The Magic of Ireland

The Pulse of the Irish

We returned from our trip to Ireland late Tuesday night.  I am always amazed at how just over the mountain here, there is another culture, language, customs, dress code, cuisine and modes of courtesy.

I have never felt more 'at home' than when I visit Ireland.  Ireland experienced a financial crash similar to the one we experienced in the US with banks allowing people to purchase more than they could afford.  The crash in Ireland was harder than the one in the US.  I know we're not out of the woods yet, but in Ireland it feels as though they went deeper in and have a longer journey to get out.  Although there are still many empty store fronts in Cork, there are signs of recovery. The street are being repaired and there is a little construction.

Apparently, in the decade prior to the crash, Ireland had opened their doors to Poland.  Tens of thousands of Poles immigrated to Ireland and became the group who supplied the manpower in the housing industry.  Polish restaurants and grocery stores popped up everywhere.  Polish became the second language put on signs!  I knew I heard Polish being spoken everywhere in a department store and didn't understand why, until it was explained to me.  When the housing industry went bust, thousands of the Poles left.  Now there are empty Polish groceries.  And entire housing developments empty, that were intended to be the homes of these immigrants.  Ireland is doing it's best to get things back together, just as we are.  A lot has been accomplished to that end, with more to do.

Warm Irish Smiles

The Irish are some of the warmest, open and loving people I have met in my travels.  On our first evening in Cork, we were invited to have dinner with one of Ray's colleagues. We travelled to the outskirts of Cork to their home and spent a lovely evening talking and visiting with them and their 3 children.  We so appreciated their hospitality and had a wonderful time.

The Pub/Restaurant Scene

Cafe Paradiso

Liberty Grill, Cork City

Irish restaurants/pubs are the BEST. I am not a beer drinker, so I didn't taste the likes of  Guinness and Murphy's, Ray had that privilege,  but every meal we had in a pub was delicious.   Pub menus are not what I thought they would be; they have spectacular selections, not just hamburgers and fries.  I never saw Corned Beef & Cabbage on a menu, no, it was amazing soups (and I am a soup fend), the freshest fish, risottos, pastas, beef and pork dishes and heavenly coffee. One evening, while Ray dined with colleagues, I found the most delicious vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Paradiso.  No steamed or sautéed vegetables here. Only the most amazing vegetarian dishes.   I had Red Pepper Soup and Beet Risotto.  On my last morning in Cork, I had breakfast at Liberty Grill.  Scrumptious Eggs Florentine - YUM.

Headed to Sneem via Kenmare

Ray had 3 more days of meetings in Cork.  So I boarded a bus and headed to Kenmare to visit my friend Roderic Knowles.   On the bus I met a young woman, Iris, from the Netherlands.  Iris was taking 7 days to go on a personal pilgrimage.  She said she needed to be alone and hopefully to receive some insight as to what direction she should take in her life.  She was feeling lost, so she quit her job and came to Ireland!  I asked her where she would sleep each night and she shared that she was using Couch Surfing.  Do you know what Couch Surfing is?  Now I do.  There is an international website, www.couchsurfing.com   The idea is:  you are traveling and either are on a limited budget OR you want to meet the people of the place you are visiting.  You go to the Couch Surfing website and register.  Then on the website, you locate the country and city you will be traveling through.  Listed at your chosen destination are people (who have registered also) who are happy to host you - at no cost to you!  You sleep 'on their couch' or in a spare bedroom, if they have that.  A place to sleep and a shower in the morning.  Well, Iris was couch surfing in Ireland.  What an amazing young woman.  And what an amazing demonstration of someone's willingness to do what it takes in their life.

No Accidental Meetings

On the bus ride we talked about life, our families and why we were in Ireland.  Iris said that she believed that there are no accidents and you meet people for reasons that you might not be aware of...yet.  I felt we were talking the same language about life.  You ever get that feeling when you've just met someone?  Iris mentioned that she had read Conversations with God last year and that made a huge impression on her.  It changed the way she thought about the world.  It open her to consider that there was more in her life than she had previously allowed.  Then she asked me what I did as a profession.  I shared that I partner with people to help them integrate those exact principles.  That's why we met.  We were on the same wave length.

When the bus ride ended, Iris and I exchanged emails.  We said our good-byes and she and I stood together, her waiting for her couch surfing host and me waiting for Roderic.

There He Is

Then suddenly Roderic was there, stopping in the street and hopping out of his little red car.  He looked just as I remembered him.  Tall, thin, with shoulder length fluffy whitish hair.  We embraced  quickly and he tossed my luggage in the car and off we went through to Irish countryside to his home in Sneem.

Sneem and More

Roderic and I began chatting as though we had these conversations every day.  Since the last time I saw him, Roderic has moved from Kinsale and is now living on the property where he grew up!  He and Elly decided they wanted to create a sacred space of sorts.  Roderic's sister has been living on the property for many years.  Roderic and Elly have four acres of the property.  I had no idea what to expect when we arrived at Roderic's home.  I'll do my best to describe it here.

Elly and Roderic

Swimming Pool

We entered the property from a very long driveway, driving through dense woods with a stream running alongside the driveway.  We parked under an arbor and walked toward a small house.  Then continued up a slate staircase where I met Elly.  Meeting Elly was like meeting an old friend.  Instantly, we began chatting.  There was such openness and friendship.  She had lunch waiting for us, so we sat under an patio umbrella and ate and talked and I marveled at what I was looking at-a pool.  

 I had never seen a pool like this.  It is cut into the stone.  A backhoe dug the pool, it was lined and stairs of slate were built on right hand side to enter.  This pool makes it look and feel like you are taking a dip in a swimmin' hole!  The day I took the picture it was overcast, but off in the distance you can actually see the Atlantic Ocean.

Roderic's Writing House

Elly's Healing House

 Elly and Roderic intend to create a kind of University - a place of personal transformation.  They have only been on the property for the last 10 months.  When they arrived it was a jungle of overgrown shrubs and trees.  They created a map of the land (house here, garden there, etc) and began clearing and building.  So far they have build two 'working dwellings'; one for Roderic, where he writes his books and one for Elly, where she writes her books and does healing work.  She is a Reiki Master.  

Future Chapel

There are pathways through the woods that connect the different 'areas' of the grounds.  There is a 'Fairy Circle', which is a gathering place for groups and a future 'Chapel'.  Even a 'Caravan Trailer'.

Caravan Trailer

The Caravan Trailer is offered to guests as a separate living space.  Elly told me when she was fixing up the Caravan Trailer, she had the choice to paint it brown and try to get it to blend into the forest or to make a statement.  Can you guess what she choose?  During my tour, they took me inside.  It is cozy and a complete living place.

 As you walk through the property, you never know what you will see or experience.  See the angel resting on the hillside?  There are plans for many more trails, a labyrinth, a vegetable garden and additional meeting space.

Ancient Energy

But the most amazing structure there, is one that was constructed hundreds of years ago.  Enter Here:

This stone building was there when Roderic was a child.  At one time, a family lived in it.  The house caught fire 50-60 years ago, destroying every part except the stone walls.  It is about 18'X15' on the inside.  When Roderic arrived 10 months ago and began his plans to renovate and create his University, there was a 60 year old oak tree growing in the center of the four walls.  He said a contractor had to chop and saw as much as he could and then the trunk was chain linked to a tractor to be removed.  It is a miracle how the tree trunk was removed coming out through the front door space!  The stone on the ground in front of the door was laid last week, the gravel was spread a couple of days ago.   The door was finished literally hours before I arrived!  It was hand crafted by an English contractor.  Roderic's instructions were to make it as different as the contractor could imagine.  Do you think he succeeded?  The wood is oak and the hinges and lock were hand made.  This is truly a work in progress.

  There's More

I got to help with the creation of a Sacred Space.  See the black stove with the black tea kettle on top?  I painted both black!  When I arrived they were rusted and the stove had just been refitted to be the source of heat inside the Stone House.  They asked me if I wanted to help with something and I said absolutely, so I got to 'leave my mark' on the Stove by painting it!

Stove

Stove

Elly and Marybeth

I spent two nights with Elly and Roderic.  The days were spent walking, sharing and eating delicious meals that Elly prepared.  The evenings were spent in deep conversation about the things that mean the most to us - our dreams, what we are reading, who's work we admire, where we want to go, what's holding us back.  There was a deep connection and a great amount of joyful sharing.  I loved every minute. And I hope to go back and visit again before we return to the US.

A Chance Meeting and A National Park

Ray rented a car in Cork and arrived on Saturday morning to pick me up.  From Roderic's, we drove to Killanary.  A beautiful town about 50 minutes from Sceen.  On the way to Killarnay, Ray told me that we were invited to watch a Hurling Game at a pub in Killarnay.  First of all, I asked, "Who do we know in Killanary?  We don't know anyone.  And secondly, what is Hurling?"  So, turns out that a colleague of Ray's, Liam is from Ireland.  I knew that, but Liam is from Cork, why would he be way out here?  Turns out, Liam's mother is celebrating her 70th birthday and her entire family decided months ago to be in Killarnay to celebrate her birthday.  That is why they are there.  AND it is the World Series for the game of Hurling.  Hurling is an Irish only sport.  It can most easily be described as Hockey on the grass and the puck is 'hurled' in the air not pushed on the ground.  It just happened that that night was the last game of the season, their World Series, so to speak.  The pub was packed!  I met Liam's family and spent my time talking to Lois, Liam's sister-in-law.  It was great.  How did this happen?  I don't know, but I had a great time.  I certainly knew when a score was made, "YEAH!" with an Irish roar!  Fun.  Too bad 'our team' lost.  Oh well. 

Boat ride on Muchross Lake

Next day we toured the Killanary National Park.  We took a horse and buggy ride through the Dunlee Gap and a boat ride through the Muckross Lake.

Muckross House Gardens

The Muckross Estate reminds people of Downton Abbey and it is just like it.  We took a tour on the inside, but photos were not allowed.  This is the back gardens of the house.

Muckross House Side View

 The House is beautiful.  It was given to the Country of Ireland in 1933.  It sat in disrepair until 1964.  It has been undergoing on-going renovations to return it to it's original form since then.

Wow, we did a lot in the last week.   I have to say, the highlight of my trip was spending time with Roderic and Elly.  There are wonderful people everywhere.  People who are ready to embrace the unknown - like Iris and people who are creating a new venture in life - like Elly and Roderic.  Life is always unfolding and we get to decide how we will be within the unfolding.

Now I am back in Davos-getting ready for my Yoga class.  Did I tell you, I am teaching Yoga.

Off to Yoga!!!

Warmness across the miles!

Marybeth