Ireland

Second Coming…Well here we are in Dublin sitting in the airport waiting for Julie, Lee, Paul and Rory to join us from Edinburgh. We are celebrating NYE together…hopefully. They are on the tarmac snow bound in Edinburgh and it is also snowing here in Dublin so I will catch you all up on what we have been doing in the last couple of days. We are spending 5 days in Ireland the main reason we are here is to attend the wedding of our friend Niamh and Robert. We met Niamh several years ago travelling in central America for 6 weeks and we caught up later in L.A. and then travelled with her in Dublin a couple of years ago. She never thought she would marry but when we received an email from her with the news she was to be married in Dec and would we like to come. Of course we said yes. So here we are. We have not been to Europe in winter and were prepared we thought for cold weather but they have had some of the worst weather the last few weeks with flooding and now heavy snow and record low temps. Over the next few days it will get as low as -13. It is hard to keep the cold out of the bones so we dash from the car to inside very quickly. Nick left his drivers licence at home in Adelaide so I had to drive while we were in Ireland. We found out the roads were still iced over from the snow storm a week ago and I have never experienced that before but with careful driving and lots of advice we managed to avoid any skids or accidents but others were not so lucky. We arrived Tuesday morning in Dublin after 4 flights totaling some crazy hours in the plane but we both had some sleep so felt pretty good and excited. Driving through Ireland is a treat except for the ice. The scenery was very different this time. Different season. The snow on the ground made for lots of oohs and ahs.

Niamh booked us into a B&B near the castle where the reception was to be held in the County of Leitrim near the town of Mohill. We arrived before 2.00 pm so our room was not quite ready so we were invited into her kitchen to sit by the warm range with copious cups of tea, toast and Xmas cake. Friends kept dropping by, her 3 kids came home from fishing with their dad and we sat back tired with a grin on our face at the life in an Irish home.

When shown to our room we were so tempted to have a nap but instead went to have a walk around the property. There was still ice and snow on the ground and it was sooo cold. They have a dark forest or wood and a lake at the bottom of the garden. We drove back down to the town after having an emotional reunion with Niamh who was shaken after skidding off the road coming up to see us. After dinner in a little country pub with a pint of guinness it was home and off to bed. We slept for 12 hours and woke to a huge breakfast and some great company from the groom’s brother.

Today was the day we both felt like we were having Cinderella moments all day. We awoke to a very windy dreary day and drizzly rain and by 1.00pm the time of the wedding it was no better but at least there was no snow overnight and the rain helps to melt the ice. Niamh is catholic as all or most good Irish people are so the wedding was in a church in Mohill. It was such a lovely service and had a lot of involvement from members of the family and friends. No photos outside so they were done in the church which was different but a great way to keep everyone together. We ventured into town to have soup and coffee to warm up but missed the mulled wine and mince tarts back at the castle. When we arrived at the castle for the reception it was on dusk about 4.00 pm. Yes, the sun rises around 8.30 am and sets around 4.00 pm. The castle was bathed in a soft light and in the front window a huge Christmas tree was blazing with lights and decorations.

What a delight that was. It is great to have a wedding this time of the year as carols were sung after the service in the church and at the wedding reception. The streets had fresh trees as well. Not a plastic tree in sight anywhere. It has prolonged Christmas for us. Now to the reception. The speeches were very informal before and held in the front room of the castle as would have been done for centuries. Niamh and Robert are in their 30s and both were never expecting to ever be married so it was a very emotional night for family and friends. Everyone really was dressed up and their coats were something else. We were ushered into the dining hall and fed royally with so much food being serenaded by a band with a fantastic violinist which of course meant Irish jigs and dancing from the guests. It would have to be the most fun and it was great to sit and watch it unfold. We felt like we were Cinderella at the ball and did not want it to end. We caught up with Kate who we also travelled with and she had the chance to stay with us when she travelled to Australia so it was a joy to be there with her too. After the violinist left the dance floor was unfolded and another act was bought in just as we thought it was time to go home. For the next couple of hours dancing and singing ensued from all then out came the “afters”. Traditionally at a wedding in a hometown a certain number of guests would be invited to a wedding around 200 to 300 then the other friends would come in for the “afters” sandwiches, pies, sausages and the wedding cake. There was a lot of food served at the reception but the next lot of food was devoured in a flash. We decided at 12 ish it was time to leave when they said next was going to be a disco then on to the bar in other words 3 or 4 in the morning until the last leave with bride and groom still there. When we arrived back at the B&B we were sad it was over but felt we had found the golden slipper .Thanks for the invite guys it was fantastic.

You know you are in ireland when it is .