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