Running Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh

Sarah and I planned time to run while in Edinburgh since our initial plan to run a half-marathon were thwarted. We ran the route Sarah does around Arthur's Seat--even though we didn't run to the top, the hills around the hill were hilly enough! After running in the flatlands of Michigan and Virginia, the hills were quite a challenge and I even had to beg Sarah to stop to walk--with a good excuse to take a nice picture along the way! It was a great experience. I'm running a 10 K on June 1st in Dublin--a women's only race that promises to have a field of 40,000 runners! I don't think the times will be too speedy!

Haggis for Dinner

A big treat for us on our visit to Edinburgh to visit one of Laura's adopted sisters, our very special Sarah, was to have Haggis for dinner. Laura was just dying to try it. Sarah obliged and cooked it up for dinner. A traditional Scottish dish served with "neeps" (aka turnips) and tatties (aka potatoes) was a special treat. We forgot to read the Ode to Haggis prior to eating--it's below if you'd like to recite it as you look over the pictures. Haggis is made up of the left over sheep innards and oatmeal and spices--really, you just don't want to ask or know. It tastes just fine!

ODE TO A HAGGIS

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
You pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’need
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reeking, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an’ strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive
Bethankit hums

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash
His spindle-shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll mak it whissle;
An’ legs, an’ arms an’ heads will sned,
Like taps o’ thrissle

Ye pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
An’ dish them out their bill o’fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ pray’r,
Gie her a Haggis!

University College Cork

I spent two days at the University College Cork doing some research. The campus is one of the three original Queen's Colleges built in the mid-1800s. This campus is among the most beautiful I have seen with the river running through it. I thought they did a wonderful job of incorporating the new building as well--the campus has about 15,000 students with out-of-country tuition running about $15,000. I learned from a colleague that US students look to come to UCC to do a law degree and then become eligible for the NY bar exam--cuts off a number of years of schooling. Anecdotal information, but interesting to think about for some enterprising students! We hope to get back here when we tour in June.

Marley Park

Here are pictures from the nearby park where I go running. It is a little over a mile from our apartment and has a 2 mile loop inside--a great way to enjoy time outside and see some beautiful flowers. Lots of kids out with parents and various types of games being played on the pitches. There is a cricket field nearby that has been seeing a lot of action recently. I'll try to get some shots during the next flowering stage--missed the daffodils since they were gone after we got back at Easter. The map shows the beginning of the Wicklow Way--the hill range where Andrew and I hiked when he was here.

Kilkenny--Black Abbey

The Black Abbey is yet another historical site in Kilkenny. We opted for the outside view since our limit of site seeing was maxed this day--hence the Laura pose!

Kilkenny

Here are some shots of the Kilkenny Castle. The street scene shows our entry into town from the rail station--a typical Irish village setting. However, you see the castle as you pass over the bridge! You couldn't take pictures inside, but just imagine grandeur! Another of the pictures is of Rose Malone, a faculty from National University of Ireland--Maynooth. She was in attendance at the ESAI conference with me. I'm trying to remember to get shots of people in here too!

Kilkenny Cathedral

Laura went with me to Kilkenny when I attended a conference. We spent Saturday afternoon after the meetings touring the city. Here are some shots of the Cathedral in town. Our friend Jane grew up here and attended this church each week--the beauty rivaled St. Michael's! You'll see some shots of the grave yard outside with some of the Celtic crosses. The Bishop's seat is what distinguishes this as a cathedral and the stone graving was connected to the witch of Kilkenny, Dame Alice Kyteler. There is also a pub in town that goes by this name! You can learn more about her at the following link: http://www.irishidentity.com/extras/supernat/stories/banshee.htm

St. Columba's College

Our friend, Julian Girdham, has been a big help in getting us contacts and helped pave the way for Laura to get into Wesley College. He teaches and is an administrator at St. Columba's College--a school just up the road from Laura's. We got a tour and the place is reminiscent of Harry Potter--complete with students wearing gowns! The dining hall looks like it came right out of the movie--wooden tables and all. This is a picture of the chapel that hosts gatherings and has wonderful acoustics for music. Laura thought she'd have loved this school just for the ambiance. It is one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Here's a link for more info.

http://www.stcolumbas.ie/

Cobblestone--Traditional Music Session

I went to the Cobblestone, an older pub on the North side of the Liffy that has a strong presence of traditional music session. This one was on a Sunday afternoon--helpful for me since the ones during the week begin at 9:30 pm. Here is a picture of Claire Thompson--she is learning the Bodhran in the first picture with Alex, one of the musicians from the session. Alex chatted with us for a bit and said he had been a jazz saxophone player, but moved to Ireland since he liked the approach to music better. You can find him most Sundays at the Cobblestone. John Thompson, a fellow Fulbright hailing from Maine and Claire's dad is in the second picture. John and Kate's kids are attending a local school--the primary is divided by gender--and are quickly picking up Irish! My friend Dan tells me that we must also take in Hughes pub--a few blocks from the Cobblestone. He swears it is like stepping back to the 1800s--we'll check it out before we leave!

Betty's visit

Betty Kirby came to visit to set up a trip for her CMU students this summer. The sun set is of the Liffy in downtown Dublin. The other sea side pictures are from Bray--south of Dublin. The iron memorial was for Queen. The area is the hub of Ireland's movie industry. The bus driver spouted off a long list of famous people living there and the films done in the region. The place is a spot for summer get-aways since it is quite accessible by the DART and has lots of beach front. We were there on a nice day, but I still can't imagine actually swimming! We'll try to get back in May or June when it warms up a bit.