Flight Delayed!

Our flight is be late leaving Dublin so we will be unable to make our connection in Newark. All 19 of us are therefore booked on a later flight and are scheduled to arrive at 11 PM tonight. Parents, please call the office for details!

Day 10

We have now reached the apex of our Irish journey, the final throes of our ten day epic. We began the final morning of our foreign odyssey with the free continental breakfast provided by our gracious hosts, The Times Hostel in Dublin. After consuming the breakfast fare we endeavoured to make haste to the bus to visit the – Kilmainham Jail. This jail held Irish prisoners, many of whom were infamous political leaders of their time. Such men as these led rebellions against their tyrant rule, and inspired hope in the hearts of their Irish followers. To handle these men and other criminals that came through its doors, the architects built the structure to hold one prisoner in each cell. In previous times prisoners were grouped together and were able to become better criminals by learning from each other, so such an idea was an innovational feat.

After this riveting tour we then settled into our hostel quarters to prepare for our outing on to the streets of Dublin. Within our community we factionated ourselves into smaller groups to go forth through the city in search of a good meal and souvenirs. We were given a special freedom to do so on our own. The sights and sounds of the city were refreshing and created a unique experience for each one of us. As we went about the town we practiced meaningful and thrifty shopping. In the process we spread the good word of our journey to a friendly waitress and she wished us well and blessed encounters. We met up about halfway through and again dispersed to run rampant amongst the unsuspecting populous. At five we returned to the hostel for a pasta dinner, once again courtesy of our Host(el)s. Following our meal we went to a pub to see the famous Merry Ploughboys at The Merry Ploughboys Pub. There we experienced authentic Irish Coke Products, Music and Dancing. Some of us even partook in the dancing when they summoned Lizzie and Karl to the arena to dance with the performers. There was much rejoicing, followed shortly by jubilant praise.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enSYlCEz5VI)

It seems as though our Irish pilgrimage is coming to a close. Each and every one of us has learned much about ourselves, each other, and our Lord. We have experienced a wide range of emotions in the process of this journey. Together as well as on our own we have pondered the questions: What does being a Christian mean to me? What does being an Episcopalian mean to me? And what does it mean to be a part of this community? Our pilgrimage to Ireland is ending, but it is the beginning of a life long journey that each of us will embark to our own religious understanding.

Truly,

Kathryn Grace Cintron and Karl Maher for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Day 9

On this day of June 28 we began with a tour of Glendalough. Glendalough was an early Christian monastic city founded by Saint Kevin. It contains the most intact and beautiful round tower in the world and has one of the most defined set-ups of an old monastic city. There were three rings in these cities and in Glendalough the inner ring was for the most reverent of areas while the second ring housed the religious peoples of the monastery. The third ring housed the main work force of the city with the congregation and their different commerce shops. Most monasteries were completely self sufficient due to the immense population and the sites chosen by the founders. Saint Kevin was considered a great miracle worker. He is even said to have stood in the lake at Glendalough so still that the birds nested in his hands and he stayed there until the babies flew off on their own. Glendalough also contains St. Kevin’s Church, which is still very much intact despite the years of weathering. The gatehouse to the city is also still intact, and the gatehouse was very important because it was the main entrance to the city, and a pilgrim, traveler or person on business could tell Glendalough was a sanctuary because of the cross etched in the stone designated it as a holy place.

After the tour we went on a hike to the two lakes in the valley. The name Glendalough means “between the lakes.” The walk was beautiful despite the intermittent rain and the constant bugs, and we stopped for lunch under a grand old tree with perfect branches for sitting. We then spent time at the second lake and walked back to where our bus was parked. Along the walk the group was treated to the lovely singing voices of Sam and Ted, whose song selections included “Take It Easy” by The Eagles, “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty, “Back in Black” by AC/DC and “You’re the One That I Want” from the musical Grease on the bus ride home.

When we got back to the hostel we had about an hour of down time before we had to leave for Evensong at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The Cathedral was very beautiful and the service was filled with the music of a fantastic mens choir. St. Patrick’s was much like Christ Church in the sense that there were many historical items around the church and St. Patrick’s was preaching place of famous author Jonathan Swift.

Throughout the week here in Dublin, there have been multiple sightings of the varied morning hair styles of Sam. The styles have been appreciated by everyone in the group and without a doubt by other people in the hostel. When we were at the Hill of Tara yesterday a family was walking a small brown dog with crazy hair (much like Sam’s in the morning) and George stated “see that dog? It’s a Cocker-Samuel.”

We are all hoping for a great last day in the city tomorrow. Peace.

-Sam Belka and Ted Fenter for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Day 8: Cathedral and Hill of Tara

Today we went to Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, and the church service was beautiful; the choir was tuned to perfection and the ninth note hidden in a good acapella group was heard throughout service. Not only the choir was beautiful; the inside of the cathedral was gorgeous. With a tall three level naïve with an arcade, gallery and a clerestory at the top. The bays consisting of the outlining ambulatory were matching with the naïve; they consisted of a ribbed hexa-groin vault, parallel to the enameled tiled floors which depicted rose windows, pilgrims and various other organic designs. The apse consisted of three radiating chapels adorned with beautiful stained glass windows. The crypts were filled with monumental sculptures and fine dining dishes used by King Charles III and other royalty.

With all the beautiful architectural and sculptural aspects of the cathedral, one could imagine becoming distracted by all of the gorgeous detail; the alter table, pulpit and choir seats were recessed inside the crossing arch, the quintessential centre point of the cruciform basilica plan. This area was also surrounded by gothic floral designs on metal and wood, but one’s attention is focused on the service; the welt trained choir, booming voice of the priest during the sermon and slightly embellished procession brings a person closer to God. Even the heavy odor of the incense permeated my inflamed sinuses.

After Christ Church, we headed over to the Hill of Tara, where the high Kings of old would celebrate their power. Coincidentally, the Hill of Slane is directly across the valley from the Hill of Tara, where Saint Patrick made a move against the King; the story goes that Patrick lighted a bond fire when the King was feasting to his power, and that he lighted his fire just before the King lighted his. The King sent over his sentries to capture Patrick and his disciples. When questioned why, Patrick proclaimed ‘I do not celebrate with the false king; I celebrate with the true King, God.’ The morning after, the King let Patrick and his disciples go. The Hill was slightly craggy with many steep sloping hills; the hills were short, so many of the group could not roll down the hills. The site is littered with many sign posts which are printed with Gaelic and English. The hill behind the burial mound was labeled the Royal Seat, more than likely labeling where the King would sit during his bon fire. Because of a time crunch, we were not able to make it to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, but we will visit there in the future.

--Matt Vecerkauskas and Matt Improta for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Day 7

This morning was one of those relaxing mornings, although last night there were sirens going on at 2 or 3 in the morning, and it kept some of us up. Many of us woke up around 8 and were at breakfast by 8:30. Afterwards some of us went to exchange money at 9 o’clock, and then we went on our way to meet with sisters Mary and Phil at 9:30. We had a good lesson about St. Brigid, and Danielle told us all a lot as well. We then went to the heritage house to learn more about Kildare. The ride was very peaceful, and allowed us to relax a while longer and to sleep or look out the window at the beautiful scenery. While going to Kildare we passed the famous site Budweiser horse racing where the Irish horse racing festival was held. While we watched the video playing at the heritage house we learned that very little is known about Saint Brigid, but her mission was to help people and what she did still changes people today. After learning about the saint Brigid, we visited St. Brigid’s Cathedral. Here the most important part of Ireland is found. This is the sight where the light eternal fire was lit. At the cathedral we were all able to climb St. Brigid’s tower, which for some of us was quite frightening. On our way up the tower the stairs were getting narrower and narrower. The view from the top of the tower was amazing. You were able to see around for miles. We took a few pictures while on top of the tower, then began to venture down. I was relieved to see everyone come out of the tower unharmed. We then continued on to St. Brigid’s Wayside Well where we had Eucharist. Audrey and Danielle shared the role of leading part of a Celtic prayer. Danielle read the Scripture which came from the Gospel of Matthew 6:25-34. We, Audrey and Danielle, don’t know how everyone else felt about this reading, but it was especially special to the two of us. This reading was telling you to not worry about what you wear, eat, or drink, reminding us to take each day as it comes because today is enough trouble to worry about. For lunch we visited St. Brigid’s Well. The well was inspirational and emotional for some. Before leaving we gathered together to thank God for the ministry of Saint Brigid. Before we made and ate dinner we took a nice walk through part of the city and went to St. Steven Green park. This park is larger than Central Park. Here some of us played a game of soccer while the rest of us relaxed in the grass writing in out journals and talking amongst ourselves. Some of us returned to the hostel and others remained in the park until we all enjoyed a wonderful breakfast burrito dinner made by Corey, Karl, and George. We were also able to watch the world cup game between the United States and Ghana before going to bed. Sorry USA, you lost. Better luck next time eh?

Danielle Denney and Audrey Bartholomew

Day Six: Bundles of Fun

Our “Bundles of Fun!” began in the early morning with a standard continental breakfast provided by our new hostel, The Times, in downtown Dublin. Once breakfast ended and some of the girls switched to a more comfortable room, we packed our day bags and boarded the bus promptly at 8:30 am for our first destination. Upon our arrival at Newgrange, we gathered in the rock park to participate in our active morning prayer where we found ourselves spinning in circles to symbolize God’s presence and peace around us. We took a bus up to the Newgrange tomb and listened to our tour guide who talked about the history, reconstruction, and significance of the tomb standing before us. We learned that the tomb was built by the Neolithic people around 3200 B.C., and still remains intact today with its internal structure. Next, our tour guide gave us the opportunity to walk through the tight, dark pathway, which led to three chambers. The middle chamber seemed to be the most significant due to the fact that the sun’s rays hit it during the rare, winter solstices. Having created an opening above the door for sunlight, the Neolithic people clearly had a special connection to the solar system. I think the mystery behind this ancient discovery had us all intrigued for the duration of our time at Newgrange.
After Newgrange we went to the Hill of Slane, which was isolated from the rest of the town. St. Patrick started the monastery that sits on top of the hill, once he returned to Ireland. We were all walking slowly to our destination until we realized that the remains of the building resembled a fancy playground. Since no caution signs were present at the site, the towers, tunnels, and stairwells were free for us to explore. When lunch time came around, the mentors spent quite a long time searching for their, at the time, five year old children. Eventually we sat together in the middle of the monastery and enjoyed a special lunch. The fact that we were eating inside such a symbolic, Christian monument, made the experience deeply moving.

Unfortunately, we had to leave a place where many of us had a strong, spiritual connection, for Mellifont Abbey. Our high spirits didn’t come to an end, for the next monastery’s unique, Roman architectural design represented years of monastic tradition. We found ourselves singing the Doxology in the charter house, which had amazing acoustics. While exploring the grounds, a few pilgrims claimed they discovered a significant archeological find.

Our last stop of the day was to Monasterboice, a cemetery that encompasses two significant high crosses that contained illustrations of Bible stories. Also, a tall, round tower stands on one side of the yard; its existence is still a mystery to us all. As we were taking pictures of the unique crosses and designs, some of us noticed family and friends sitting by the graves of their loved ones. Our enthusiastic mood began to settle into one of respect. The cemetery gave us all a chance to reflect on the people we love and care for back home. Later, we boarded the bus for yet another nap time, as we made our way back to the hostel where Matt I. and Danielle prepared yummy dinner. Since the beautiful, Trinity College sits a block away; we decided to gather there for evening prayer.

-Katie Osterman and Heather Lustig for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Day Five

Early this morning after finishing the daily sandwich production line, we checked out of the Galway hostel and began our 4 hour trek to Dublin. Before we arrived in Dublin we stopped at Clonmacnoise or the City of High Crosses. Built originally by Saint Ciaran in the early 6th century, the area now consists of the ruins of many old churches, memorials, and graves sprawled out over about a square mile. We took specific time to write in our journals and many of us found this to be a very special time that allowed us to truly connect with God on a deep and extensive level. While sitting on a wall writing in my journal I found myself pausing to take in the scenery. Looking out in front of me was the beautiful Shannon River, directly behind me was a 6th century tower and behind that, the seemingly never ending rows of crosses and church ruins. This was the type of view that allowed us all to take in the essence of the millions of pilgrims that had visited the crossroads before us and also to take in the natural and manmade beauty that surrounded it. This experience truly brought us peace and understanding of the lives of others as well as our own. We arrived in Dublin a few hours later and had the benefit of getting a quick overview of the entire city from the comfort of our bus. The entire group settled into our new hostel in downtown Dublin, we then went to a local pub for dinner and some live music. After enjoying dinner, we had the lovely experience of walking along some of the streets and getting a feel for the culture of the city. The group then grabbed some decadent ice cream, enjoyed the street performances, and then made our way to the Hard Rock Café. Enjoying the beautiful weather and sights we all have come to see Dublin as a bustling city that embraces its own unique style and culture which offers much for us to experience and learn over the next few days.

Amy Buckius for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Day Four

Hey everyone! Corey and Lizzie doing a blog. We didn’t get a chance to blog on Wednesday, so you’re going to have two entries today. Yesterday we woke up slightly more exhausted than usual as the jet lag truly set in, but we fought through it, made our lunch, and struggled through the shower process (which is a lot more difficult than it should be, considered 7-8 people trying to take a shower, when only one is available and its timed!), and then headed out to the bus. We traveled along to Croagh Patrick, which was quite a long time in the bus, giving us the opportunity to continue our beauty sleep. Croagh Patrick is a mountain in Ireland that St. Patrick climbed in the year 441 A.D. It was previously a sacred site for the Celtic druids, but after Patrick, it was transformed into a holy Christian site. We learned that each year almost a million people climb the mountain path for various reasons including penance, connecting to God, and to experience the natural beauty. As we were about to embark, it started to drizzle and we were faced with a decision. We could go up the mountain and risk one or more of us slipping or only climb to a certain point. Well, we decided on the latter, bringing mumbles and grumbles of discontent to some of us in the group. It was, admittedly, disappointing, but the decision was the right one and we ended up having a good time in community with each other. We also saw a unit of the Irish Army running down the mountain. Periodically, a pair of service members would pass us on their way down. Some of us took pictures with them and stopped them to chat. After coming down, we sat on the grass and had a peaceful lunch. Pastor Elizabeth even bought us all ice cream! After this we ventured across the street to look at a sculpture of a Coffin Ship, one of the vessels that carried Irish men and women to the United States. These vessels were named “Coffin Ships” because typically half of its occupants at the beginning of the journey did not make it to the destination. We also held Eucharist in an old ruin of the Abbey Morrisk. It was an interesting service and it was even related back to our own church and how both the abbey and Old Donation had been burned down. We were all grateful that Old Donation had been rebuilt. Our bus driver/guide even joined us in Communion. After this, we all got back on the bus and were taken through a beautiful valley to Kylemore Abbey. Our guide informed us that a man built the castle to influence a woman to marry him. I hope it worked because that was the best looking property I’ve ever seen. The castle was on the shore of a clear lake, at the base of a mountain, in the middle of a small forest. Next we ventured back to our hostel for some much needed rest, relaxation, and prayer to prepare us for the next day.

Lizzie Sims and Corey Schweiger for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Hey pilgrim fans: we made an unplanned trip to hear some live traditional Irish music tonight, and the pilgrims are packing up for tomorrow, so we will hold off on the Day Four installment until tomorrow. Peace!

Day Three: Aran Islands

Today we woke up to a postcard perfect partially cloudy Irish landscape. Having been sung to sleep by Irish drinking chants the night before while allowing the cool Galway sea breeze to seep in through the hostel window, Dan woke up early with a couple other energetic and well rested pilgrims to go for a run. The rest of the group woke around 7:30 and drooped down the stairs into the kitchen where cereal and oatmeal revived the more drowsy pilgrims. At 8:30 we hopped on the bus for a pleasant 40 minute bus ride to the ferry which we took to the Aran Islands. The ride was brisk and choppy, however the voyage was scenic and this combination allowed for many games such as who can take a picture without tumbling into their neighbor. After striking many a heroic pose on the boat, we made it to the Inis Mor Island where we rented bikes and made our way through the winding roads leading to Dun Aengus. This is an ancient fortress situated on the top of a cascading 300 foot waterside cliff. This was absolutely spectacular, not to mention the ruins and miles worth of now superfluous stone walls. The Fortress was breathtaking, lunch was delicious, and after refueling we set back across the Irish countryside on a mission to make it back to the harbor before the ferry left at 4:00. The path became unforeseeably treacherous, much of it uphill. We began to take our bikes for walks (which can be difficult considering wheels like to go down hill), and eventually reached the highest point, near the center of the trail. From here the trail was almost all down hill allowed for a fuller experience of the not 90 degree Irish breeze blowing through hair. Unfortunately, at one point Kathryn hit a rock and fell off her bike, injuring her lip and receiving cuts and bruises throughout her body. The group really pulled together to take care of her, some friendly locals agreed to give Kathryn a ride to the local doctors office and as she was tended to we all helped comfort either her or each other. We caught the ferry and got Kathryn to the hospital where she was very well taken care of by a cheerful staff (yay social healthcare). It was determined that she’d need a couple stitches but otherwise nothing was broken and she would be fine. Upon returning to the hostel a wonderful dinner of baked potatoes, salad, and delicious cake bread was consumed by all. We shared evening prayer in the room with Kathryn who was in good spirits, played some games and Now are going to rest up for a big day tomorrow. Although unfortunate, the events of the day have really strengthened the group as a whole really pulled everyone together.

Matt Bulleit for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Days One and Two: From Airports to the Cliffs of Moher

We made it safely to Ireland, all nineteen of us, and we are absolutely exhausted! Between the three-hour waits at the airport terminals and the five-hour flight to Dublin then the trek across Ireland to Galway we’re all pretty worn out. Our spirit, however, hasn’t diminished yet and it has somehow given us extra boosts of energy.

We spent most of the ride counting cow herds (surprisingly, we’ve seen more cows than sheep so far) and talking/taking pictures. Most of us slept at one point or another too. Our two major expeditions for the day were the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher.

At around two-ish we arrived at the Burren Centre Kilfernora. The centre was a small, museum-esc building of the geologic history of the Burren from its birth to its settlement by local Irishmen. In a nutshell, the Burren is a massive structure of limestone that was exposed during the last Ice Age when glacier recession stripped away the topsoil. A plethora of exotic flowers grow amidst the cracks and crevices. Life has found a way to flourish and grow, persevering even in such a barren landscape.

At the centre there was also an elderly church – Kilfernora Cathedral. The cathedral - crumbling in some places, sunken in others - houses the ‘City of Crosses.’ In the cemetery that surrounds the cathedral stand tall, intricately carved crosses of Christ’s Crucifixion and Irish Bishops. The most inspiring aspect of the cathedral, however, was the presence of both the old and the new; faded tombstones sat next to glittering ones still polished to a sheen. It’s a reminder of how the past and the present are inexorably entwined; the present building upon the past and reshaping it for the future.

The Cliffs of Moher were unimaginable. Only God could have carved the sheer cliffs and clear waters. We were all in awe of the towering rock faces and endlessness to the cliff line. Many of us climbed O’Brien’s Tower and were afforded a complete, panoramic view of the cliffs in all their splendor. Wherever we looked there was a new scene to see and if you stopped and listened, you could hear the calls of hundreds of birds drifting on the cool breeze. It was difficult for us to leave, we all could have happily stayed until the end of time had we been allowed without ever being bored.

For the rest of the day we rode to Galway and are currently about to spend our first night in the SleepZone hostel after a wonderful meal out and evening worship. Tomorrow we sail for the Aran Islands and none of us can wait.

Fun Facts of the Day:
Our first meal in Ireland was lunch at McDonalds and Subway.
Both the Sixth Harry Potter Movie and the Princess Bride were filmed at the Cliffs of Moher
Cornelius O’Brien built O’Brien’s tower to impress his lady friends. (provided by Lizzie Simms)

God bless everyone at home and wish us luck on our journey tomorrow!
~Megan Wilson for the Confirmation Class Pilgrims

Testing to make sure I can post a photo before we leave the country! Here's our worship booklet with information on the saints we will study.

Almost ready

It is Wednesday before we leave. The Blog is ready for pilgrims to post and Continental Airlines is waiting for our group. The worship and meditation guide is published. Everyone is excited.

Say your prayers!