Parental Thoughts Part One

My parents came to visit in June, and, inspired partly by Ginna's blog, I asked them for their thoughts on Northern Ireland and their visit.  Brevity is not a strong point in my family, so I've split it into two posts.  My Mom's thoughts are below, Dad's will follow tomorrow (hopefully).

Hey Sunshine,

            The trip to Ireland had so many highlights that I can't put them in order of best--and there was no worst.  I loved seeing you, you look terrific, and you are as terrific as you look. Ireland has left its mark on you: you have grown into a mature, confident, self-reliant young man. You always were brilliant, compassionate, and giving. You make me proud. You knock my socks off! Your suggestion that we might stay at the Europa in Belfast worked very well for us, with the train station and bus station right next door. Our being able to get right to you in 11 minutes was quick and easy.

            You did a great job of introducing us to Harmony Hill and the Base. I loved seeing the boys group playing football and then talking to us at the Base. You and John and your volunteers are making a difference in the lives of the children who come to the Base. You are an
excellent role model for them. If any of them turn out to be just like you, their mothers will be proud, too.  Attending church with you and singing "Battle Hymn of the Republic", as we did in my childhood church, was a happy experience, as was meeting members of the friendly and charming congregation. Dinner with David and Heather was a very special highlight.  Being in their home and experiencing their warm Irish hospitality and delicious Irish food added a delightful and relaxing element to our visit. They are fine people. I am glad to see how good they are to you and how much they think of you.   Going to St. George’s Market with Patricia was fun. Your friends Andy and Patricia have won us over completely--we hope they will come visit us in Charlottesville. The music and atmosphere of the City Market added to the fun of shopping and having lunch there. We met some very nice Irish people in the Market with whom we enjoyed a lovely conversation. Then Patricia and I went off for a tour of the impressive City Hall, where we both learned a great deal about the history and governance of Belfast as we were both awed by the beauty, vast size, and art of the building itself, particularly of the marble and stained glass.

            After five very active and fun days in Belfast, the three of us embarked, later in the day than we planned, in our big, fat rental car, on a trip to the North Coast, which we saw during two glorious days of bright sunshine! The colors came alive! Ireland is indeed emerald green and stunning. I loved the charming little village where we stopped for a very late lunch. Even the people we met there were friendly and picturesque. The sea, the Irish Sea, was as clear a blue
as the Caribbean, much to my surprise. I had pictured it to be a bottle green color. I guess the sunshine is what lit it up for us. We could see Scotland right across the Irish Sea. The hike to and from the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge was a bit of a challenge for me, but not for you and your Dad. I am glad I made the effort; the scenery was lovely from every angle, in every direction. You were right to take us there.  Then our side trip to Coleraine to have dinner with your Dad's colleague, Bob  Welsh, his wife, Angela, and their son, Killian, was an unexpected pleasure since your Dad reached them in the late afternoon, and they called right back and invited us to dinner in their home that very night. The dinner conversation reminded me of the many evenings we spent on the Semester at Sea ship talking for hours with warm, intelligent, and intellectual friends. I felt the Welshes to be instant friends, even though I met for the first time that night. I am glad they suggested we stay with their neighbor in her four-story B&B.

            Then back to the North Coast the next morning in another whole day of brilliant sunshine. I am glad I walked down to the Giant's Causeway with you and your Dad, and even better was taking the bus back up the hill! I loved the legend of Fin McCool, the clever Irish Giant who dressed like a baby to scare away the Scottish Giant who destroyed the causeway to Scotland because after seeing Fin and thinking him a baby--he sure didn't want to have the father come after him.    I like the picture of the back of our heads looking out to sea from Dunluce Castle, our last adventure before Londonderry/Derry. I got just a glimpse of the old walled city of what is now part of the City of Derry, but what would have been called Londonderry once upon a time. The two names highlight the conflict between the descendents of the Protestant English and Scottish who were sent to settle in Northern Ireland and those of the present-day Irish Roman Catholics. I am glad that you and your Dad got to walk around the top of the wall, and see the towers and go into the Bogside to hear the Saville Report, the official British apology for Bloody Sunday in 1972, when 14 innocent Irish Catholic men, women, and children were killed by armed soldiers who in the Bogside. I am not glad I chose to stay on the particular bench I chose while you and your Dad went off on the Bogside adventure because of the crazy person who accosted me to tell me that I was an Angel... He was probably a very nice crazy-person, but he made me nervous, so I hid out at a McDonald's in the near-by Mall waiting for you two to return. I was glad to see you when you got back to me! I was also glad to hear of your experiences in the packed Pub in Bogside where you both heard the Saville Report along with the Irish Catholic crowd. Londonderry/Derry was the most historically significant stop on our trip because of the Saville Report. Yesterday I found myself re-reading the Irish newspapers we bought the next day. We have them in the den right on top of the television--as if it were a library stand. Come to think of it, a book stand would look good and be useful in the corner of the den.
            

I liked staying in the bed and breakfasts, and especially talking with the women who ran them. I both saw and felt the famous Irish warmth and hospitality in every encounter we had with people from the Belfast area to the North Coast of Northern Ireland to Coleraine and Londonderry/Derry to the Irish Republic in every place we visited ending with Dublin. An Irish friendliness permeated every place we went. Of course, my favorite place we spent the night was the Hotel in Cork, because I do like elegance and luxury. Those rooms were incredibly nice. All of the full Irish Breakfasts were good--but the dining room in Cork was the most posh. Speaking of food, I felt very fortunate to have two lavish Irish dinners in real Irish homes, first with David and Heather, and next with your Dad's colleague, Bob Welsh and his wife, Angela. I did like fish and chips, and eating in pubs, Very especially fun was watching the World Cup from the various pubs. I learned a lot from you and from the "football" fans in the pubs. I still think of it as soccer.  I am glad we stopped and found the grave of William Butler Yeats, especially for your Dad. I am glad I got to see it--Yeats has always been a favorite of mine--but I am even more glad that your Dad did. I loved the park by Christ's Church in Dublin where we saw the plaques on the wall honoring specific Irish writers. I was happy to see how many great Irish writers I know well from their work.  The picture of me with your pint in the Guinness (How do you spell that?) Storehouse in Dublin did not fool either of your sisters. Liza just laughed about it. She knew I couldn't drink a whole pint of ale. I am glad I at least tasted yours.  

The BEST part of the whole trip was having yet another adventure with, you to add Ireland to Scotland and Puerto Rico as places explored by the three of us!