This spring I traveled to Ireland during spring break on one of Emmanuel’s travel courses, “Irish Art History”, with Professor Cynthia Fowler. Both the trip and class were incredible, eye opening experiences, especially to an Irish girl that knew little about her family history.
This class is primarily focused on the history behind Irish art, and how the ongoing events shaped the artist’s style and content. I personally recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn more about Ireland (or their heritage, like me). And seriously, take it from me, you do not have to be an Art major to enjoy this class. The trip was overall amazing and I wanted to share my top five favorite places I visited in Ireland.
1. Blarney Castle
This is me hanging nearly upside down on the top of a castle kissing the Blarney Stone, with only an older gentlemen holding me up. It was a thrilling experience to say the least. Not to mention afterwards I got to explore the beautiful gardens surrounding this castle. Honestly, this place felt as though I was transported to another world. I have never been anywhere as gorgeous as Blarney Castle. The steps climbing up were slippery, but the view was breathtaking. And kissing a stone that my ancestors did was pretty wicked.
2. St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Although I’m not a very religious person, this church was well worth the visit. The numerous stained glass windows were magnificent, and I took so many pictures to show my mom. She and I are obsessed with stained glass. The church relates a lot to the history of Ireland, and after my visit I felt more connected to this country.
3. Trinity College
Do you love Harry Potter? Be prepared to fall in love with this college then! It’s so pretty, and feels so magical. Especially its library (as seen in the photo); looks very familiar, doesn’t it? I would definitely recommend visiting Trinity on your trip, it even has the incredible Book of Kells on exhibit here! The pages are designed with actual gold, and the pictures were unbelievably created by hand. There’s even a whole part of the museum that lays out its creation.
4. Newgrange
This astounding building was built over 5,000 years ago, and its true purpose is not entirely known. Our tour guide even informed us that the celtic symbols decorating it have not been deciphered yet. Before this was discovered in the early 1900s, it was buried under grass and rocks, and people used to walk right over it. Image this: people probably sat down and had a picnic over this amazing site without even knowing it. My class luckily got to go inside this gigantic structure and experience something very cool, but I don’t want to spoil it for your future endeavor. So please, when you go to Ireland, go to Newgrange–you won’t regret it!
5. Dublin Castle
This was not part of the class itinerary, but my friend, Mary Rose, and I took an adventure to Dublin Castle during our down time. The place was huge, and beautiful to walk around. Honestly, the amount of pictures we took here was embarrassing; it was just so impressively massive. My teacher can also attest to this: the library inside has one of the best views of the city of Dublin. This is not a place you want to miss! Across the road, there’s even the #1 fresh fish restaurant in Dublin, that I totally recommend after touring the castle. It was delicious.
Overall, the country is insanely beautiful with countless sights to see, and delicious food everywhere you go. I hope you get inspired to take a trip to Ireland someday, maybe even with the Irish Art Class! Its definetly worth it, and the history really adds to your adventure.