Dia dhuit and póg mo thóin!

Anyone who knows Irish knows that was an incredibly rude way to start a blog post. But thanks to 12-year-old Sarah and ten-year-old Beck, these are the only two things I know how to say in Irish (so far). The two were sitting at a table nearby at Christmas dinner. Apparently excited by the fact of our Americanness (Sarah wants to be a detective in New York), they struck up a conversation, and Sarah taught me my first Irish word: “dia dhuit,” or hello. Her brother carried on for some time about dangerous jellyfish on the beaches of Dingle, during which Sarah got bored and turned to me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye and quietly asked if I’d like to learn something rude in Irish. Giggling, she helped me sound out póg mo thóin (sounds like “pogue mahone”). 

“It means kiss my –”

She paused and gave me a knowing look. 

So now that I’ve started a pub brawl on the interweb blog void, it’s as good a time as any to announce that I’ve landed in Galway, a city of wind, sideways rain, and many pubs. 

Everything is grand here (and sometimes it’s brilliant), and if someone asks “you okay?” they want to know your sandwich order. Craic is the most confusing word but it essentially means “a good time.” Fun facts that I learned at a pub quiz at the campus bar (Whitman could never!):

• Ireland has sent both a presidential candidate and a turkey to the Eurovision song contest. 
• Ireland has won the Eurovision song contest 7 times, making it the most successful country in the contest.
• Irish pubs serve a popular cocktail called “sand in the crack”
• Halloween comes from the Irish festival Samhain, which falls on the fourth Cross-Quarter day (days that fall between solstices and equinoxes) 
• The flag of the Ivory Coast is the exact reverse of the Irish flag. They really got us with that one. 

So far, my two favorite things about Galway are the live music and the river trail that runs the length of the University of Galway. There is live music every night in about five different venues (maybe more!). The Quays and The Kings Head are my favorite pubs for nightly live music, with bands ranging from traditional Irish music to impressive covers of Hozier or Johnny Cash. Everyone is up and dancing, the musicians are downing pints of Guinness, and the mood is jolly and beer-soaked. During the day, the pubs are a welcome respite from the rain, offering warm fires, delicious french fries (chips!), and cozy corners to dry out. 

The Corrib River trail is a saving grace for an introvert studying abroad. I wander the tree-lined path daily, nodding hello to the crumbling Menlo castle across the way.

The rain is lulling me to sleep, so it’s time to sign off. Check back in for more Ireland updates!

<3 Mia