.

"The islands symbolize the journey of our faith. We have a path, which is our life, and the guide, who is God or Jesus. The path can be dangerous but as long as we follow our guide, we will be safe. If we fall, we might not be able to get back up. Follow the light. Follow Jesus." - one pilgrim's reflection.

The islands have a lot of amazing scenery. Today at the old fort of Dún Aonghasa (anglicized name is Dun Aengus) we felt like the wind could blow you right off the cliff. Afterwards, we biked over to an old site of ancient graveyard called Na Seacht dTeampaill (the Seven Churches) where we learned about old Celtic traditions. Later, we encountered a small hail storm that lasted for about a minute during a bike ride to see a beehive hut (see above), which is a small stone building that could have been used to house monks living in solitude thousands of years ago.

 At the end of the day, we got the unique chance to speak with some native teenagers from the island, and they were generous enough to sit on a panel while we asked them lots of questions (and they asked us some) about what our lives were like.   We also learned a little about the Irish language, as well as the alphabet of Ogham, an ancient British and Irish language.  Check out the links at the top of the main blog page for some links to our Irish and Ogham handouts.

   - Jon, Teddy, Zach, and other pilgrims

Day 9 - 6/30/2016

Ferry ride to the Aran Islands

Learning Irish dancing

Biking in the rain

Fun in the rain

Looking over the cliff

Link to all photos. day 9

We began the day with breakfast at the Savoy a hostel in Galway and packed our day packs for the two days here in the Aran islands. We boarded the bus for an hour or so and arrived at the dock for a ferry ride during which a lot of us got seasick.

We arrived to whipping wind and rain. We walked to a nearby bike shop where we dropped our daypacks to be shuttled to our bed-and-breakfast. Then, with bone-chilling winds and showers, we got our bikes and helmets and begin the journey to the rocks. Some who were uncomfortable biking with this rather harsh weather stayed behind with Rev. Jenni and enjoyed tea and cake in a local bakery. The whole group met up to a wonderful bunch of burgers and fries.

We then biked (or rode in a shuttle) to the main bed-and-breakfast for dinner and some free time. Afterwards, a lesson of Irish dancing was provided until around 10 PM. We been separated to our own bed-and-breakfasts nearby and there we reflected together on our day before going to sleep.

For example, in one group we talked about all the different landscapes we have seen in Ireland, from the rolling hills near Corrymeela, to the Ballycastle beaches, to the thickly forested areas near our hostel in Enniskerry, County Wicklow on day 5, to now: the treeless, rocky Aran Islands, which have stark, scary beauty about them.

Today was filled with lots of exercise, from biking to hiking to dancing. We hiked and biked in wind, rain, and very occasionally, sun. But it was worth seeing God's creation of the island. The weather help portray what "real" pilgrims went through. It was tough but so beautiful to see. We walked to the highest point of the island which had unsteady rocks and many hills. It was the most beautiful place where you could see God's presence.

The weather definitively was crazy-bipolar but we still had some amazing views. We can't wait to explore some more of what is ahead of us.

We have become closer as a J2A church group and make each day better as time progresses. We can't wait to come back to America and reflect on the differences between the Ireland views and customs versus American views and customs. We appreciate what we have experienced and have seen God travel with us during this journey.

   -  Anastasia, Caroline B, Holly, and other pilgrims

Day 8 - 6/29/2016

Fun and dancing on the Corrib Princess 

Dinner cruise on the Corrib Princess 

Diner cruise Corrib Princess

Group photo at Brigid's Garden

Making a St. Brigid's Cross at Brigid's Garden

Walking at Brigid's Garden

Link to all photos, day 8

Another amazing day in Ireland! We started off with an informative and interesting trip to St. Brigid’s Garden. There we learned about the different festivals of the Celtic calendar by looking at the corresponding gardens. We weaved St. Brigid’s crosses (which is harder than it looks) and we put a lot of trust in nature and our partners who lead us blindfolded through trees. 

On our way home we stopped and looked inside St. Nicolas’ Cathedral in the center of Galway. Some people said prayers and made small donations while lighting a candle. 

We then had free time without the adults (they were still around, of course, but not in the structured small groups) to shop and explore the pedestrian shopping district of Galway. 

For dinner, we had a special treat with a dinner cruise on Loch Corrib. We had hamburgers and chicken and live entertainment from an Irish step dancer and band (and a few of our talented pilgrims)! Amazing! 

We are headed to the Aran Islands tomorrow with a 7 am wake-up call. Stay tuned for more fun to come.

Chukwudi, Gracie, and Molly, and other pilgrims

Day 7 - 6/28/2016

Fun in rainy Galway

 Dinner in Galway

Afternoon snack

St. Brigid's Well

Service at St. Brigid's Well

Making a St. Brigid's Cross

Link to all photos, day 7

Hello Maryland! We are writing to you from County Galway, Ireland! We started out the day leaving our previous hostel in shuttles and buses and then proceeded to travel about an hour to St. Brigid’s Convent, where we toured the well and sacred grounds with the Sisters (see above).

From there, we spent around two hours on the bus, before arriving in beautiful thriving Galway. The city is full of quaint shops and stores, with enough modern accents (unlike the ancient monastery we saw yesterday) to remind us of home. We will be staying in yet another hostel tonight, but this one has a game room, which was a pleasant surprise for everyone.

We also went on a tour around the 16th-century sites of city. There is a church here where Christopher Columbus when to church one day before sailing to America! Actually, Ireland, we learned today, used to trade a lot with Spain through the port here at Galway. The majestic stone buildings are still standing proudly against the elements (primarily rain, which drenched us today!), even after all these years.

Traveling with such a big group, we are learning a lot about living in community, and respecting each other. Right now, we are all enjoying some down time before bed, and looking forward to tomorrow! 

 - Caroline H., Sarah, and other pilgrims

Day 6 - 6/27/2016

Learning hurling

Fr. Michael talking to all pilgrims, with a 1000-year-old tower in background

St Kevin's Celtic Cross 

Monastery at Glendalough 

Service with Father Michael and Father Patrick

Walking the Labyrinth at Glendalough

Link to all of Day 6 photos

Our current hostel in County Wicklow is so rural and the roads are so small, that the large tour bus had a tough time navigating to and from the hostel, so we had to take two smaller buses/shuttles from our hostel to the tour bus.

After a combination of 2 bus rides, we arrived at Glendalough, a glacial valley in County Wicklow, founded in the 6th century by St Kevin as a monastery. There we saw the ruins of the ancient monastery, including Kevin's churches and the round tower (see above), which is about 1000 years old!

When we first arrived to the site, there were beautiful fields of grass in which we stood while Fr. Michael gave us an introduction before our walking tour (see above). He talked about how we were young and he was old (77), and how you can use a walk (like the walking tour we were just about to take, and like the larger pilgrimage we are on) as a way to reflect and ask ourselves three important questions: 1) What am I really happy with or about? 2) What am I sad about? 3) What should I change in myself?  He pointed out that the place where Jesus taught the best was on the road.

Before setting off on our walk, however, he told us that the 1000-year-old tall round tower had a bell and was used to call the monks to prayer five times a day, to store and protect hand-written manuscripts, and to keep a look-out. However, besides these concrete things, he told us that he liked to look at the tower symbolically, as having 7 levels or stories, one for each decade of a human life. The top floor, where he "lives," had 4 windows, one in each direction, but the lower floors, where most of us currently "live," have 0 or 1 window, and that when you are younger, you tend to see in just one direction, but when you are older and on the top floor, then you see in all directions.

Half of us then took a tour a walking with Fr. Michael, and half with Fr. Patrick. Both tours had a LOT of nature imagery. Fr. Michael's walk started along a bright, sunny path with a happily splashing stream and during this part we walked in silence thinking about the 1st question above: what makes us really happy. Then after about 15 minutes we stopped and he asked us to think in silence about the 2nd question, what we might be sad about, and we turned left into the woods and walked a difficult, steep, path up the mountain where is was darker, shadier, colder, with a lot of dead pine needles and broken branches. Then we stopped near the top where we talked again about the difference in view or perspective. At this point he became a bit of a bard, and recited two pieces of American poetry:

    “Tell me, what is it you plan to do
    with your one wild and precious life?”
           -  by Mary Oliver, from The Summer Day

and

    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, 
     But I have promises to keep, 
     And miles to go before I sleep, 
     And miles to go before I sleep."
         - By Robert Frost, from  Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Finally we descended the slope but this time encouraged to quietly talk about the 3rd question while walking: what we should change in ourselves.

On Dr. Patrick's walk, he discussed the imagery of the Trinity in nature:
     God the Father as a tree.
     The Holy Spirit in the rising sun.
     And Jesus in the green leaves at Easter time.

As the tour continued we came along a very large stone cross with a circle around the intersection of the cross (Kevin's Cross). The circle represents the sun. What some of us found interesting was that the monks chose the circle to represent the sun then later it changed to be son (Jesus). We also learned of the tradition that if someone could wrap their arms around the cross they would be even more blessed (see above). Even though not everyone could reach quite all the way around, we all still felt blessed!

So far, the pilgrimage has been an amazing opportunity. We have all felt blessed and welcome at wherever we have stayed.

    - Bridget and other pilgrims