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~ writer, designer, creative thinker

jensinewall

Tag Archives: St Patrick’s Day

mystery tour in miserable weather

19 Sunday Mar 2017

Posted by jensine in Ireland, photography

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Galway, Ireland, meeting people, Mystery Trip, photography, photos, St Patrick's Day

Come join us on a mystery tour – how could that not catch my eye. So yesterday morning I headed out – much earlier than I would have liked – to Heuston Station, my camera bag hanging from my shoulder and no idea where I was  going. Once there a gaggle of people was receiving bright green wristbands, so I joined the queue and followed some stranger wearing green jackets onto a waiting train.

I didn’t know anyone there, but I wasn’t the only one and I soon became part of a lovely – very lively – group of soon to be friends. After a long train ride, filled with laughs and lots of chats, we arrived in Galway – our mystery destination!

Sadly the weather hadn’t changed and we were greeted by gray skies and lots of drizzle. Not wanting the weather to dictate how the day would go we set off – ten groups in all – to invade the lovely city of Galway and discover a few hidden gems along the way. As we grew wetter and our memory cards fuller, hours passed by as the day waned.

After a long up hill hike we ended up in Ardilaun Hotel – a lovely place but a long walk away from were we started – especially in the rain. Never have I longed more for a hot cup of tea and was rewarded with a hot brew served in a lovely cup. As we waited for dinner to be served all eyes drifted towards their phones as everyone instegrammed, liked and hashtagged. Sadly the dinner was not very good (small portions, no flavour and too expensive for what we got – cheap rolls and stew that was more like watery soup) but at least the company was great and we all had fun, found friends and new followers and followees.

Back on the train the laughter continued and once we set foot back on Dublin ground everyone was tired and happy. So even if the weather was miserable, it was a wonderful day – a mystery tour with marvelous people – and all thanks to the ever expanding #jjcommunity,  Josh Johnson and Kevin Kuster.

arriving at Galway train station

a bright pink square distracting me from the miserable gray skies

ribbons on a bridge

vendor selling his wares at the Galway market

dripping umbrella

hatseller enjoying a few quite moments

dry underneath a sunny yellow umbrella

flower seller

colourful tarps

not so securely tightened

a new friends shoes

another bridge

red catching my eye

a few lit candles

Galway cathedral turned its dome green for the occasion

steps up to the alter

looks to me like across between a monkey and a fish

more friendly shoes

water everywhere

pigeongalway

even the pigeons looked for shelter on windowsills

changed meaning

some of the group

Paddy’s Day in my PJs

17 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by jensine in Dublin

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Dublin, Ireland, St Paddy's Day, St Patrick, St Patrick's Day, St Patrick's Day parade

In good old Irish tradition the skies are grey over Dublin on St Patrick’s Day, but at least it isn’t raining anymore. And while tourists and kids are craning their necks and getting their eyes poked out by umbrella spokes trying to catch a glimpse of the Paddy’s Day parade, I am at home lounging around in my PJs.

As a kid my parents took my sister and me down to O’Connell Street and I do vaguely remember wet days, marching bands, small floats and cold feet. But those were the pre-boom era parades, now they have gone a little bit over the top with samba-dancers turning blue while shaking their hips to samba beats in the Irish weather and international marching bands putting on a display.

Nowadays I like to stay home, enjoy a day off and enjoy just being home. But a pair of shamrock socks are my little nod to Saint Patrick.

St Paddy's Day socks

St Paddy’s Day socks

busy St Patrick’s Day

17 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by jensine in Ireland

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

busy, Dublin, gardening, Ireland, photography, photos, St Patrick's Day, work

Happy St Patrick’s Day. Unusually the sun has decided to stick around so this year the parade with be bathed in sun, not rain. But for me – with a to-do-list longer than any the snake St Patrick drove out of Ireland – my day will be filled with work and chores.

While I type this the washing machine is on spin cycle and my mind is whirling around at the same speed – thoughts of what I need to do, what should be done and what I want to do all mixed up together, with the occasional ‘red sock’ grabbing my attention.

However I may just give myself an hour or two to tidy up my tiny back yard and do up my windowsills, plant some green in hour of our Irish patron Saint. And since it is a Bank Holiday here maybe I’ll even allow myself some time to read on my blue bench out in the sun.

the only green decorating my windowsill

the only green decorating my windowsill

preparing for Paddy’s day

16 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by jensine in Dublin

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

disco boppers, Dublin, Ireland, Paddy's day, St Patrick's Day

Going into town this morning was very strange, there was a sleepy slumber on Dublin, only tourists and a few workplace stragglers populated the streets. It truly felt like the calm before the storm – Paddy’s Day (not Patti’s or Patty’s day!!!) Eve, as many a publican has dubbed it, is kicking off tonight and I am sure no one will go thirsty.

It didn’t really surprise me that none of my students showed up, so as I walked home, dodging the tourists wearing sparkly green disco boppers and felt leprechaun hats meandering around the semi deserted streets, I couldn’t help but feel like I was on holidays.

So now, while Dublin is preparing for it’s big party tomorrow in celebration of the man who drove the snakes out of Ireland, I am looking forward to a quite day at home. Like many a true Dubliner I will be staying far away from the city center tomorrow, and maybe I will even celebrate paddy’s day in my PJs.

goodbye green

19 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by jensine in blogs, Dublin

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

colours, Dublin, green, Ireland, St Patrick's Day, Trinity College

Saint Patrick day is well and truly over. Thankfully in my case as the disruption of everyday life did get in my way. Students didn’t show up for classes, tourists clogged up the streets and traffic was diverted. And green, everywhere was green. Cheap plasticy hats, bow ties and head poppers wandering around the city, touristy t-shirts, socks and even bibs declaring their Irishness, need kissing or that the leprechauns did it on buses, the Luas and in every pub.

Thankfully with the dawn of Tuesday morning the fay have been put back into the box and normality has returned to Dublin. And while the world is saying goodbye to green I am enjoying the fresh green peaking out from my window box.

I love the colour green, all hues from lime all the way up to a deep forest. it’s a colour that most people associate with nature, health and relaxation. But of course there is the other side to green: envy, immaturity, illness and even deterioration.

But with a nod to spring and a sigh of relief that Paddy’s Day has passed I will wear green today maybe because everyone else has said Goodbye.

Trinity College Dublin, St. Patrick's Day 2013

Trinity College Dublin, St. Patrick’s Day 2013

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