Traveling into the Irish countryside has shown me the side of Ireland of which I have always heard. Other than the prevalence of Irish culture, Dublin has become like most other European metropolises. The countryside offers the sheep, greens, and hills that define the Irish. Seeing how the majority of the country lives helps one understand the Irish culture and history better. It also highlighted the rural/urban divide, and how Dublin’s success doesn’t always help the country, in fact it often divides it. In Kilkenny, we saw how the Irish do ‘cities’ apart from Dublin. They are more like rural epicenters rather than cosmopolitan concrete jungles, which aligns more with the Irish culture. In Glendalough, we saw the incredible natural beauty of Ireland and the remnants of the agricultural economy that once dominated Ireland. This differs greatly from the atmosphere of Dublin, and shows the current division/duality of the country.
The Heart of Ireland
