J2A in Ireland

Our last full day! A day that turned out totally differently than any of us (or our loved ones at home) anticipated. Despite the busyness of packing up, we paused to refocus in a circle of song and prayer. We carried the words and melodies of Pat Mayberry with us: As you go from this place, be true May the blessings of life find you May the winds of the Spirit guide you Across the ocean of all your days May the seeds of your love, your life, adorn the way. We said a fond farewell to our hosts and warmly invited them to visit us in Ottawa. We set out to drive back towards Dublin, with a scheduled stop to visit the prehistoric site at Newgrange. However, our plans for the day were thrown asunder when one of our two vehicles was sideswiped by a transport truck on the motorway in Belfast. Miraculously, no one was injured, although Mary, Cheryl, Miranda, Silvia and Desmond were shocked and frightened by the experience. Upon receiving the news, the rest of us made ou

Earlier in the day of the vigil, our Ballintoy hosts Seamus, Josephine, and Aileen helped us identify the ideal places to create the sacred space that we were looking for. As night fell on day 7, we dressed in our warmest and most rainproof gear and made our way from the hostel to a nearby sandy cove. After some gathering words, we each spent an hour in silence getting in touch with our five senses. This gave an opportunity to listen to our own thoughts, the gentle wind blowing through the nearby tall grasses, and to the steady rolling crash of waves on the shore, as the tide turned in. We later gathered to hear and reflect upon the sacred words each of us had chosen earlier in the day. Our next segment consisted of walking along a trail that wound through nearby fields, past the rope bridge site, and back down to the village. Walking this path in near total darkness, lit by only one or two flashlights, we were wrapped in the night sky above the sea. What beauty! We paused to r

Day 6 – Glencolmcille to Ballintoy We awoke early in Glencolmcille the day after climbing to the top of Slieve League shrouded in a dramatic drizzle-mist. Despite this, we all decided to put on our swimsuits and brave the cold ocean waters to swim in the beautiful cove at Malin Beg. Leon, our colourful and friendly hostel host at Glencolmcille was originally from South Africa. Another distinct accent. We all loved getting to know his 18-year old parrot (whose name escapes us right now) and chihuahua Minky. Apparently, the parrot could speak 400 different words – wow! After a hearty breakfast of porridge, toast and fruit, we set out for our first stop in Derry (officially Londonderry). We had a quick picnic on the lawn of the tourist office and then set out to walk along the fortified walls of the historic city. We learned that the city received its Royal Charter in 1613 from King James I and funding from the London guilds, hence the name Londonderry. The name remains a so

"Zitch cow!" Lovely portrait of Yayo and Dezzy Some cliffs Mandy and Sil sitting on the edge of the Aran cliffs Andre the Instagram model Cormac the sheep enjoying some lunch by the sea Ocean waves crashing below us Our LOVELY leaders!!! Deep in conversation The whole gang in front of the Burren Hostel

Thoughts: For a small country, it sure takes a long time to get from one place to another These roads are like bicycle paths! Il y a beaucoup de francos ici en Irlande. We climbed up into the clouds; it looked like heaven (Slieve League). There is a reason, it turns out, for guidelines and fences and no trespassing signs! Lesson learned. Our chefs have been imaginative and talented in the kitchen: fantastic food day after day! Burritos, hamburgers, veggie chili, spaghetti carbonara, a full Irish, and excellent salads with every meal. Picnics along the way -- on rocky walls along the ocean. A morning swim challenge today: and everyone is up and in the frigid water as the sun rises (almost). The sheep scatter across the cliffs that rise steeply up from the cove. They block the road and eye us suspiciously... ! Before the walk up Slieve League Pilgrims on a journey The amazing sea views at Slie

Today we saw the most magnificent things! After a slow start to the day, we hopped on board the ferry named the “Happy Hooker” for a rocky trip to the Aran Islands. A few of us, particularly Andre, felt a little seasick. Others relished the waves, the wind and the sea spray. Once arrived, we rented bikes and made a beeline for the local café to warm up. After we’d guzzled down our hot chocolates, we pedaled along the mountainous inland route enjoying views on all sides. Eventually we made it to Dun Angus, a magnificent stone fort perched above the plunging cliffs. It was a great reward after climbing a steep 1 km trail, to sit on the precipice admiring the crashing waves of the Atlantic. Holy ground. On the ferry back at 4:30 (11:30 Ottawa time), we thought of the congregation of First United lighting our candles. (Due to technical difficulties, this post has been reconstructed from our collective memories).