This week I was lucky enough to have a visitor for a few days. After a week spent in Finland watching my brother play, my dad was able to make his way over to Ireland. A week off and some quality time with him was just what I needed after a long week of school. On Wednesday I played in my first college game. With Dillon and my dad on the bench coaching us we were able to get our first college win against Sligo IT! Since we were so close to Letterkenny, Dillon and I decided to go visit victory scholar’s Jack and T.john. On Thursday Dillon, Jack, my dad and myself took a drive to see Slieve League in County Donegal. After a windy, narrow ride up the side of the cliff we had finally made it. The view was absolutely unreal. The side of the cliff was so clear that we were able to see sheep climbing up it (still not quite sure how it’s possible). The pictures I had from the last time I visited Slieve League when I was 13 don’t do it justice at all. Unlike the Cliffs of Moher, there were only a few tourists and fences up. This to me was one of the best aspects of visiting Slieve League because it wasn’t commercialized at all or super crowded. Once we saw the clouds rolling in we figured it was a smart idea to make our way back down to where my dad was before getting caught in a rainstorm which tends to happen a lot in Ireland. This was one of the best days I’ve had since coming to Ireland.
Another place I was able to revisit with my dad was Lahinch. In 2000 we took a family trip to Ireland and spent a few days here at a family friends house overlooking the ocean.
I can still to this day remember attempting to use my few months’ experience of Irish step lessons to dance in front of a group of people. Another vivid memory is the day I tried hopping the fence in the backyard to hang out with what I thought was a cow but really happened to be a bull. Although it was a long time since I’d been back, I was able to recall places in town I’d been to, the beach I spent long hours building sand castles with my cousins on and the yellow lab I played with whenever we were at the house. We took a drive up to the house we’d stayed in and I was greeted by a familiar face and wagging tail. I couldn’t believe that after 16 years I was able to see the same dog. My heart was so full after spending a day in a place that holds such precious memories to both my dad and I. Being away from family and friends makes you appreciate the time spent with them so much more.
