Through Irish eyes
The Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry extends beyond the westernmost point in Ireland and is a place of surreal beauty with steep sea cliffs and sandy beaches
A woman walks her dog along the harbor in Dungarvan in the heart of County Waterford, Ireland.
The Celtic High Cross is one of the best-known symbols of Ireland. High Crosses of Ireland were never intended to mark places of burial, but to serve as boundary markers of significant or sacred land.
The Buggy Boys play in the Temple Bar Pub, reputed to be Dublin’s “bohemian quarter.” It is full of entertainment, art and culinary treats.
A sheep looks out of an opening in a stone wall near the city of Galway in Ireland.
Bright green, red and yellow hues have become the signature work of the Avoca Handweavers, the oldest working wool mill in Ireland and one of the world’s oldest manufacturing companies. It also is Ireland’s oldest surviving business.
Tulips line the sidewalk leading into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, which is known today as the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. The building dates to 1220.
Ireland may be small geographically, but it has produced many notable and influential people who have shared their talents and achievements with the world.
Writers Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and, more recently, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt have provided us with stirring words and images. International peace negotiator Mary Montague and musician and humanitarian Bono, of U2 fame, are further examples of Ireland’s diversity, as are boxing champions Barry McGuigan and Wayne McCullough.
As impressive as the list might be, the most important people to me are my ancestors, the Quigleys and the Maxwells, who were among the more than 650,000 who emigrated from Ireland to the United States to escape devastating poverty during the potato famine between 1845 and 1852.
My grandfather, John S. Quigley, was very proud of his Irish heritage. I will never forget listening to him sing old Irish folk songs while on our walks to the post office. He taught me to keep my eyes on the ground so I wouldn’t miss the chance to find a four-leaf clover. He shared stories with my brother, sister and I about the sacrifices his parents had made to give the family a better life. I will always cherish those memories and the lessons learned, especially as we gathered around the dinner table to share a pot of Irish stew.
I was recovering from a major health crisis when one of my dearest friends suggested that I needed to celebrate my turn-around by taking a trip. When asked where I would like to go, I answered without hesitation: Ireland.
It wasn’t long before we set out on an 11-day adventure that covered 13 cities and 1,100 miles in the hope of connecting with my homeland.
In Ireland and Great Britain, motorists drive on the opposite side of the road than they do in the United States, and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. I certainly had a time adjusting to that as I sat in the passenger seat trying to slow the car by pushing my foot on the floorboard as we rolled along twisted, windy side roads at what seemed like breakneck speed. However, the view was spectacular, from what I could see, and I was able to catch my breath when we abruptly stopped to allow a herd of sheep to cross the road.
Although I have long been a vegetarian, I was knocked off my game with the food, especially a breakfast of homemade bread, eggs, mushrooms, beans, fried potatoes, tomatoes and ham. It was so good, I found myself getting up early just to sit at our bed-and-breakfast table each morning.
Through it all, I found myself falling in love with the beauty of Ireland’s natural landscape: the small, beautiful cottages, the rolling green countryside and the fresh, clean air. However, what I will always remember most are the friendly and beautiful people who make up this amazing Emerald Isle called Ireland.