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

Day 5 - 6/26/2016

Leaving Corrymeela

After services at Armagh Cathedral

Hiking up to Navan

Pilgrims at Navan

Pilgrims listening to living history in an ancient Celtic round house

Youth hostel in County Wicklow

Link to all photos, day 5 

Today we did lots of traveling but also had fun experiences. We woke up and left Corrymeela at 8:30 a.m.  After that, we left Northern Ireland on a bus for the Republic of Ireland, to Armagh, the spiritual and historic capital of the Episcopal church, where we attended Sunday service at St. Patrick's Church of Ireland cathedral.

We then visited the Navan Centre, where we were steeped in pre-Christian Celtic life, including a living-history visit to a particular clan's round-house hut (see above).  We learned about Celtic mythology, especially the Ulster cycle of stories, and visited the site (now just a mound) of an ancient sacred site, called Emain Macha, dating from the 1st century BCE (see "Hiking up to Navan" above).

Then Rev. Grace Clunie gave a presentation on Celtic Christianity and spirituality, which was intellectually and spiritually stimulating for some of us and soporific for others.  For example, she shared many pearls of wisdom including a bit of advice for the traveler/pilgrim, from John O’Donohue's poem, For the Traveler: "And if you listen, / You will hear / What your heart would / Love to say."

We then took another long and circuitous bus ride through rural Ireland to a hostel in Enniskerry, County Wicklow.  The views are really pretty and when we got here there was a rainbow.  Everyone was excited because how often do you see a rainbow in Ireland?  Tomorrow should be fun too. Everyone's excited!

     - James and other pilgrims

Day 4 - 6/25/2016

In front of the Croi at Corrymeela

End of Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Coast near Giant's Causeway

  

Hike up from Giant's Causeway

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge  

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge  

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

Link to all of photos, day 4

We had to wake up at 8:30 am.  This morning was really a culmination of learning about living in community.  Specifically, we spent this morning at Corrymeela doing outdoor activities such as tending and harvesting Corrymeela's garden and learning about stewardship of the local environment.  Indoor activities included more learning about ourselves as individuals as members of a community (we made personal maps, and discussed preconceptions).  After several days here, we are clearly no longer just abstractly learning about, but are actually experiencing living in, community.

This transition from the abstract to the concrete - or shall we say from the abstract to the basalt - was then reflected in a day trip to the Giant's Causeway, a 60-million-year-old geological wonder of 40,000 basalt columns, which was lovely.

From there we then went to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, which at first struck some of us as strangely lacking in rope (maybe 10% rope, the other ~90% being wood slates and metal chains). However, we then realized that the original rope bridge, installed by fisherman 250-300 years ago to help them get out to the far island to catch migrating salmon, has since been replaced by the current Rope Bridge (see photos).

We came to home to a lovely meal of peas, fried potatoes, and chicken for the omnivores, and vegetable kebabs for the herbivores.  We had a service in the Croi again (see day 3), which then continued on the beach with team-building games.  Our last worship session in Corrymeela was pleasant after a long day of walking, with a little bit of cheesy music, and heartfelt words.  We rounded out the day with a bonfire, s'mores, and then the usual Corrymeela hot chocolate and toast before bed.

    - Lilly and other pilgrims

=================================================

Addendum:  
As part of tonight's worship the leader asked our group to think about what makes each of us happy. Here are some of the responses: A warm fire on a cold night. A long flight. The soccer pitch. Indian delight. Laughter of children. Breaking an awkward silence. Chuck. Ice cream. Getting out of a really cold ocean. Getting into warm clothes. Books. Eight hours of sleep. Forming new friendships. Experiencing new things. Adventure. Any achievement interaction that makes me feel loved of appreciated. Video games. Our church. Puerto Rico... 

Day 3 - 6/24/2016

Link to all photos, day 3

After a sound night’s sleep, we managed to get rousted from our rooms for breakfast; porridge and cereal. Afterwards, we headed on to the Croi (pronounced cree), a delightfully round and partly subterranean place of worship (see here for what this looks like) at Corrymeela for 25 minutes of deafening silence and a short liturgy about peace.  Continuing the theme, we broke into groups to discuss the peace and conflict in our communities.  Through touchy topics, heated debates, and some arguments, we had finally come up with a list of things we loved, disliked, and thought we could improve in our communities.  

Our spirits were lifted from the heavy topics once we ran outside to play capture the flag.  As laziness took over, a group of us stood watching the water.  Standing out with fellow Corrymeela travelers, it seemed like we were standing at the edge of the world.  

Grateful to be reunited, we sat around and relaxed before dinner.  After one too many pieces of cake, we headed down to the beach for a chilly dip and ice cream at Maud's in Ballycastle.   As we made our way back to evening service to speak about what makes us happy, the 9 PM sun (above) was still high over the horizon.  Finishing off with hot chocolate, we ran back to our dorms for a long night’s sleep.


- Sarah and other pilgrims

Message from Jenni

Disappointed by our first flight changes, and not wanting our initial departure delays to dampen our sense of community, I said to at least one of the travel teams before leaving St. John's for their flight, "This isn't the pilgrimage, it's just how we are getting to the pilgrimage."

I've changed my mind.

This is all pilgrimage. Every moment since we gathered in the Historic Church on June 21 has been -- is -- our pilgrimage. The experiences among pilgrims so far have been more varied than in past years, but they have been real, lived, memorable experiences. And I do know from past pilgrims that it can be those unplanned ones that are the most meaningful, looking back.

Even my own "lucky" team 3 -- the last to fly out only to encounter a missed connection, indescribable airport-line-waiting, re-booking logistics, and a night in an airport hotel with only our carry-ons and airport-issued T-shirts and toiletries -- has had an incredible international experience. We are all well-seasoned world-travelers now...

...world travelers who have had opportunities for trust, care, conversations, jokes, laughs and time (oh wow, time) to be. Together. On a journey of hope, faith, and openness to the unknowns to come. Pilgrims.

It wouldn't be fair for me to say I wouldn't have exchanged it for the more ideal planned itinerary, yet the disappointment is gone.

Instead there is gratitude for all of these unplanned experiences, and for each pilgrim whose humor, responsiveness, resilience and trust I have gotten to experience in these last few days. That has been truly amazing. I know the other leaders have experienced the same in their various ways.
Our pilgrimage is well underway.

Blessings,
Jenni +

Day 2 - 6/23/2016

Link to all photos, day 2

    "Walk with me 'cause the journey is long,

                Walk with me 'cause the journey is long,

     Walk with me 'cause the journey is long,

                Walk with me 'cause the journey is long…"

                -South African traditional sung by the pilgrims in worship 


The journey is not always what it starts to be.  It is, after all, a journey.

Our journey was delayed due to inclement weather, but we were not alone because our fellow pilgrims walked with us.

Some of our pilgrims are still walking their journey but thankfully are safe and sound staying overnight in London.

We are thankful that most of our groups made it while we await the arrival of our fellow pilgrims.

Keep walking, our fellow pilgrims!

      - Brandon and Ben, and other pilgrims

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future, therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself. If you do, it will take you where you need to go, but more important it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey.”

                ― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom