It’s a rainy day here in Dublin!! Due to the bank holiday yesterday, our group had an adventurous Monday together! We had the opportunity to visit New Grange, the Ruins of Monasterboice, and the Hill of Tara.
New Grange was an exciting experience for me. It is a pre-historic passage tomb that looks very large, but trust me, it is the size of a small elevator inside. Yes, I am claustrophobic, but I made it. My favorite part about this tour was learning that the structure of the building has stayed the same for thousands of years and the carvings in the stone were beautiful to see.
As for the Ruins of Monasterboice, we got to see the tallest cross in Ireland! We explored the surrounding graveyard and learned that the watch tower used to be a safe place for the community. I found it interesting that it used to be considered safe, but if you think about it, only having one way in and one way out isn’t always the best idea.
Lastly, we visited the Hill of Tara which is an ancient burial site. This is also where the High Kinds of Ireland were inaugurated. After this, we ventured to the Fairy Tree where we made our mark with hair ribbons and a wish in the back of our minds.
Today, we had the opportunity to go to Fighting Blindness where we met a researcher and a counselor for the program. My favorite part was speaking with John, a counselor, who is also visually impaired. He told us that being blind does not define him, but it has definitely formed him. My favorite quote that he left with us was “I’m not fighting my blindness, I’m actually pretty good friends with it.” I enjoyed this statement because he was very honest about not liking the title of their service, and that he believes blindness doesn’t need to be fought.
I also learned some helpful tips today. I learned that you should try to always wear sunglasses, even when it is raining, because UV rays can fight through anything and harm your eyes. Also, regarding screen time, you should always follow the 20-20-20 rule. This means for every 20 minutes you are looking at a screen, you should look 20 feet in the distance for 20 seconds.
Dublin has been treating me well and I cannot wait to see what else it has to offer! I’ll keep you updated, but until then, here are some pictures from our adventures!
