Three Amazing
Months in Ireland

by Liam Hughes

"What's it like to be back?" seems to be on the lips of everyone I run into lately...followed by "where's your Irish accent?"

Well, being back hasn't been too much of a shock to my system, considering I came home to as much rain in Milwaukee as I left behind in Ireland.

As for that Irish accent, I might not have a brogue, but I have gotten some strange looks when I told my sister I'd meet her at "half-one" (1:30), asked my neighbor if she needed a "lift" (ride) and told my nephew I'd "collect" (pick-up) him later. It's not the accent that goes first...it's the vocabulary.

The Highlights

For those of you who were following our blog and online photo album, you already know about all the exciting things I did this summer, but in case you missed them, I thought I'd highlight a few of the most memorable and include some links to their corresponding blog entry. There are over 300 photos posted from this summer, so go ahead and let yourself get lost in those too.

Belfast Ablaze - Corey & I were lucky enough to get a personal tour of the pre-Marching Day celebrations from Heidi McAlpin, editor of Belfast In Your Pocket. It was quite an experience visiting all these huge bonfires throughout the city.

While we were there, we were asked to appear on BBC Radio to help answer the question, "Are Marching Days Ready for Tourists?" You'll have to wait until our Marching Days podcast to get our answer, but I have to say, it was quite a thrill to visit BBC studios, wait in the green room, walk through the news room and take part in the interview.

The Vee in Full Bloom - The scenic drive between Lismore and Cahir turns from beautiful to breathtaking from the end of May until early June when the rhododendrons are in full bloom. We managed to catch them when colors were at their peak. Seeing the entire hillside painted in pink made the drive more memorable than ever.

Oh the Music - Maybe it was because of the unusual quantity of rain or maybe it was the crowd we were running with, but this summer led us to a lot of great sessions. From an unexpected find in the Wicklow Mountains to an appearance on Midlands Radio, each had its own something special.

The sessions that stand out most in my mind though were the Monday nights at Grace's in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary. There was something very honest and wonderful about the musicians and the visitors.

The Other Glen - We loved our visit to Glendalough, but the real treasure came from our trip to the lesser visited Glenmalore not too far away.

Right in Our Backyard - Corey and Tony discovered an amazing hiking trail quite literally in Tony's backyard. I always thought the best view in the area was from atop Keeper Hill, but they reported this hike along the ridge of the Silvermines Mountains wins out because from there, you get to see Keeper. My only regret is that my tour schedule and the rain prevented me from exploring it myself.

So Many Shards - It's not often you find someone who gets excited when they find a broken dish, but I guess I'm funny that way. This summer I managed to recover all kinds of broken china from all over Ireland, and all of it is now in my studio waiting to be turned into shard jewelry.

The best find was a stash of Mulberry transferware shards dating back to the 1880s I found along the Copper Coast near Annestown. I'm also going to try and work with some unique shells I found in Brittas Bay, and I've got some great ideas for a crumbing piece of Flow Blue I unearthed in an antique store attic.

The New Cliffs Experience - I've been going to the Cliffs of Moher for years. In fact, I usually end up there five or six times a season, so you can imagine my delight with the opening of the new visitor centre.

Built into the hillside and loaded with a lot of "green" features, the new centre has turned a usually 45-minute stop into a 2.5 hours visit. On my first call to the centre, I learned more about the animals living on the "edge of Ireland" than I had in the last 20 years.

The Ruins of Cahirsiveen - Along the Ring of Kerry, the town of Cahirsiveen is easy to overlook, but a little exploring revealed a great castle ruin and two truly amazing ring forts...and I haven't even mentioned how close it is to beautiful Valentia Island.

The Garden at Knockpatrick - A little roadsign directed us to the home of Tim and Helen O'Brien near Foynes. They invited us in for tea and scones before walking us through their joyous garden. The trip was so relaxing and enjoyable, I went back with guests a few days later.

Plus, I finally got out to see the wonderfully nostalgic Foynes Flying Boat Museum and take in the scenic Shannon Estuary along the N69...it's one of my favorite "lesser-known" routes.

Friends and Family - Of course there is nothing better than spending time with people you care about, and over the years Ireland has introduced me to many wonderful people. Whether it's relatives, locals or guests who stay with me, Eire brings out the best in people, and I've been fortunate to spend time with my many old friends and continue to make more...including Pat and John Preston from www.IrelandExpert.com.

Treasures of Ireland - One more notable thing happened this summer. Corey and I worked with Chris from www.EnchantingIreland.com to create a very special "Irish Fireside Treasures of Ireland Tour" April 3-10, 2008. The tour takes in many of my favorite Irish locales, includes a castle stay and will be filled with music and craic (that's Irish for "good times").

Anyone who is considering a bus tour really should join us on this one. It's going to be an astounding experience...and based on the Irish Fireside listeners I've met so far, we can pretty much count on there being a wonderful group of people on the tour.