Day 1: Arrival and Dublin

 

Cead mile failte! (One hundred thousand welcomes!) 



Our trip started off on Friday afternoon when we loaded into the sprinter vans at SG to head to Logan Airport. We met James at the airport and Max flew in from Geronimo, meeting us in Dublin. When we landed, our guides Sophie and Andy greeted us, along with Max. We took a short bus ride into Dublin to check in at the Generator. We were able to get some breakfast and spend a little time resting as we waited for rooms to be ready. Everyone remained in good spirits despite some exhaustion from the flight. 

We gathered as a group around 12:15PM to review some of the plans for the day and then headed out for our first adventure in Dublin! We walked to a bus stop and enjoyed a double decker bus ride to the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) with the Na Fianna Gaelic Club.

At Na Fianna, Cormac taught us the three ancestral Celtic sports of Ireland--Handball, Hurling, and Gaelic Football. With some of the local young members, we learned the rules, worked through some basic drills, and split into teams for some friendly competition. Cormac emphasized the importance of community, and the tribal nature of the clubs. Each member of the County level team is an amateur and plays for their community rather than money and fame. 




After becoming experts in all three sports, we took a double decker bus to the city center and walked around, gaining an intimate and street-level experience of city life in Dublin. In the St. Stephen's Arcade, the kids purchased scarves, and Irish Flat caps were acquired and worn with great pride.


We are back at The Generator, and are heading to dinner at the Norseman for a traditional Irish dinner. At the end of the night, we will have time to reflect on the day, look ahead to tomorrow, and award a bandana to the student who best exemplifies the expedition spirit!

Slan (Goodbye)

Ms. Ducharme, Mr. Piller, and Ms. Reuss


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