Pining For Ireland

Gorse Bush, taken at The Bog Village, May 2012


This morning I found myself thinking about Ireland as I was walking Mirabelle. It was about 6:00 and very quiet, except for the birds. It rained during the night and was still misty with green bursting all around me. The first three or four days of the trip were like this - light rain, cool and green - so green. Our time in Dublin, which was the last leg of the trip, was sunny and warm but I really didn't mind the rainy start to the trip.

Everywhere we went the people were so friendly. Maybe it was the same curiosity about us that we felt about them. Tourism is a boon to the economy, but like the US the Irish economy has suffered in the past few years and many locals say the the Irish are leaving the country.


Here are some interesting facts about Ireland that I have discovered, along with some that our amazing tour guide, Tom Quinn, passed on during our travels:

- Ireland, as a whole, is smaller than the state of Maine
- 99% of the country is literate (that has got to be higher than our own!)
- Total population is 4.5 million (about 1/2 of NYC, right?)
- Two languages are spoken - English and Irish (or Gaelic, but they say they speak Irish)
- Gaelic is still taught in schools, but only 6% of the population speak it daily
- Meadows and pastures cover 77% of the landscape
- Billboards are not allowed in any part of the country (yay!)
- Guinness Beer is English, not Irish - but was adopted by the Irish
- Ireland's National Poet is WB Yates
- There are 6 World Literature centers and Dublin is one of them
- Scientific studies state that because the red hair gene is a recessive gene by 2060 red hair will be extinct - sad!
- The Celts (who worshipped the sun) saw someone having red hair as having special powers and moved them into the priesthood
- The government is offering money to those with red hair if they procreate!! the program is called GTBWR - "go to bed with red"! I searched the internet and couldn't find anything on this, but if you have red hair.....
- ALL MUSEUMS ARE FREE! (I really can't get over this, but a wonderful way to encourage people to visit - the States should do the same!)
- THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER IS FREE!
- In Ireland "Convenience" stores do not open until 7:30am - not good if you get up early and need coffee!
- Not allowed until 1982 - take note of the year: birth control, abortion or divorce! Prior to 1982 to get condoms you had to be married and get a prescription from your doctor!!!!
- There is no air conditioning, and I mean none - in hotels, restaurants or stores, which I understand is the norm for Europe also, so be prepared!
- If you have Verizon be prepared for bad internet coverage - my advice would be to disconnect and not even bother
- The Wicklow Mountains are the center of filmmaking in Ireland - some films that you may have seen: Braveheart,
Excalibur, the Tudors.....


When we traveled through Limerick Tom challenged the tour to write some limericks, so here were my attempts! As a rule they should be a little raunchier, but we tried to keep them clean!

There once a tour guide named Tom
Who, as part of EF, was the bomb
He knew where to go
Information he did know
Maybe he'll be my date for the prom!

and I wrote this one for Cammy:
There once was a tour leader from NCCC
who liked her coffee and whiskey
Ireland she did love
and thanked the stars above
that she could be joined by Tom and Charlie!




The Gorse Bush, above, is all over Ireland and adds beautiful contrast to the green. It smells of coconut and is even stronger if you rub the flowers between your fingers.


The information below was taken from the website:
http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=109&Wildflower=Gorse
From our folklore: 'Get a few handfuls of the yellow blossoms of the furze and boil them in water. Give the water as a dose to the horse and this will cure worms'.  
From the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. NFC 782:356 From Co Kerry.

There's also a well-know country saying :"When gorse is out of blossom, kissing's out of fashion".








I miss you, Ireland.