Week 3 in Ireland was jam-packed with activities and loads of fun. Week 2 ended with a short week in the office, as we took Friday off to begin our trip to Galway. The bus ride to Galway took around 3 hours; however, I slept through the entire ride. Once we arrived in Galway, the fun began. We first stopped at the Cliffs of Moher, which were beautiful. It was so high up and I felt as if I were on top of the world looking out into the vast ocean. Then, we made a quick stop at The Burren, which was also sitting high above the water. After the Burren, we made our way into the city, where we quickly settled into our rooms. Brad, Max, Nick, and I had been planning on going to the beach all day to escape the heat. We took a short bus ride to the beach and went for a swim. I knew the water would be cold, but it wasn’t as cold as the locals made it seem. After our swim, we headed back to explore the city at night.
On day 2 in Galway, we went to Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands. We took the ferry over in the morning, and we were warned not to be late for the ferry back to Galway, so we did not end up stranded overnight. Upon our arrival, we rented bikes and began our journey of exploring the island. I was surprised by how many cows, goats, and horses there were scattered all over the island. We saw many historical buildings and monuments. We hiked up to a monument that was overlooking the sea. Unlike the Cliffs of Moher, this area did not have any walls blocking the edge, which was frightening. Nonetheless, it was cool to look over the edge and feel the ocean breeze. We then took our bikes over to see the Wormhole, which was once used for the RedBull freediving championships. Brad and Max jumped in, but I didn’t because I did not want to be wet the rest of the day, but I am now regretting my decision not to jump in. That night, we went out to a pub called Mary Mullens, which had a very large outdoor area and a live band playing from a balcony overhead.
On day 3 in Galway, we went to see Kylemore Abbey. There was a large castle, along with a chapel and a beautiful garden on the property. It was very cool to read about the history of the Abbey. The history of the abbey was very interesting to learn about. In the gift shop, we were all trying on Irish flat caps, and Max and I made an agreement that we would both buy them and wear them for the rest of the day.
Back in Dublin, things have been amping up at my internship. This week, there is a new intern at my office from Kansas. We have been talking a lot about our studies and plans in Ireland. Having another intern has also helped alleviate some of the workload. On Tuesday, I got to go to the court with some of the people from the firm. In the court, I got to sit in a room and listen to several people make claims to the judge to try to expedite cases or file motions. Right now is an especially busy time for the Irish courts because they close for two months at the end of July.
This week has brought me many new experiences, and I cannot wait to see what this week has in store!
