Galway Girl

Just got back from the International Society's weekend excursion to some of the most beautiful places in Ireland, including the Cliff's of Moher, Kylemore Abbey and the city of Galway.
I left UL early Saturday morning with two bus-fulls of fellow students on our way to Galway, a western city situated right along the coast of Galway Bay. After a few hours of gorgeous scenery we stopped at the coastal town of Lahinch, where we walked up to the Atlantic and watched surfers brave the chilly water to catch a few waves. I learned that for about six weeks out of the year, western Ireland has some of the best surfing in the world, and surfers from all over the globe come to ride. The stop made for some great pictures and gave us a chance to see the ocean, a first for many of the students on the trip. After boarding the bus for a another few hours we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I've ever seen. The view was breath taking and the refreshing breeze blew the smell of the ocean right into your face. It's absolutely a must see if you ever visit Ireland.
We arrived in Galway around dinner time Saturday, and after grabbing ourselves a quick bite to eat, about eight of us settled down in the corner of a popular pub, Taafee's for some traditional Irish music and a few pints of "black gold." The locals, especially the men, were super friendly and chatty. It seems the the men get better and better looking the longer I'm here...which leads me to the highlight of the night. A Munster rugby player walked in the door trying to be low key in a sweater in jeans. But the Irish love their rugby players and he was immediately recognized and the entire pub started singing the Munster fight song.
It wasn't just the great pub scene that made Galway so lovely, it was the tiny artisan shops and the many stores offering Claddagh jewelry that made the university town see more quaint and enjoyable than the louder, more urbanized Limerick. All I purchased there were postcards, but if I had bucks to spend, I would have gotten one of the plentiful handmade sweaters or rings.
Our whole group stayed at a hostel called Sleep Zone. I was a little nervous when I found out we were staying at one, since I've never slept at a hostel before. But this place was top shelf, clean bedding, rooms, bathrooms, and locks for everything. I felt completely secure and I think the hostel may be cleaner and quieter than my accommodations at UL haha! After a decent night's rest we got up, had breakfast at a small cafe and boarded the bus to Kylemore Abbey.
The Abbey, which is situated and the foot of a mountain and in front of a sapphire-blue lake, looks like a medieval castle but was in fact built in the 1860s by the Henry family. The Catholic church somehow got their hands on the property, as the church usually finds a way to do, after World War One, and the building has served as the mother ship for the nuns ever since. The Abbey is also an international boarding school, with a neo-gothic cathedral and a beautiful garden on the property.
All in all, the trip was a great way to start my country-wide travels. Some of the classic sights mixed in with some that many people don't get to see. Check out my Facebook page for pictures!