Gemma & Claire Carry On: Welcome to Clonmel

Getting my Blog on

8/4/11

On our last morning in Belfast we bought some breakfast and took it down to the City Hall to eat in the sunshine at the base of the Queen Victoria statue. During this peaceful meal we watched the Mayor having photos with Miss Belfast Rose for a publicity campaign and soaked in that morning feeling in a city that hasn’t quite got started for the day. That leisurely breakfast was followed by a leisurely stroll over to the bus station where it only took us a little while to find out that what we had bought online were TRAIN tickets, and that the train station was on the other side of town. We made it with plenty of time but still aren’t sure how we got train tickets and thought they were bus ones. Due to political troubles at the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, we had to alight and take a bus to the next station, but apart from that it was a peaceful ride with a lot of changing scenery, we even saw the beach!

Pulling into Dublin we found our way to the main street to find a tourist office (those places are so useful!) and find out where our next BUS was going from. We had a few hours to spare so we grabbed some rolls and aimed for Trinity College to sit on the grass, but our bags were heavy and we didn’t make it. Instead opting for a park bench by the road where we watched our surroundings and chatted with some people in their taxi. When our bus finally came we piled in and as the sun set Claire faded with it, but I was of course too excited to be tired. My stomach was twisting as I started recognising the mountains and eventually the towns, roundabouts and streets. When the bus driver stopped the bus at a spot that wasn’t the bus stop because ‘he wasn’t sure the bus would make it’ I think Claire may have been a little dubious as too my knowledge of directions (I was telling her ‘I’m pretty sure it’s right here, then it’s left somewhere, don’t worry I’m sure it will jump out at me when I see it’) we made it of course, and at the bus stop Martin and Moya were waiting to see us. For those who don’t know, I lived with this family on exchange for 9 months in 2006 and this is my second time back since then. Hugs were exchanged all round and then again at home with Jeanette. Kathleen arrived home not long later, barely acknowledged me, (Until I accosted her) and it was kind of strange as I had only seen her 3 months ago in Aus so it didn’t even feel like a reunion! There was a lot of talking over dinner before Kathleen took us down to the pub to see Gillian and Ais and again there were so many hugs and questions (this was a very hug filled couple of days!)

The next day we had intentions of climbing the mountain to Holy Cross, but just getting to the other side of the river was enough for us and we strolled with Kathleen’s dog Tashi in the park and getting him to swim in the river. We followed the river path all the way up to our old school where we sat and watched the river, nothing like relaxing near a river and some cows. Kathleen had to practice her upcoming performance of The Passion at St Mary’s church so Claire and I walked her in and then continued into town, just checking out the shops, until we went back to watch her and Ais.

Tashi was put down a few days after this, so R.I.P Tashi

Kathleen and a very wet Tashi

Claire navigating the Blackberries

The Suir river running through Clonmel

Claire and Kathleen on the river

That night was quite an occasion, it was Laura Peter’s 21^st birthday and so, dressed to the nines we went down to Raheen House to celebrate. I was nervous to see all my friends again after so long, but it was so much fun, we danced until we were turfed out at midnight, and then we walked back into town to O’Keef’s, an actual Irish Mean Fiddler. But not as classy as the fiddler..... But hey, I’m all about the experience! Eventually even this place closed and we taxied home and fell into bed.

The next morning we were woken by Kathleen jumping on us, luckily as we had a bus to catch to Aran! But that’s the next instalment.