Colin Caricato, Ireland Week 7: Wings, Reunions, and Celtic Ruins

As we approach the end of our time in Dublin, this week presents a lot to reflect on. From going to Howth and hiking the coastal cliffs to reconnecting with old friends, this week has included lots of memorable moments.

This weekend was slower than some of the others; however, it still ended up being filled with tons of fun activities. On Saturday, we had the pleasure of going to the Celtic Boyne Valley Tour. I enjoyed this day and I loved being able to spend time with Dean Kepner’s Daughter, Lily, while we ventured around the countryside and got a glimpse of Irish beauty. Sunday brought upon us a Hurling Championship with Cork competing against Tipperary in the end Tipperary came out on top and I could see exciting look on everyones faces as they were coming outside of Ryans bar near Camden street. One of the coolest things I did, after watching the hurling match, was watch the new F1 movie at the Cineworld theater nearby. I went with a couple of my classmates and we got a great deal with our UCD student cards, only 11 euros for a movie ticket. What also made it much cheaper was the fact that this deal also applied to concessions, and we only had to pay 8 euros for both a large popcorn and large slushee.

Another thing I really appreciated was the chance to reconnect with one of my friends, Ari, from back home. It turned out he was doing a similar aboard program with the University of Miami, only he was in London, fortunately for me he was visiting Dublin for the weekend. I can confidently say that I am thankful for the amount of opportunities I have had to connect with people I know both from school and from my hometown whilst being very far away from either one. We were able to meet up at Dicey’s garden and I got to meet one of Ari’s friends from UMIAMI, Josh. We had a fun night, but unfortunately they had to say there goodbyes the next morning.

Finally, I got to do something I’d been looking forward to for weeks: the Unlimited Wings Challenge. Riley and I headed to R.I.O.T. Dublin, a popular burger spot downtown, and for 20 euro, we had one hour to eat as many wings as we could. The wings were delicious. Each round came with 20 wings—half barbecue, half buffalo— and I managed to scarf down 41 within the hour. Though it was worth the financial gamble, my stomach was paying the price after.

After all I have been able to experience, I think the rest of my trip will consist of doing more side quests and getting to explore Edinburgh with Nathaniel. I’ve never been to Scotland before so this trip will be an exciting new adventure to cap off an unforgettable summer!