But the Friday before we left, we shot a promotional video at the office. See the lighting and cameras below. In the end they decided they needed and girl and a non-Irish accent, so I made the cut and will be in the video! I'll send you a link when the editing is finished.
The lights were really bright so Gavin (my boss and co-founder of boxPAY) wore sunnies during the breaks.
After work on Friday, Peadar and I drove 4 hours down from Dublin to Killarney. Check out the map below. Ireland is smaller than Illinois, so 4 hours is definitely the most it takes to get anywhere, and usually anywhere you go is about half that time!
It's really funny how many animals you see in the countryside. We stopped at this hotel for dinner on the way down and there were just these horses hanging out by the parking lot. You could go right up to them!
But we finally made it down and there was a lovely wedding! See Joe and Juliet below...
And Peadar and I...
Okay this is seriously not a joke, late the night of the wedding, usually at around 5AM (yes Irish weddings last that long) there is a "singsong," where everyone sits around and listens to different people taking turns to sing, or all sing together. I didn't make it to the 5AM singsong thanks to all the wine I had, but lucky for me there was a repeat performance the next night at dinner. Check out the video to see what I mean!
I am going to post the words to another song that someone else sang that I thought was really lovely and you would enjoy:
This version is by the Dubliners, but the song is called simply "A Song For Ireland"
Walking all the day
near tall towers where falcons build their nests
Silver wings they fly,
They know the call for freedom in their breasts,
Saw Black Head against the sky
Where twisted rocks they run down to the sea
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sun sets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland
Drinking all the day,
In old pubs where fiddlers love to play,
Saw one touch the bow,
He played a reel that seamed so grand and gay,
I stood on Dingle beach and cast,
In wild foam for Atlantic bass,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And sang a song for Ireland
Talking all the day,
With true friends who try to make you stay,
Telling jokes and news,
Singing songs to while the time away,
Watched the galway salmon run,
Like silver dancing, darting in the sun,
living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And i sang a song for Ireland
Dreaming in the night,
I saw a land where no-one had to fight,
Waking in your dawn,
I saw you crying in the morning light,
sleeping where the falcons fly,
They twist and turn all in your air-blue sky,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland
near tall towers where falcons build their nests
Silver wings they fly,
They know the call for freedom in their breasts,
Saw Black Head against the sky
Where twisted rocks they run down to the sea
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sun sets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland
Drinking all the day,
In old pubs where fiddlers love to play,
Saw one touch the bow,
He played a reel that seamed so grand and gay,
I stood on Dingle beach and cast,
In wild foam for Atlantic bass,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And sang a song for Ireland
Talking all the day,
With true friends who try to make you stay,
Telling jokes and news,
Singing songs to while the time away,
Watched the galway salmon run,
Like silver dancing, darting in the sun,
living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And i sang a song for Ireland
Dreaming in the night,
I saw a land where no-one had to fight,
Waking in your dawn,
I saw you crying in the morning light,
sleeping where the falcons fly,
They twist and turn all in your air-blue sky,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland
A really popular thing to do is drive the 'Ring of Kerry' to enjoy the scenery. Pad was keen to do this, but seeing as how I get really carsick on Irish roads (think one lane winding roads and small stick shift cars) and it was really rainy and overcast anyway. I have a sneaking suspicion the 'Ring of Kerry' may be like the 'Road to Hana' for all of you that have ever been to Maui or have heard of that! So I did all my sightseeing from the view of the spa we went to on Monday, Aghadoe Heights.
Lastly, on our way home, we stopped to see Peadar's good pal Gerry Delaney. Ger has visited Chicago 2x with Pad, this is us on NYE below:
Anyway Ger is building a house, which is going great for him, and he bought a new heard of heffers (cows). He so kindly showed them to Pad and I, and I was freaking out laughing, running around in them. I'm a real country girl now! Cows are big and look funny (and are smelly!) in real life.
Would you even know me if you met me now?
XOXO Amanda
That video is awesome! Why can't we do singsongs in America??
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