Armagh

Saturday's journey took us to Armagh, the ancient ecclesiastical site and residences for the Archbishops (Anglican/Episcopalian/Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic).  We visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh which is located on the site where St Patrick is said to have founded the Monastery of Armagh.

Our next stop was to Navan Fort, where we met with the Rev'd Canon Grace Clunie, Director of the Centre of Celtic Spirituality.   While we were there Emile and I had a visit from Una, sister of one of our friends from Orange Park.   Una lives in Armagh and came by to meet us.   What a treat to have lunch with her and get to know her a bit.  

Saul and Downpatrick

Started our journey today with a visit to Saul Church, the ancient ecclesiastical site where St. Patrick founded his first church in Ireland in 432.   Marcus offered prayers and reflections while we were there.     On to St. Patrick's visitors center for lunch followed by a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral.

 

 

This was our last evening in Bangor so we walked to the waterfront and snapped a few photos.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Each morning before breakfast we began with Morning Prayer, and each evening we spent time together sharing reflections of the day and for Evening Prayer.   This time together in our sacred circle really bonded the group together.  

The fighting in Belfast ended about 7 years ago and there are no longer marked borders along the highway.    There were subtle ways to tell we had crossed into Northern Ireland; such as differences in the road signs since it is ruled by the British.    They also use the British Pound instead of the Euro.   


We began our day at the Titanic Exhibition Centre.   The Titanic was built in Belfast at the shipyard there.   The exhibition is unbelievable in it's detail - giving information on how it was built, the people who worked on it, scaled models of the rooms aboard the ship, the maiden voyage, and the tremendous loss of life when it sank.  

 

 

After lunch, we split into smaller groups and had a Black Taxi Tour, driving on both sides of the Peace Wall, dividing east and west Belfast.     Even though the bombing has stopped, it is a very divided community.   Our driver lived through all the violence and is hopeful that in the next generation, the bitterness will fade away and there will truly be peace.   Murals line both sides of the peace wall.

 

 



 

 





Our Pilgrimage Begins

We headed back to the Dublin airport on Wednesday morning to meet those who had traveled on Tuesday night.    Around 9 am we headed to our tour bus to begin our adventure.    Our pilgrimage is "Walking in the Footsteps of St. Patrick and the Early Irish Saints".    Marcus Losack is our guide and has written a couple of books on this subject.   We departed to Newgrange.



 

It's spring in Ireland, but the weather is quite a bit cooler than Jacksonville.  Most days it was around 55 degrees.   They get a lot of rain there (which is why it's so green!).   The countryside is beautiful.    Newgrange has Neolithic Passage Tombs dated to 3,200 BC.  Our group walked the site and were able to walk inside one of the passage tombs.   The history surrounding us is overwhelming.    Many of the places we journeyed during this trip were indeed "thin places".  A thin place is a place where heaven and earth seem to meet, and God doesn't seem far away...

 

 

 

Our journey continues to Bangor where we will be staying for three nights.   

 

 

 

 

A New Peg on the Travel Map....

We love traveling to new places, so when we had the opportunity to join a Pilgrimage to Ireland with some friends from church, we signed up!    It was a group of 34 people plus our tour guide, Marcus.  

Emile and I flew over a couple of days early to explore Dublin and to adjust to the time change.    I'm so glad we did that - we were really tired that first day!   Our flight to Ireland was out of Chicago on Aer Lingus.    I was totally impressed that there was a shamrock on the tail of the plane!

 

We took a tour of Dublin on the "hop on, hop off" bus to get an overview.  It was great as we saw the highlights and could map out the places we wanted to spend more time.   We walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral (a short walk from our hotel).   The tulips there were in full bloom and breathtaking!

I was curious about the food in Ireland - wasn't really sure what to expect.  The first night there we walked to a pub near our hotel called the Hairy Lemon.   It was charming and the food was delicious!    I ordered lamb shanks and Emile had cottage pie.   Perfect end to our first night there.

 

 

The next morning we were much more rested and headed out on the bus again.   At lunch time we met the Palarine's who had also flown over a few days early.   After lunch we did the Guinness Storehouse tour - a very popular attraction in Dublin!    Dinner on Grafton Street and then early to bed so we can meet the other pilgrims at the airport in the morning.

A Perfect Weekend

Mallory and Tyler's wedding weekend was perfect.  The details were taken care of...they were surrounded by many of the people they love...when I reflected on it afterward, I can't think of anything I would have changed.

We watched the weather report on the days leading up to the wedding.   Looked like we might have rain.   OK, actually we were expecting heavy rain/thunderstorms.  Still, it was wedding weekend and this was out of their control.   Mallory embraced the challenge.  She ordered a cute bubble umbrella and yellow rain boots.  Even if it rained, the pictures would be cute!   I ordered some white golf umbrellas just in case we had to walk in the rain to get to the venue.   We were prepared....

St. Augustine is a beautiful, romantic city - no matter where you are.   The rehearsal dinner was at The Columbia - with a private room upstairs.   The food was good...the service was good...it was a perfect beginning.

There were introductions of family and friends near and far, some toasts, reunions of those we had not seen for a while, and lots of conversation and laughter.

 

As we left the rehearsal dinner it started to rain.  When we woke up on 3.29.14 it was pouring...and storming...and a tornado watch.    We met Dan, Tanya and the children for a fun breakfast, then headed back to the hotel and watched the rain.   At 3 pm we could get into the wedding venue to decorate...so we loaded up everything and headed to The White Room.    Still raining, but it is wedding day and it will be wonderful.

At 4 pm - the rain stopped.  The sun came out.   At 4:15 the venue made the decision that everything could be held outside, as planned.    It was amazing to watch the staff at The White Room transform the rooftop to the perfect vision that Mallory and Tyler wanted for their wedding.  

At 6 pm - under beautiful blue skies Mallory walked down the aisle with her father.   I've never seen such a smile on Tyler's face...

So many special moments.  Spending time with wonderful friends...having the Rev. Jay Mills perform the ceremony...so many of Tyler and Mallory's friends able to be there for their special day...dancing with Tyler...

And the very best part...welcoming a beautiful new daughter-in-law into our family!    We are so blessed!

 

 

 

Wedding Season

I'm definitely a list maker.   Each day I put together a list of things I want to accomplish that day.   I love checking things off the list and at the end of the day feel accomplished when my list is complete and I can begin fresh the following day.

This Saturday my son is getting married.   They have carefully planned each detail of their special day and I have helped with some of the projects involved in making it all fall into place.   It has been so much fun to work with them on this.    I have one more project to complete for them.    Funny...I've been putting it off for two weeks.   I think it makes me sad to complete the last task and that this wedding season is coming to an end.     There have been great parties and gatherings during this time...and I'm sure there will be many more after their marriage.

I'm excited for the wedding....they are perfect together.   I'm excited for all of the friends who are traveling to spend this special time with them this weekend.   So what am I missing?   When my boys were growing up, we celebrated everything with the "special plate".    Birthdays...soccer goals...report cards....driver's license...graduations.    The person being honored had dinner served on the plate that said "you are special today".

Maybe that's what feels like it's missing.   Perhaps I need to take the "special plate" to the wedding venue so that they can eat wedding cake from it.    Or perhaps I need to gift them with a "special plate" of their own for all the celebrations to follow.