Ireland – A Trip to see the Family
A visit to Ireland is as familiar to me as going home to the town in the U.K. I grew up in. My mother’s side of the family (there is a lot of them…) mostly live in Newbridge and Naas; I have been visiting here since I was a toddler and I never get to see them all in one trip, there is just too many of them!
As the task of seeing as many relatives as possible is usually my reason for visiting I never see anything but kitchens (Irish meeting place), the pub and Dunnes. For this trip, I was determined to get out a little bit and explore.
Straight off the plane, I rented a car, so I was able to please myself regarding my movements around the towns. On the way to Newbridge, I was daydreaming and missed the turning, took me about half an hour to realise my mistake – oops, my subconscious was obviously helping me to see more of Ireland.
I love visiting the family(s) over here. Their Irish ways (have you seen Mrs Brown’s Boys…), make me laugh, and I love to watch them all interacting with each other and listening to their turn of phrases. Only someone that has been to Ireland can fully appreciate the gatherings around the kitchen table. For the uninitiated, it can be a totally mad experience!
In the mornings, I sit down in the kitchen waiting for the cousins to arrive from the school runs. A wave of chatter hits the house as everyone settles in to discuss anything and everything over breakfast. The girls are so animated, and the noise levels can get loud (especially for someone like me that lives alone and mostly travels alone!!). The guys are a lot quieter (a bit like me) and only last a few minutes when the table is full of chatting women and with a “right so” off they go to find a calmer more quiet environment.
I only had a short time to explore, so I grabbed one of my cousins and hit the winding single lane roads around the Wicklow mountains. The roads are so narrow you are playing a constant game of chicken especially around the bends, it can get a little close, and I more than once experienced that tingling feeling you get after just missing a collision.
The Scenery is spectacular. The beautiful trees and verdant soft rolling Wicklow Mountains, the still lakes, and the babbling rivers. Even though it was sunny the occasional not so warm summer breezes had you running back to the car! The villages and cottages dotted along the way belong in the story books, just so cute.
A scramble up Sugarloaf Mountain to gaze across the views towards Dublin and the beaches of Bray was worth the trot to the top. It was a bit chilly up there when the clouds came down.
The beaches of Bray are covered in smooth round multicoloured stones, and the water is biting cold – we were the only ones on the beach save a lifeguard and two mad men having a swim at the other end of the beach.
It was so cool to meet up with friends from South Africa who had moved back to Ireland and the little town of Naas – small world. We spent a great day experiencing every season watching the International Horse show – the cross country jumps are insane, the riders and horses must have nerves of steel to tackle these obstacles and on the way home, had a pint in the oldest pub in Naas, the owner doesn’t like music so it was very quiet…
Sitting in the pub one night with my cousin Paddy, I learned that you could see the northern lights from Ireland!!! That blew my mind, who knew (not many people that I have asked since did…) the lights are a bucket list for me. As I as usually visit Ireland to see family (about 30 times so far) I have never researched the sights – big mistake and one I will rectify next trip I will try and see the northern lights from Ireland – hope the clouds play along!!!
