Thursday, May 19, 2016

Before our tour of Kilkenny Castle, we were able to visit a street market and some of the shops along the road.

During this walk, we stopped at a crepe stand that was owned and run by a Frenchman. He had owned his own restaurant in South France. While talking with him and the other customers, it was hard not to notice the lyrical similarities of the French and Irish accents. Both speak quickly, but the French seemed more clipped and quicker than the Irish. This is not, of course, to say that the Irish aren’t quick speakers!

It really was a fun discussion/chat about food and life in different areas of the world.

Experiencing Kilkenny Castle was just as eclectic as the building itself.

The architecture of Kilkenny Castle, an eclectic mix of medieval and Victorian styles, has been described as beautiful by some. There are others who see it as a hideous hodgepodge.

I thought the castle was quite grand and rather enjoyed the transition from ancient times in the medieval lower levels to the more modern Victorian bedrooms on the upper floors.

It is truly remarkable that this property remained in the Butler family for so long. It must have been a drawn-out decision to sell the house to the people of Kilkenny. My own family does not have even an iota of the history of the Butler family, but even the mere thought of letting a family home go is a difficult one.

Some of the most memorable things that I heard on this tour are as follows:

Many a good match was made at a wake.

This was in reference to the social events that wakes were. A time to celebrate the lives of loved ones now gone.

Save face. / Don’t lose face. / Mind your beeswax.

Were all sayings that were meant as a warning. These all referred to the wax that people used to wear beneath their makeup. This wax could melt if too close to the fire, so the use of pole screens came into being.

I like this.

My professor wrote in response.

A good journal, Michelle – full of observations that will help you remember your trip for years to come.

There were times I thought a little more attention, specifically to language, might have been good, but I did enjoy reading this.

And I certainly enjoyed your company on this trip!

Journal grade: 190/200

Professor Doug Branch

Tuesday, May 17

Honestly? I didn’t pay much attention at all to the trip from Dublin to Thurles.

My fingers itched for the comfort of knitting and feel of soft, smooth yarn. I don’t recall much of the drive beyond the murmur of students and faculty.

Once we’d settled into our rooms, people started exploring the small Thurles community. And what is the heart of the community? A library that is also a gathering place!

Library cards are entirely free to both residents of Ireland AND to foreigners! Identification is not required to register for an account, a thing almost unheard of in the United States.

My instructor commented… “So glad you did this!”

After I’d signed up for my account and browsed the collection, I talked with the librarian, Loraine.

She told me that they were moving to a new integrated library system that would be country-wide. We discussed electronic collections and discovered that we used the same system, OverDrive. Loraine and I continued talking and I learned an entirely surprising thing!

The Thurles Library system, in fact the entire system, does not have a Friends of the Library group. Libraries in Ireland are supported solely by the government! In the states, we have nonprofit groups that raise funds for programs, furniture, and more!

After exploring more of the city, my little group returned to the library for a music program…

The tribute to Kris Kristofferson was an absolute pleasure to take part in. Many community members were in attendance, all ages enjoying the music, often clapping (sometimes singing) along with the performers.

During the performance, I took a moment inside the library. While there I talked with a library associate who asked about Memphis, my work, and the music we could hear from the next room. I told him about youth services and the duties the job entailed… He offered me a job!

My Professor commented, “Nice!” to my job offer, lol.