“I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland.”
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
“I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland.” Words that I hear spoken nearly every day. Ireland is the place of so many dreams and aspirations. It is a land of mythic and magic. From the Fae of Celtic mythology to the enchanting people, Ireland is a life changing place for so many. I know that it has been for me. I was born on the same day as my maternal Grandmother Catherine McCarthy of Drimoligue, Ireland, Co. Cork. My earliest memories are of running through the green fields of my grandfather’s farm during the summers that we spent with them. From the moment you step off that last flight and smell the air of the Emerald Isle it is clear that you aren’t in Kansas anymore. The fresh grass and clean air is apparent even in the airport. Cork airport is right on the edge of the city and yet it is surrounded by green fields and tall trees. The air itself seems to be filled with the magic described in Celtic folklore. You can easily imagine fairies frolicking though the lush green fields and hopping over the stone walls. The soft sound of waves crashing against the rocky coasts and sandy beaches of Ireland is one of the most soothing sounds in the world. No matter where you go the coast is stunning but the views of the Wild Atlantic way are unmatched. On our last retreat one of the retreat goers was an avid traveler and she said that the Gleninchaquin Park waterfall was the most stunning hike she had ever experienced.
We all have a bucket list. Things we want to get done, or places we want to go. I grew up with Ireland as my backyard and still to this day I find it fulfilling my bucket list. For years, since I learned what it was, I wanted to see the Milky Way spread across the night sky. To have the night lit up by millions of stars and see their majesty from horizon to horizon. I chased those stars. From Death Valley to the Midwest to the Appalachian Mountains but never found them. It was always too bright, too cloudy or the moon was too full. I had almost given up. Then, the night we arrived for The Harmonies of the Emerald Isle retreat, as I unpacked my bag, light poured through the window. I stepped out onto the porch, expecting a porchlight and was completely blown away by the stars glittering over the ocean. Words cannot accurately describe the feeling off looking up and seeing the universe unfold before you. For me, throughout my entire life Ireland has been a place where magic is real. The everyday kind of magic. Where strangers are kind, the landscape is breathtaking, and when you need it the most, the stars answer your wishes.