10 Questions About…

Kate made it home as scheduled. We were happy and a little surprised. She had a ticket but not a seat assignment. Aine and I got on a plane. Sat on it for two hours and then deplaned. It started with a light that wouldn’t go out. So, they rebooted the plane. For IT Group fans – yes, they tried turning it off and on again! The we got some line about a problem with a passenger. Then we alit.

For a few hours we sat in the airport getting one story or another until they finally cancelled the flight. After seven hours in the airport, they sent us to a hotel in the shadow of the airport. I’ve always thought that would be a lucky thing – so extend your vacation by a day. But Aine was inconsolable. She wants to be home with her friends before the leave for college. And being out by the airport is not great.

A nod to the Maldron, one of four hotels that got overflow guests for the night. We were surly and tired. They were very kind. There’s a shuttle to the airport, an American-style buffet breakfast (with Irish croissants and bacon!) and a pub. I might not spend my whole time in Dublin so out of town but that’s on a short-list of last night stops.

I gave extra euros, the toothpaste and adapter to Kate. We were ill equipped. Plus I hate to fly so emotionally spent. I did walk about 6 miles around the hotel over our stay, which means I know the ins and outs of the Dublin airport. In fact, one more day and I might be visiting the airport security about my new hobby.

As I write this we are waiting for the 4pm flight out of Dublin. (Our original flight was 9am yesterday.) It’s been pushed to 5pm and I heard the 9am flight earlier today was cancelled. I’m not feeling good. I haven’t mentioned the airlines – but if any else goes wrong. I will. Update the flight home from Chicago was 40 minutes late.

We have had an amazing time and we’re ready to go home. None of us likes to fly so we’re tucked into a hotel near the airport. There’s a shuttle to the airport and that will calm our nerves but that leaves us in a limbo of sorts for our last day.

I decided to walk into town, which was quite a hall. I stopped by the National Botanic Garden and Glasnevin Cemetery. Then headed in to soak up the last of the city and get to nearly 13 miles for the day. I stopped by the art gallery at Trinity College to see the art of Liz Magor. She reuses objects to create sculptures. Some of fuzzy and cute; some seem to be oddly placed taxidermized animals.

The girls are visiting with their friend Cait. Keep us and our travels in your thoughts tomorrow. We hope to see you soon!

Sometimes our adventures take us to someplace very new; sometimes we visit the things we knew growing up. Today we hiked back to Cabinteely, where the girls Irish Grandma live and where we lived for a year here, or six months there. We started at Cabinteely Park, which is the gardens of the old manor of the area. (Which also in its time was the keeper of the hopper for the Irish Sweepstakes numbers!) It’s gorgeous. The girls couldn’t resist at least one toe dip int their old playground.

We went through the village past the post office, the library, several restaurants, their grandma’s house, the rugby park across the street and their old school. The views of the Wicklow and Dublin mountains on a day as clear (sometimes clear) as today are amazing. Due to a shoe malfunction, we even got to check out the Tesco where we used to grocery shop.

The we trekked to Killiney Hill. It’s a climb we used to do often and somehow we accidentally took the easy way up, which makes me wonder why we never took the easy way when they were 3-8 years old! The views are spectacular. The air feels fresher. And it’s a place so familiar to the girls that it feels sacred.

Then we went the other way down to the sea. The sun was out, the view was amazing, the smell was oceany. The girls stepped into the sea barefoot. Aine put her shoes to close to the water – and the sea swept one shoe away. Luckily after a long few minutes, she found it 10 feet down the shore in the rocks. Very funny!

Before we left Galway, I did a quick last walk around town. I saw Lynch’s Castle and maybe Lynch’s Window. It wasn’t all that well marked. All done in honor of my sister Katie Lynch and her crew. It was a heavily misty day so a nice day to be heading out.

Three hours on the coach, and we were back in Dublin. We’re staying in Rathmines this time around. It’s closer to where I lived when I was in graduate school, but not an area I know well. It’s fun to get little chances to know new neighborhoods. What I do love is the Georgian doors – that’s something I always associate with Dublin. So, I took some snaps of doors and a few other things I found on my long walk around town.

I also walked by the first place I ever stayed in Ireland – the Inn on the Liffey. It looked nearly as bad back in the day. The short story is that I came for the weekend (living in London) with my friend Stacy.

I also found a 4-leaf clover down by the Grand Canal. I’m pretty lucky about finding them – or rather they find me. I was walking along, looked down and there it was. I also found the state of Patrick Kavanaugh and a swan.

Finally, I went to go see Girl on an Altar by Marina Carr at The Abbey. It starred Eileen Walsh, who I like very much from her different TV appearances. And I remember reading Marina Carr’s work in school; she wrote pretty experimental stuff back then if I’m remembering correctly. Girl on the Altar was a retelling of the story of Agamenon and Clytemnestra of sorts. It was also a statement on the patriarchy’s disregard for women and children. It was interesting to see how Agamenon and Clytemnestra were so well matched, both very powerful, until Agamenon does something unforgivably horrible, stupid and in honor of his own pride – although he claimed it was in honor of his people. It was a dark look at gender from the very personal scope as well as in society. Loved it!