First Days

Jan. 2 - Tom, I and Ron (our experience faculty/help-us-get-started person) arrive at GR airport early for two reasons: 1. There is a strict weight limit for our bags, so they were carefully weighed and re-weighed as we determined what to bring. (Only one of our 4 bags ever even was put on the scale!!!!) 2. As it happened, Gerald Ford had died a few days earlier and his body was set to arrive 15 minutes prior to our departure. The airport is actually the Gerald Ford International Airport. Tom and I had stopped by the Presidential Museum a few days before we departed to see the site. Satellite trucks were already everywhere. People were lined up to enter the lobby of the museum, which was closed until after the ceremonies, to sign a book of condolences. Due to time constraints, we just walked to the site of the burial which is in the middle of a stand of tall pine trees. I heard a screeching sound – two hawks – maybe Northern Harriers?? – Obviously they think this is their space and are not happy with all the hoopla that has invaded their territory. I comment to Tom about how they are going to feel about the 21 gun salute! Anyway, the unofficial Air Force One bringing in the dignitaries and the casket was late, so our plane takes off early -- a bit of a disappointment as we had hoped to witness the arrival. As we taxi out, we go by the private hanger where the plane will eventually park and the motorcade will begin. So we see the large cargo plane which arrived earlier with all the limousines, etc. Canons are set up as well – I’m not sure if they were shot off during the brief arrival ceremonies. You have probably all seen more coverage of the funeral than we did, as we were in transit. But I understand it was a great showing for Grand Rapids. We arrived in Chicago around 2 pm but our flight wasn’t until 6 pm, so we found some more quiet space to read. John and Cassandra (Casi) – John is the other faculty member, who will be teaching Irish History, arrived on a later flight. Tom will be teaching Irish literature. Tom & John will team up on the Irish Culture class. And we officially take off for our adventure!

Jan. 3 – We make a brief early morning stop in Dublin but remain on the plane. My first view of Ireland – it’s gray and rainy. About an hour later we take off for a quick ride to Shannon Airport and are happy to finally be off the plane and will soon be out of airports!!! Shannon is a very small airport, and we are quickly escorted through customs – although we are told we can’t stay in the country for more than 3 months – a detail we will address later! We go to gather our luggage – no luggage for John & Casi, so the beginning of a multi-day saga with airlines pointing fingers at each other. We eat a quick breakfast before heading to the car rental place. Ron will lead us to Tullycross. Tom will drive the second car behind. Driving on the left is not that difficult, it is making the turns on major roads that you have to keep thinking about – as our kids will remember when we took them to England about 20 years ago! We make a few brief stops along the way: Coole Park, Galway, Oughterard, etc. that we will visit again in the future. By the time we arrive in Tullycross, we have put in a long day – or is it two days, hard to tell. We learn that the library attic has already been unloaded and take a look. Yes, we do have our work cut out for us. It is an extensive library. I have a 5 Euro bet with Ron that I check out more books than all the students!!! I’ve already nabbed the bird books. It is surprisingly nice weather and a beautiful moon that night. Maybe full that night or the next.

Jan. 4 – We make our way to Clifden to do banking and extensive grocery shopping and a bit of internet café time. We get some cell phones to use here in Ireland. We end up in Tully (another small town about ½ mile from us). At the pub there is an internet connection, and Tom and John struggle to activate their cell phones. Ron and I are meeting the “locals”. Some Aquinas students (5 very lovely females) have arrived to celebrate Arron Diamond’s 21 st b-day – more about that later. I meet Breege Diamond who runs the pub with her husband, Liam – Arron’s parents. Breege and I immediately hit it off. I know I’m going to like visiting her. Her daughter, Priscilla, who writes for the Connemara paper I believe and is very computer savvy – Irish style – and helps get the phones working! Tom and Ron head to the Sammons pub for some meet and greet. I decide to work on setting up the cottage. To speed the process of getting hot water, I boil some on the stove and while pouring it into the sink, some splashes on my leg. A major ouch!

Jan. 5 – We practically worked ourselves to the bone working on the library. Well, really mostly it was Tom, John and Ron, but I tried to help whenever I could and continued to unpack. Lots of heavy lifting. Tom and Ron, both with back problems, were feeling the pain. That night Tom and I headed down to the Diamond pub for Arron’s b-day party. Turning 21 in Ireland is not like the US. In the US, it’s usually all about drinking. But here, it is very much a family and community celebration. Not that there isn’t any drinking going on. But all the bartenders had special shirts made for the occasion. Arron’s confirmation name is Diego (after a famous soccer player), so he is affectionately called that as well as it was printed on the shirts. Tom and I were very much the earliest visitors other than the family and Aquinas visiting students. But we did not plan to stay late. Nice meeting with relatives. Note to some: Pubs are not like bars. Pubs (short for public house) are where the community meets. During the day you can get great lunches. We usually opt for the soup of the day and a pot of tea. It’s wonderful. And it is a great place to meet people.

Jan 6 – John & Casi wanted to go into Clifden, so Ron took us to Glassilaun. Another outstanding day with many hours/minutes of sunshine. Mild temperatures. So far, I’m having no problem with this weather – everyone is telling me to hold my opinions. Seems like this is not typical. Let me just do some geography for those that are not familiar with where we are at. First, you may not be able to find Tullycross on an Ireland map. It is on the Renvyle peninsula. Look for the town of Letterfrack or a very well known tourist site, Kylemore Abbey. From either of those points, move northwest out on that peninsula (which is the Renvyle). We are about 3 miles from Letterfrack and a short walk to the ocean. Glassilaun is at the very end of Killary Harbour – north of us one peninsula, I think. Anyway, at low tide you can walk to Glassilaun (Green Island). It is a beautiful beach before the island. The waves hit the rocks around the island, and it is just wonderful. Tide pools are everywhere. The rocks are fantastic colors – green, burgundy – I wish I had a bag to fill up. FYI to visitors: I may be sending a few pounds of rocks back with each of you, so save space in your luggage.  We walked around for about an hour or more just watching the ocean and enjoying the view. On to Leenane for a pub lunch. None of us could really understand the server on what kind of soup it was, but it is always hot and delicious. Some accents are so strong, but this person may have been speaking Gaelic. It was a wonderful adventure, and we thank Ron for sharing this favorite spot of his with us. I believe it was that evening that we got a visit from Margaret and John Curley – great friends of previous Aquinas people including Mike/Mary Alice and Michael.

Jan. 7 – A very rainy gray day. Perfect for cooking. As I wrote in an email, I think I cooked enough for the semester. The men continued their hard work in the library. In the middle of the afternoon, the sun suddenly appeared. So, the saying goes, you drop everything and go outside to enjoy the day. Ron took us to the Artesian well for water and a climb to the top of a hill/mountain that only sheep should be climbing (or younger people). My lungs burned – I’m so out of shape. But the site was worth it. In one direction you could see the ocean. Down below us was Lake Kylemore (I believe) and a great view of the Kylemore Abbey. Wow. Can I take in any more beautiful sites? And since we were walking through bogs and it had been raining all day before, I proved that my Gortex boots are waterproof and well worth the investment. That night, I had all the Aquinas folks for dinner. Some good chicken stew that had been simmering all day with tea made from the spring water we just fetched. It was a nice evening prior to the beginning of our journey to retrieve the students.

Jan. 8 – It’s off to Galway today – decided all 5 of us would go. John & Casi are heading to Shannon to be there the next morning to greet the students. Ron, Tom and I have a list of to-dos. We briefly strolled the city – a great place which we plan to spend more time when our kids come over. We then spend about 4 hours in PC World trying to sort out computer needs – not what we had hoped for, but necessary. Very exhausted, we begin our journey back and stop at a nice pub in Oughterard for dinner – Murphy’s Bar. Excellent food – even I had the fish pie and loved it (I normally am not a big fish fan, but that will change now that I’m here). So, the 3 of us painfully made it back to TC by around 10 pm – a very long day.

Jan. 9 – Students arrived today. Much bustling around for final preparations. It is exciting. It is also Ron’s last day with us. It was very difficult to see him leave. Even though he over-filled our small brains with so much information, it was wonderful to have such a knowledgeable, patient and hard-working helper. And for a Norwegian, his passionate love of Ireland was constantly driving him to show us one more beautiful site or make suggestions that only someone (from the states) that has spent 4 semesters here could provide. There is no way to thank him enough. So, we meet the weary students as they descend the bus at about 3 pm– all 20 of them. They arrived in Shannon about 9:30 am, but with customs, lunch and the long bus ride (about 3 hours); they are feeling very much like we did on arrival – just wanting to sleep. We get them settled and encourage them to get out into the fresh air and stay awake. Being young, they are out and about walking to Tully for groceries. By 6 pm we head to the pub and see many of them there. We continue with our major task of trying to make phone cards work. Each one is a little different and many of the students are getting panicky as parents are waiting for a call. Finally, I resort to our phone card and dial up the last few that can’t get through. Note to AQ: have faculty get a phone card with 5 minutes/ per student for that first day of calling. Easier than trying to decipher 20 different calling plans. And good PR for Aquinas to the parents. Maybe the new interim director of Development would like to propose that as part of the development budget

Jan. 10 – I am actually beginning this blog writing via Word and will update later. I have this lovely leather journal, but find that I am actually more suited to the electronic age – even here in rural Ireland. I can hear the moans. I will probably do most of my writing on Tom’s computer and then update through the one computer we hope to have set up for the students – or bring it to an internet café. After exactly a week, we may be getting our time zones straightened out. Not that it's been too bad, but we have had the nasty habit of staying up late and getting up late – oh, that’s how the students will do it. But contrary to some belief, many/most Irish do get up early as they have jobs to get to. Today is actually my maternal grandmother’s birthday (Josephine) -- Maybe born in 1892 (Mom or John will have to correct me). Rachel will be interested as one of her middle names is Josine a form of Josephine. I just read an email from my sister, Mary. I had asked the students about the Ohio State game. She said that there had been declared an official mourning period in their household after the (not sure how she put it) but the butt kicking that Ohio State got (Sorry to hear that, all you Ohioans – I was routing for you). Tom is busy getting ready for the students' orientation tonight. This is my first day without a very tight schedule. I’m looking forward to more days like this. Hope to get a blog site up that can also handle some pictures. We’ll see.