Seventh Week in Ireland

            This week, we have focused on Joyce’s Dubliners.  In The Dead, Joyce portrays Gabriel as somewhat of a continental elitist.  Gabriel does not have much interest in Ireland or its culture and history, because he chooses to associate more with “the continent” (Europe).  Miss Ivors requests that Gabriel visit western Ireland, Galway to learn more about his homeland. He declines because he does not understand why traditional Ireland is so isolated.  In this request, it is understood that Galway and western Ireland have always been associated with traditional Ireland from the language to the culture and history. 

                This past weekend, we visited the western coast of Ireland, in Kerry.  Through this visit, we were truly able to experience what traditional Irish life is like.  Unlike Dublin or even the town of Dungarvan, Kerry was the epitome of rural Ireland.  We stayed with one of my roommate’s second cousins, which allowed us to immerse ourselves in Irish life.  As a result, he took us to the farm he lived on as a child.  It was incredibly interesting to learn about how they were basically self-sustaining when it came to food.  They had chickens, pigs, cows, a garden full of vegetables (including lots and lots of potatoes), and horses. 

The rural area just seemed so isolated, but peaceful.  Although Gabriel probably would have viewed himself as superior to these people, I loved experiencing Irish rural life.  We were able to go on a boat with some Irish fishermen to a very small island with just a house, sheep, and a small monastery.  Additionally, as Yeats depicts in The Dead, we encountered Irish hospitality, which included numerous feasts, throughout our stay. 

                This coming weekend we will be venturing to Galway to explore even more of western Ireland.  Hopefully we will encounter some Irish speaking individuals so I can practice my oral language skills!