Thank goodness for Spring Break! Right when we need it most, it’s always there to save us and rejuvenate us for that final push towards the end of the semester.
For my Spring Break, I decided to go on an adventure to Ireland (also lovingly known as “The Emerald Isle”). Words cannot even describe how beautiful everything was — from rolling green countryside to old stone castles to cliffs towering over undulating ocean below.
Although it’s incredibly difficult to choose just five of my favorite memories, here are some of the top highlights from my Spring Break on the Emerald Isle!
1. The Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher completely took my breath away. With crashing waves, 9 miles of cliffs, and blue water that seemed to stretch forever, this is a certainly an experience I will never forget.
2. Kissing the Blarney Stone
A trip to Ireland would be incomplete without a visit to the Blarney Castle! Legend has it that the famous Blarney Stone is good luck, so turning upside-down and kissing the stone granted me the Gift of Gab.
3. Glendalough
Glendalough is a beautiful valley with two lakes filled from a glacial melting following the last ice age. In addition to a gorgeous hike in nature, Glendalough is also home to an Early Medieval monastic site.
4. Jaunting through Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park is nestled within the beautiful Ring of Kerry. One morning while staying in Killarney, I woke up at dawn and went jaunting through Killarney National Park! The views were absolutely unreal, and Suzie the Horse made an excellent guide.
5. St. Patrick’s Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Day is coming up on Thursday, March 17th, but I had the privilege of visiting this patron saint of Ireland’s very own cathedral in Dublin! The stained glass was incredible, and I learned that the Guinness family (yes, as in the beer…) paid for the restoration of this monumental Gothic cathedral.