Our only Sunday spent in Ireland is interesting, as we will tour the Kilmainham Gaol, which was once used as a prison for Irish rebels during the British colonization of Ireland.  We will then do a bus tour across the City of Dublin in which we will examine monuments and site from the history of the City of Dublin. Several of you also have your own individual plans to meet up with friends and relatives of yours who live in Dublin/Ireland.  In a short blog post, tell us how you spent your only Sunday in Ireland.

For my only Sunday in Ireland, I learned a lot about the history of Ireland and a lot about my own family. The day started at Kilmainham Gaol, a 200-year-old Irish prison that housed political prisoners from the numerous Irish rebellions against the British rule. It was an interesting experience to set foot in a building that had occupied gruesome and tragic events, like the execution of 14 Easter Rebellion leaders. It was shocking to learn that this execution, meant to snuff the rebellion, only fueled the Irish people to fight for independence. After the tour, I had an enlightening walk home with Professor Jones, who helped me determine my relationship with the family I was meeting later that day. My mom is originally from the UK, so I have lots of extended family whom I’ve never met in the UK and other parts of Europe, including Ireland. My mom’s cousin, so my first cousin once removed (thanks Professor Jones), lives just outside of Dublin. We arranged to meet at Griffith College and travel to Dublin to get dinner. I did not know what to expect, as this was my first time meeting new family alone. Once I met my cousin and her husband, the experience was surreal. It’s hard to comprehend that someone who lives a completely different life thousands of miles away can go from being a stranger you’d pass by on the street to a blood relative you’ll never forget, in a matter of seconds. Nonetheless, we got along very well, and I had a traditional Irish stew at a pub in downtown Dublin. We then walked around Dublin, and they showed me all the best places to eat and shop while talking about our separate lives. They showed me pictures of their new dog, and I showed them pictures of mine as well. Even these simple exchanges of information, laughs, and pictures incited an amazing feeling of reunion and discovery. My only Sunday in Ireland was one of the best Sundays I’ve ever had.