Wait...it's afternoon again?

We have landed and dispersed from O'Hare! The plane ride home was great. The time change might be a little rough, since it's 10:18 pm in Ireland currently. :) I had such a wonderful time in Ireland with the ladies of Women's Chorale and NCC faculty and friends. The memories I made on the trip will never be forgotten. Thank you to everyone who tuned in to the blog for the week! We appreciate your support and prayers. Kimberly "may the road rise to meet you"

Headed Home

We're departing Dublin for Chicago on Aer Lingus
Flight EI 125.....12:50pm Ireland time

We are scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 3:15pm.

We will then head to the Terminal 5 baggage claim.

It's bittersweet to be leaving Ireland--we have had such a remarkable experience. But, I think we will be glad to be back home to see our families and get some sleep :)

Megan

"May the Road Rise to Meet You"

Hello friends, family and readers of our Ireland tour blog! Thank you for tuning in to our last-night-in-Ireland blog post. :)

Today was a pretty amazing day, if I do say so myself. We began with breakfast at the hotel, which included a wide array of hot breakfast items, cereal, bread, fruit and juice. After breakfast, we all loaded the bus to begin our morning tour of Dublin.

The first stop on the tour was at Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. The reason this is such an awesome opportunity is because the Book of Kells is a 9th-century gospel manuscript that is famous all over the world. The craftsmanship those scribes had to put into their work is incredible.

Learning about the history of Trinity College

We also were able to walk through the library, a magnificent room with thousands upon thousands of books. There, some of us got to see the Proclamation of Ireland, which was signed in 1916. The room was full of history and knowledge. It was a neat experience.

After leaving the Book of Kells, we took a small tour, led by Peter, of Trinity College campus square. We had a little time to take a few pictures of the group in front of the archway. Peter told us the superstitions the students have about walking under the arch. If they walk under it, they won't graduate. They follow this rule closely and never pass through until after graduation.

The Group at Trinity College

We boarded the bus after touring Trinity College, and drove to St. Patrick's Cathedral. This cathedral dates back to 1220. Even stepping inside the doors was an amazing experience. The church was absolutely beautiful.

Our concert began a bit loud because people were taking tours of the church, talking over each other, and probably not realizing it was an organized event. However, soon after they realized we were singing, and sounded very good, they quieted down a bit. :) The acoustics in the church were fantastic, and we had chance to have this concert recorded!

The tour group in St. Patrick's Cathedral

After the touching concert, the group boarded the bus, changed back into our street clothes, and got ready to explore the city! Most of the group went shopping for souvenirs and even practical every-day clothing from fashionable stores. Many girls found jewelry at little stands on the sidewalks. 

When it came time to board the bus again it was right before dinner time. We headed back to the hotel where we had a few minutes to freshen up before going down to the restaurant for dinner. On the way, Tour Manager Megan D. had us sign framed pictures of the group and our bus driver, Dave, and tour guide, Peter, for them to keep. They were so good to us, and they deserve every bit of praise. 

We also each signed the journal Megan bought for Peter. Some wrote poems, some wrote limericks, and others merely said "thanks". Peter, if you read the blog, I just want to let you know that from all of your Chicago "daughters", we truly enjoyed spending time with you. We appreciate Peter and Dave so much and we're so glad they were able to be our guides on this trip!

Ty and Benna were also wonderful on the trip. They were truly our biggest fans everywhere we went. I could look out at any point and see at least one of them beaming or singing along to our songs. :) They were sweet enough to buy us chocolate bars special from Ireland. We're very thankful to have had them on the tour with us!

After a heartfelt farewell dinner, the group split up to explore Dublin, head to a nearby pub, or settle down for the night. It was a remarkable and memorable last night in Ireland, and I couldn't have asked to have spent it with anyone else but the wonderful Women's Chorale ladies. :) 

Thank you for reading, and I hope you all enjoy your evening! "Slainte!"

Shopping, shopping, and more shopping!

Today was filled with shopping, bus rides, and a night out on the town of Kerry! We began our day with breakfast at the hotel, then hopped on the bus and headed for the Muckross House, the main focal  point of Killarney National Park. Once we got into the park, there were many "ooo's and ahh's" at the deer and other wildlife there.

The Muckross House was finished in 1843, and was owned by Henry Arthur Herbert and Mary Herbert. There were many owners after the couple, but it is now a part of Killarney National Park. We learned a good deal about the house, and were able to explore many of the rooms. Unfortunately, I can't show you what they looked like because the house did not allow flash photography, but I can share a picture I took of the outside of the house.

The Muckross House

One of the most interesting parts of the tour (in my opinion) was when we learned about Queen Victoria's visit. She called the Herberts six years in advance, telling them she was coming to visit the Muckross house. They arranged for her visit, changing rooms, having furniture made. When she came, she brought with her 100 servants and her own bed, even though the Herberts had one made just for her. They expected her to stay awhile; at least a few weeks, months, maybe even years. Guess how many days she stayed? The Queen stayed a total of two days at the Muckross House, then went back home. The tour group talked about that the whole rest of the day, still in disbelief.

After leaving the Muckross House, we stopped at a jewelry/clothing store. While shopping, the store workers served us coffee, free of charge. Many people bought souvenirs for themselves, loved ones and friends at the shop. After we sang "Danny Boy" for the store staff, we boarded the bus for the Ring of Kerry.

Because it is so vast, we rode in the bus for the tour of the Ring of Kerry. The views were absolutely breathtaking. I know I keep writing that, and that's because it's true. In Ireland, there is no shortage of amazing views. Or cows and sheep. :) 

Once we got to a high point of the Ring, we stopped for some photo opportunities. The wind was crazy, and we were a little afraid of being blown right off the edge! So we hurried and took the group picture, then ran back to the bus, happy to be in one piece. 

At a photo stop along the Ring of Kerry 

We had a few more stops, including lunch at the Scarriff Inn and another group photo (at the bottom of the page). Then we were back on the road! 

One of the photo points at the Ring of Kerry

Peter, our tour guide, gave us two choices. Behind door number one was to be dropped off right downtown to shop for the afternoon, then head back for dinner. Behind door number two was to be taken the hotel, then be able to decide what to do from there. Most of the group chose number one, but a few of us wanted to drop off our bags of souvenirs and things, then head into town.

The town of Kerry is very charming. The buildings are all painted different colors, and the architecture is neat. They had all kinds of stores, ranging from pubs to boutiques to a spa dedicated to pampering feet only. We had fun wandering around, looking in stores we weren't sure about, buying things for lots of people (at least I know that's what Ali K. and I did!). :)

After we had our fun shopping, it was time for dinner at the hotel. We had a delicious choice of 3 courses. I chose the garlic mushrooms, fillet of cod with herb sauce, and pear hellene. It was very good, so hats off to the chef(s). 

After dinner, many members of the group gathered down in the lobby of the hotel to get ready to walk downtown. We were going to the pubs! The Danny Mann was our first stop of the evening. We had a nice sit in the lounge, then some stayed to listen to the live music, and others branched out to explore the city. Everyone had a group to stay with, so don't worry. We're all safe! :)

The pubs were fun, and very different than American bars. We listened to a wonderful trio of male singers at The Danny Mann toward the end of the night. They sang a mash-up of "Danny Boy" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". It was both interesting and entertaining. 

Group photo at the Ring of Kerry

It was an eventful day for the tour group! Tomorrow we'll depart Killarney and head for the good ole city of Dublin, Ireland. We're excited to give another concert tomorrow and hope the 4 1/2 hours on the bus will be good vocal rest time after singing loudly at the pubs. :) Thank you for reading and have a wonderful night!

"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield"

The Women's Chorale Ireland tour group had a busy and wonderful day today. We started our Friday off with a wonderful breakfast at the Clayton Hotel in Galway. After everyone finished eating, we checked out of the hotel and boarded the bus to head to Bunratty Castle in County Clare.

The group outside of Bunratty Castle

Bunratty Castle was built in 1425 and restored in 1954 to its former state. It now contains 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of art to keep the mood of the castle the same. We also had the opportunity to experience the Bunratty Folk Park, which is a collection of over 30 buildings in a rural setting, as well as a "living" village. 

One of the buildings we visited was the School house. While there, we talked with Mike, who was very knowledgeable in the history of education and Irish culture. He told us about arranged marriages and dowries that used to take place in Ireland. 

Listening intently to Mike in "class"

To better explain how marriages worked back then, he used our very own Jessica Coffey as an example. Because she has no brothers and her mother has no brothers, it would be thought that she would not have sons, therefore making her not as "valuable" to the future husband's family. After they were wed, the husband's family could take everything from Jessica's family, because they were doing them a favor. Mike said, "let's all say three 'Hail Mary's' that Jessica finds a husband!" It was a fun part of the tour. :)

We visited many different shops in the Folk Park, including old candy stores, sweater shops, and a shop that makes jewelry right there in the park. One of the houses we toured in had something special going on. Two ladies were standing in the kitchen/family room, mixing what appeared to be ingredients for a cake. They were making it as if it were the 1400's though, and it was neat to listen to them talk about it, as well as watch their swift hands.

Watching one of the Bunratty ladies cook

The big part of the sight-seeing today was at Bunratty Castle. We had the amazing opportunity to sing "Danny Boy" on one of the top floors of the castle. While we were singing, the crowd grew bigger and bigger, and people were recording us on phones and cameras. Even Peter joined in and sang with us. :)

The castle had many nooks and crannies, including a dungeon and multiples look-outs on the top. The view from the towers was amazing. The architecture was gorgeous, and we learned many neat facts about the history of the castle and it's inhabitants.

After we finished touring Bunratty Castle and Park, we walked over to the original Durty Nelly's for lunch. For some, it was the first time they'd ever had the famous "fish and chips". Kayla K. said it was "soooo good" and Jessica W. raved that it was "delicious" :) Once everyone had paid for their food, we boarded the bus and headed to check into our next place: Killarney Court Hotel. 

Enjoying lunch at Durty Nelly's

We had some time to get ready for the concert, then headed down to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Some of the menu choices included potato leek soup (hey, kaufman serves that!), chicken wrapped in bacon, and chocolate fudge cake. It was very good. :) We had a quick minute to change into our dresses, then were whisked away to St. Mary's Church of Ireland for our evening concert.

The church, which was beyond beautiful in looks, also had a beautiful sound to it when we sang. We had an incredibly responsive audience tonight. Each cutoff was met with a "wow" or a "yes!" They seemed to really be enjoying themselves. We had the pleasure of meeting a couple from Naperville who were staying in the hotel next door. They just happened to make friends with an awesome lady (and our new biggest fan), Candy, who was planning on going to our concert. It really is a small world. :)

The tour group at St. Mary's Church

Today was a busy day once again, but it was a great one. The concert was inspiring to many of the audience members. One man told us he was touched by "Untraveled Worlds". He had mentioned the text, from Tennyson's "Ulysses", in his high school graduation speech 60 years ago. It is truly amazing to see how music touches everyone in a different way. 

As always, thank you for following our blog. It means so much to us that you all are invested in this trip and in our group. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we miss and love you all! 

"and until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand"

Dia Duit!

You may be wondering what the title of this blog means. Peter taught us the common Gaelic greeting before boarding the bus today. You are to greet people, saying, "dia duit". This means "God with you." You are to answer it saying "dia is muire duit", which means "God and Mary with you". We had fun attempting to pronounce the sayings the rest of the day.

We began the day with a very nice breakfast at the hotel. The Irish mean business when it comes to breakfast foods! After eating, we all got on the bus to head over to Connemara where we were to get on the ferry.

The North Central gang had the pleasure of sitting on the top of the two-decker ferry on our way to the largest Aran Island, Inis Mor. It was a beautiful view, and the weather was perfect! We even took the opportunity to sing "Send Your Rain" for the others on the top of the ferry. The people I talked to after we sang said they enjoyed it very much, and they always asked where we were from. We proudly responded, "Naperville, Illinois!". After the puzzled looks, I would add that it's located outside of Chicago. That usually helped them place us better. :)

Having fun on the ferry!

When we got off the ferry, we headed for our tour buses. The Aran Islands include 3 separate islands, Inis Mor, which means big island, Inis Meain, which means middle island, and Inis Oirr, which means East island. The island we visited today was Inis Mor. They speak Irish there, and teach their kids Irish as well. There are only 200 cars on the island total, and 3 police officers (only 1 on duty at a time usually). The bank is only open on Wednesdays and Thursdays...can you imagine that?

Our tour bus took us all the way up to a small area of shops below the path that leads to Dun Aengus, a fort thought to be built around 1,000 B.C. or before. We climbed up the trail of gravel and later, large rocks, and arrived at the top of the fort. The view left many speechless. Many pictures were taken along the cliff edge and by the stone fort. We even sang "Danny Boy" while holding hands in a circle. It left many people, including the singers, breathless. 

On the top of Dun Aengus

After hiking back down the path, we had the chance to do a bit of shopping before the tour buses took us back to the "downtown" area of Inis Mor. Some bought Aran sweaters, some (including myself) bought claddaugh rings, and some decided to save their money for the next 5 days of traveling. :) 

When we arrived back in the downtown area, many tour members went to "The American Bar". One of the tour bus drivers said we should go there, even though we "left to get away from that American food". ;) Others went to the Aran Sweater Market, where there was a big sale on the authentic wool sweaters. 

By this point, the rain had picked up quite a bit. Thank goodness we brought our raincoats! Once we boarded the ferry to head back to mainland, we were able to dry off a bit and relax in our seats. Dr. Wis had the singers stand and sing three of our songs: Cunnla, Svatba, and May the Road Rise to Meet You. People were absolutely delighted to hear us. I joked with a woman standing in the aisle that it was good that she enjoyed it, because she had no choice but to listen! :)

View of Inis Mor from the ferry ride back

After taking the bus back to the hotel, we enjoyed a 3-course dinner with different menu options, including dishes like potato gnocchi, cream of broccoli soup, and tiramisu. We had a quick window to get ready in, which everyone observed very well, then we were back on the bus, dressed and ready for our concert.

The town of Galway is so neat and interesting. Our bus driver, David, deserves a trophy for his maneuvering through the narrow streets. Believe it or not, Irish streets are even more narrow than Naperville's! ;) 

St. Nicholas Collegiate Church was where we had our first concert on tour. It was so beautiful. Pictures do not do the building, which was built around 1320, proper justice. Our concert went very well, and we had fun listening to the reverberation after every cutoff. Personally, my favorite part of the concert was singing "Send Your Rain" while holding hands in a circle. The connection with the women of the group is amazing when we sing this way. Many people teared up, including our audience. :) 

Concert at St. Nicholas Collegiate Church

We headed home after the concert and pictures, and came back to a snack of sandwiches and fruit at our hotel. We had a very long, but awesome day. I am so thankful to be a part of this incredible group, as well as to be touring Ireland! Thank you for reading following along on our travels across Ireland. 

"and until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand"

Day 1 on Tour

Hello everyone!

Today was quite the eventful day! We arrived in Dublin around 8:15 am, right on schedule. After getting our passports stamped (hooray!) and grabbing our luggage, we were off to find our guide and the tour bus. 

The view from my plane window

We were pleasantly greeted by our tour guide, Peter, at the airport. He led us to the bus, where we boarded and immediately knew that he had a good sense of humor. Our bus driver, David, likes to chime in on the jokes, too. :) Fun fact: in Ireland, wearing seat belts on tour buses is the law. Peter made sure to say "It's the law" in an American accent because it "works better" that way. He's a riot.

We stopped for a "comfort stop" at a place called Midway. They had a huge row of all the different kinds of nuts you could think of. Dr. Wis seemed to like that part of the stop the most. :) There were also 4 or 5 restaurants, including a coffee shop. 

After our comfort stop, we drove another hour and a half to stop for lunch at Blarney Woollen Mills. We were able to grab a bite to eat at the cafe upstairs, then shop in the various sections of stores downstairs. I bought 5 postcards in hopes of sending them out soon.

When everyone had finished spending their euro, we admired the view from the parking lot and climbed back on the bus. Somewhere along the line, Dr. Wis decided that we should sing one of our Michael McGlynn pieces, Cunnla, to see if Peter and David could recognize some of the Gaelic words. After we sang, Peter answered our Gaelic with a few sentences of his own, commenting on how our singing was "better than good". Like I said, we like him! :)

During the drive to the Cliffs of Moher, there were many "ooo's" and "ahh's". Ireland is just gorgeous! If you have never been, I'll be the first to recommend making a trip out here to the Emerald Isle. We saw so many cool things on our journey.

Once we arrived at the Cliffs, everyone's cameras were out of their day bags. We all had fun playing photographer, trying to capture the perfect picture of the Cliffs and O'Brien's Tower. We also were able to enjoy the Visitor's Centre and some of the cool specialty shops built in to the bottom of one of the cliffs. So many good memories were made at these sites, including singing "May the Road Rise to Meet  You" at the bottom of the O'Brien's Tower steps. 

Some of the tour group posing in front of the Cliffs of Moher!

O'Brien's Tower

Cliffs of Moher

Limestone

 After boarding the bus to go check into our hotel in Galway (Clayton Hotel), everyone was pretty worn out. Peter showed us many awesome site-seeing opportunities along the way. At one point, we had to stop and get out to take pictures because the view was so amazing. Peter told us about what we were seeing - it was limestone and shale layers that had been eroded and cracked over years and years of time.

We had a very fun-filled, jam-packed day! Tomorrow we'll be heading to the Aran Islands via a ferry, and will be giving a concert at St. Nicholas Collegiate Church. As always, thanks for reading and following our adventure, and don't forget to stay tuned for more posts!

Top o' the Mornin' to ya!

We landed in Ireland right on time! The flight was great - everything went very smoothly, so thanks to those who sent positive prayers and good vibes our way. :) We've all picked up our baggage and are getting ready to head on over to Galway by motorcoach to the Cliffs of Moher! Pictures will be coming soon... :) Ta ta for now!

LANDED!

We just landed in Ireland!! We are very excited to begin what is sure to be a remarkable trip! Heading to the Cliffs of Moher today :)

Here we go!

The Ireland Tour is about to officially begin! We have boarded our plane, Aer Lingus flight 124, and are prepping to take off. Only 20 minutes until we depart for our adventure. We had fun checking in, going through security (it wasn't too bad!), and waiting in the terminal for roughly two hours. Personally, I thought the whole process went really quickly and smoothly, which was nice. I took many pictures in the 3 hours we hung out at O'Hare. They'll be posted soon! Keep us and our pilot in your thoughts and prayers tonight. We'll be arriving in Dublin, Ireland, at 8:15 am. Hopefully we will all get some sleep on the plane so we can have an exciting, energy-filled day tomorrow. :) Aroud 2:00 pm we'll be at the Cliffs of Moher, also known as "the Cliffs of Insanity" from The Princess Bride. Thanks for reading, and we'll talk to you soon!

Flight/Hotel Information (and pictures!)

Hello WC-ers, faculty, friends and readers of our blog,

Only 1 DAY until we leave for Ireland! :)

Here is the flight/hotel information as a reminder for travelers, or new information for those who are following us on our exciting adventure:

Depart:

June 12, 2012 - Aer Lingus flight 124 departs Chicago (ORD) at 6:45 pm

• be at O'Hare at 3:00 pm wearing your Ireland zip-up hoodie!

June 13, 2012 - arrive in Dublin (DUB) at 8:15 am

Hotels:

Galway City - from June 13-15

• Clayton Hotel Galway located on Ballybrit, 16 Briarhill Business Pk, County Galway
• http://www.claytonhotelgalway.ie/
• Phone: 011 353 91 721 900
• Fax: 011 353 91 721 901

Clayton Hotel Galway

Killarney - from June 15-17

• Killarney Court Hotel located on Tralee Road, Killarney, County Kerry
• http://www.killarneycourthotel.com/
• Phone: 011 353 64 663 7070
• Fax: 011 353 64 663 7060

Killarney Court Hotel

Dublin - from June 17-19

• Ashling Hotel Dublin located on Parkgate Street, Dublin 8
• http://www.ashlinghotel.ie/
• Phone: 011 353 1 677 2324
• Fax: 011 353 1 679 3783

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Return Flight:

June 19, 2012 - Aer Lingus flight 125 departs Dublin (DUB) at 12:50 pm

• Arrive in Chicago (ORD) at 3:15 pm

Four Days!

That's right, we're leaving for Ireland in only 4 DAYS!

I'm Kimberly, one of the Ireland Tour managers, and I will be serving as one of the main people updating the blog while we're traveling across the Irish countryside. For the last 18 months or so, Women's Chorale has been gearing up for this amazing trip. We've finessed incredible repertoire, including some written by composers native to Ireland. In just four days, we will be dressed in our green Ireland zip-up hoodies at O'Hare, waiting for our Aer Lingus flight to take off and our adventure to begin. I am beyond excited to be traveling with these wonderful friends and faculty. Each brings a very unique and special musical talent to this tour.

 The Aran Islands off the coast of Galway, Ireland

So, to those who check out our blog, we hope you enjoy following us as we travel across the beautiful countryside, sing in magnificent cathedrals, and visit gorgeous landmarks in Ireland.

"and until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand." - May the Road Rise to Meet You (an Irish blessing)

Important Reminders!

As we are only 10 DAYS away, please remember to:

• Call your credit card/debit card company and let them know the dates we will be in Ireland so they don't think your spending is unusual.
• If you are bringing your phone to Ireland, make sure you call your provider and let them know the dates we will be in Ireland. Also, ask about an international plan for better texting/calling rates while abroad.
• I would recommend purchasing some euros BEFORE leaving for Ireland.
• Check if you can get them through your bank first.
• I would recommend Travelex, on the corner of Ogden and Naper Blvd., in Naperville.