Fresque collective. Collective mural.National College of art and...

In grade 6 I had to do a project on a dream vacation.  Not sure why, but I chose Ireland. I spent hours researching places like Cork and Limerick, cute little B&B’s as well as museums. I even sketched out a picture of bangers and mash for the front cover.  I ended up getting an A+ even though the teacher questioned my mode of transportation. I had written in my project that I was going to get to Ireland on a ferry (first blonde moment!)

Ten years later I bought a round trip ticket to Ireland to visit this enchanting country with a friend from high school. It was surreal to say the least. We spent two weeks in Ireland venturing the countryside, checking out tourist spots, visiting family and of course making new friends. I remember when I came back and shared my stories with my friends they were all in shock. Shut the front door Kristi, shut the front door that did not happen to you (insert chick flick movie here).

In the end I sometimes still can’t believe that in the last year not only did I go to Ireland once, I went twice – the second time for St. Patrick’s Day with close friends. To this day, it still seems crazy that I have friends over there!

The video above is of Two Door Cinema Club’s performance from Glastonbury 2011 (this performance literally just happened). My friend Peter introduced me to this band while I was in Ireland. They have become one of my favourite bands; I even had the chance to see them live in Toronto last September. If you haven’t already heard their stuff I suggest you download it ASAP!

Have a great weekend!

Sláinte

Are you amongst the many who wonder how Tori will get to Ireland now that SAAB may have to close down?

Belfast riot 2011

Everything is English and Nothing Hurts.  …Yet.

This strip isn’t necessarily a history lesson (just history hints, really), but more of a way to facilitate understanding in terminology and the common confusions seen in America elsewhere in the world regarding the British Isles.  In the first panel, they’re wearing period clothing from around 1801 (the year Ireland became part of the UK).  Keeping the parenthetical aside in mind, we chose that time/year to make the point (in the beginning) of this strip. 

A bit of an educational aside:  Before the Acts of Union (what joined Ireland to GB), the UK was known as simply the Kingdom of Great Britain.  (This included the countries England, Wales, and Scotland, collectively making up the largest of the British Isles, Great Britain.  Go figure.)  In 1801, with the addition of Ireland, the state was given the new name, “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.”  This is slightly different than what we have today.  In 1927, Ireland became a sovereign state except for an area in the northeast, which decided to remain with the UK.  (Thusly, the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”)

I would have links for you, but all of this is coming up in the comics, and links will be there, as well!

Here is a nice little venn diagram to sort it out a bit more easily:

As for the flags themselves, that will be touched up on soon in a comic!

Fresque participative // participative mural. Dublin.Ireland.2011

Ireland by ciccio (°°) on Flickr.

Train, on way to Flower Show in Dublin, 2nd June 2011

“I’ve a grand little tin of corned beef!”

Fresque collective. Collective mural.National College of art and design.Dublin.Irlande.2011

Fingers crossed

An Grianan of Aileach (by Child of Danu)

i see a face in thurr! angry castle face!

Time Heals All Wounds.

Taken in Kilkenny, Ireland.

untitled by Lauren Treece on Flickr.

untitled on Flickr.

I’ve updated my Flickr with photos from my recent travels:)

57 The Library of Trinity University, Dublin, Ireland

Bunratty Castle (by David’s Adventures)

A lonely Redwood tree in Bushy Park, Dublin, Ireland?

That I get this job so I’ll have enough to go to Ireland this October. I need it. I can’t wait any longer

Day2 Woke up 3 hours after falling asleep with the worst Charlie horse in my right calf. I...

Sunset in Ringsend, Dublin, Ireland

Catie

YUMMY IRISH MEN!

The origins of the black dog are difficult to discern. It is possible  the creature originated from the Celtic (Irish) culture. It has been seen through out some parts of Europe, mostly in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. 

Irish Black Dog Story

Many districts of Ireland have tales of spectral black dog which appears, sometimes on its own, sometimes with the ghost of a person in attendance.  Once upon a time, in pagan days, as the Reverend John Seymour suggests, the black dog may have been a river spirit. It has been seen many times near lakes and beaches. Aswell as being seen in daytime and at night, both inside houses and the open air.

One account related to Seymour was from a felow-clergyman. This man’s father, also a clergyman had kept a farm aswell and one day Seymour’s informant, as a boy, heard a day labourer talk about “having seen the Devil”.

The labourer has been walking along a country road, when at the gate which led in torwards the house, he saw a dog. He took it to be a black retriever and thought no more about it but then all of a sudden he found that the dog was padding silently by his side.

He observed that the creature’s eyes were blood red.  He picked up some stones to throw at it, but it ignore them, though it presently vanished. A long time later the house in question was bought by people known to Seymour’s informant. The clergyman was a constant visitor to the house, and was soon aware the owners were troubled by the appearances of a black dog.

He then remember the time when he saw the black dog at the same house. The dog often appeared beside people walking near the house. Though the this dog ghost was never known to molest anyone. Its sudden appearances were so unnerving that the new owners soon sold up and went elsewhere.

i will never love ireland more than when it’s blanketed in snow.

waking up to a dark morning with the snow falling, sitting down with a hot chocolate before putting on your favourite scarf and going out into the cold. heaven.

Guitar playing

Dr. Pyle 

Day2 
Woke up 3 hours after falling asleep with the worst Charlie horse in my right calf. I didn’t even realize it but my mom told me in the morning that I made a really loud gasp noise and jackknifed up. All I remember is the pain and not being able to sleep. So for the next hour I was going in and out of sleep rubbing my calf. Finally my mom was like would like some ibuprofen. I was like UH-HUH (in a loud whisper).  She gave me some and I didn’t fall asleep till it kicked in. I woke up about an hour later (it was about 3 in the morning) with drunken Irish men singing outside the window. After they left I was woken again up again by my dad snoring (LOUDLY). I was lastly woken up by my mom turning on her phone.
It was about 9:15 when we finally headed down for breakfast. They had interesting choices but i just choose something simple, scrambled eggs with button mushroom and grilled tomatoes. What I got instead was watery eggs with a handful of mushrooms and half of a whole tomato that was hot. All these items were separate and not mixed together. After eating that a banana (that didn’t live up to my banana standards) and an apple we went upstairs.
The shower didn’t work so I had to take a bath. But they don’t have a normal faucet that we are used to. No, they have two knobs (hot and cold) and you have to get it just right to get a tolerable water temperature.  When we were all ready to go, we went down the maze one more time and checked out. 
My dad decided he was going to drive because he could not take another day of driving like before. It was confusing at first because none of the signs there are like the signs in the U.S. It was an hour drive to Carlow. Once we go there we found our first B&B and still had time to kill before check in.
We walked a good 5 minutes till we got into town and went to find the college that I could be attending next spring semester.


Entrance to College grounds


The Church next door

There is a church right next to the college and people were going in so we decided to go to mass. It was different. There was a lot more kneeing, the pews are very uncomfortable, and nobody says the prayers at the same time. It’s like the ripple effect of row row row your boat… After church we explored  the small campus. We tried to figure out where the apartment building that I would be staying at is. All we found were two school buildings and one dorm.  It’s a very small college.  We didn’t find the apartment though.  We ended up next to an Aldi and went in. The Aldi there is amazing. It was two times the size of the ones in the U.S. and it has way more stuff.  We left after picking up some things and walked around till we found the rowing competition that was going on. We sat and watched for an hour.  We moved to get a different view and while sitting there some lady let their dog just walk on by us (she wasn’t even paying attention) and the dog started sniffing around I moved my bag just in time but my mom did not. The ugly poodle mutt peed on her bag. The owner just laughed and kept going. (Bitch) I was mad! With that ruining the rowing for us, we headed back. We got back and my mom started clean the bag. Did I mention it was my bag that she had borrowed… well it is waterproof but she still gave it a good wash.  After a bit of rest we walked back into town to the local pub. I got chicken something with white wine sauce. It was delish!!  We got back to our room and just relaxed


Sitting almost outside the window.
I think my ankle is swollen?

wild horse (by simply stardust)

I’ll love you forever

i miss him already.

have fun in ireland for the month, baby bro.

1. Italy

2. Ireland

3. New York - I want to move there

4. Germany

5. California

6. Colorado

7. Texas

8. Somewhere tropical

9. France

10… Europe in general.

H0PY 5H1T

wild horse (by simply stardust)

Photo

Waterville, Co. Kerry is a famous sea-angling center. It is situated on the eatern shore of Ballinskelligs Bay, on a narrow strip of land separated by the sea from Lough Currane, a fine sheet of water about 26 kms in circumference, and one of the most beautiful lakes in Ireland. On the east and south mountains rise from the shore and there are several islands on the lake adding to the majestic scene.

cut the green grass. get paid. shower. not get super nervous. pick up my prescription. go to the atm. ugh idk

In 5 days, @yankeedaisy & I will be in London for the Jimmy Eat World shows, then back to Ireland from the 24th until the 29th. I am SO excited. I’ve made my packing checklist. I printed out our hostel reservations, my Ryanair boarding pass, and our Jimmy Eat World tickets tonight and it’s becoming so real. I can’t believe we’re actually taking this trip. I’m so stoked.

When I was in Ireland, I went on this bus tour and it started raining; so the tour guide gave everybody plastic ponchos to wear while we were walking around at our stop. The ponchos had hoods that stood up in points and looked quite silly. There was a Spanish couple on the tour, and the guy started yelling “Hey! We look like Patricio, from Spongebob!”

And then I realized Spongebob is a universal theme of hilarity and can never be destroyed.

Gilles Peress, On the Loyalist Shankill Road, Belfast, Ireland 1981

 This is in Piltown, County Kilkenny, Ireland.

Óró, sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,

Óró, sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,

Óró, sé do bheatha ‘bhaile

Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.

’Sé do bheatha, a bhean ba léanmhar,

Do b’ é ár gcreach tú bheith i ngéibheann,

Do dhúiche bhreá i seilbh méirleach,

Is tú díolta leis na Gallaibh.

Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile,

Óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda,

Gaeil iad féin is ní Gaill ná Spáinnigh,

Is cuirfidh siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh.

A bhuí le Rí na bhFeart go bhfeiceam,

Mura mbeam beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain,

Gráinne Mhaol agus míle gaiscíoch,

Ag fógairt fáin ar Ghallaibh.

Photo

Photo of Britain taken by an astronaut orbiting 230 miles away in space.

(by Carly Hildebrant)

The Stone Walls of Inisheer

Day 0 - Zurich Airport on Flickr.

Leaving from Zurich

Bowers Walk (by Fergal…)

Just saw the first two episodes of The Glee Project. Let’s just say I have already picked my favorite.