“Slán go fóill”
(Irish equivalent of TTFN, ta ta for now)
Ah lads, we’ve come to the end of our year-long Irish journey! We can’t believe it! Our time went by too quickly — just as we were settling into the community. But we were blessed to close out our time in Ireland with family and friends, old and new, with whom we shared wonderful memories.
¡Three Amigos! ¡Three Amigas!: We started September off with a visit from our biggest group: the Osgood’s (California), Bernstein’s (Hawaii), and Bigus’s (Texas). We say that a San Diego winter is like an Irish summer, but a proper 70-degree summer finally arrived September 5th, just as our friends rolled into town. It was a team effort, but they brought warm weather to Ireland! 😎
The guys represent the ghosts of Eric’s past: Dave from high school, Bernie from college, and Steve from work. Eric connected the lads, who along with wives Vicki, Rachel, and Katie are long-time friends.
A real Westport lass — we went to a pub in town called MJ Hoban’s in honor of Katie (Hoban). Eric joked that she should ask for a family discount. As it turns out, Katie is not only Irish but traces her Hoban roots to Westport! She probably is related to the restaurant’s namesake as well as our landlady who is a Hoban. Perhaps Katie can negotiate a refund on our dinner and our rent!
Eric’s sister Liz, cousin Jeanne and her husband Jim, rocks and puns. Our family was easy to please. They had a special interest in neolithic stuff (i.e., old rocks). Rocks?? We got rocks! We went to Céide Fields (old rocks and ancient peat bogs) and the Aran Islands (old rocks on cliffs). To see how people lived off the land, we also visited the Museum of Country Life. Wait, isn’t the whole country the museum of country life? The ancients in rural Ireland were incredibly resourceful and industrious despite a life of scarcity and hardship. We take our easy life for “granite”! (That’s for Jim, who has a relentless commitment to bad puns!)
Eric celebrated his birthday in October. His best gift was the opportunity to share the day with Liz, Jeanne, and Jim. But his second-best gift came from Kilbeggan Organic Farms. Eric discovered Kilbeggan cookies when we lived in Kerry and could only find them online after we moved. He basically ordered these on subscription (two cases at a time “for free shipping”). Since Eric was a regular, I asked if Kilbeggan would send Eric a birthday wish.
The owner was happy to oblige for one of his most regular online customers:
“I had convinced myself that you were operating a B&B from Rosbeg Gate Lodge with the volume of cookies you had been ordering. But your partner assures me they are for personal consumption!”
The owner sent along an extra case of cookies and let Eric know he would be missed. (They’ll be adjusting their sales forecast after our move to London!)
Ipo, sardines on the sidewalk. Ipo is another Hawaiian. She traded a warm rainy island for a cold rainy island. As a bonus, she got to experience Storm Ashley with gale force winds that closed Cliffs of Moher the day we planned to visit. The morning after the storm we found sardines on the sidewalk near the dock, dumped onto the pavement by the massive storm surge, kind of a movie moment. But the storm did not deter us. There is always beauty to be found in Ireland.
Tuesday Night Joe, a social visit. Joe lives in the Bay Area and used to regularly work in San Diego. He spent many a Tuesday night at our house, earning him the name “Tuesday night Joe”. Joe was on a combined business and personal trip covering five states and three countries, so after our scenic drive home from the airport, he said the idea of more sightseeing was like viewing the 100th painting at the Louvre. He was happy to relax in Westport, and so were we.
Paddington, marmalade sandwiches. Paddington Bear showed up in Westport as an unexpected guest just before we left. As a promo for the film (pronounced “filum”) “Paddington Goes to Peru”, 23 Paddington Bear statues were installed across the UK and Ireland. The only Paddington in the Republic of Ireland is not in Dublin, Cork, Limerick or Galway but in our little town of Westport, population 6,000 — a curious choice.
Tacos, Margaritas & Piñatas: To say goodbye to our Irish friends, we shared a little San Diego culture. It took us nearly a year, but we finally hosted our friends for Taco Tuesday. And to thank our fellow picklers for their Irish hospitality (letting “the blow-ins” play with the cool kids), we toasted them with margaritas and piñatas. They gave us a lovely Irish send-off, and we had a tearful goodbye. (We look forward to seeing them in the spring when we return to sell our car.)
Croagh Patrick: Ever since we arrived in Westport, one of the questions the locals always ask is, “Have ye climbed Croagh Patrick yet?”, so we fittingly ended our time in Ireland by accepting the challenge and climbing the holy mountain associated with St. Patrick’s ascent. After a demanding incline up rocky terrain, we reached the church at the top and were rewarded with awe-inspiring 360-degree views from the summit.
As we reflect on our time in Ireland, we will miss the warmth and good humor of the Irish people and the quiet and restorative nature of Ireland’s unspoiled landscapes and rugged coastline. We leave with a deeper appreciation for the Irish story and rich Irish culture. Ireland will forever be in our hearts! 💚
“May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.”
– A Traditional Irish Blessing
We hug you tightly!
Leprechauns for Life ☘️
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Second Floor Flat 86 Kings Road, Richmond, London TW10 6EE UK
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