After our Tazié-style prayer service this past Tuesday evening, I had the chance to chat with several members of the Newman University Church community. We talked about my college degree, my work with House of Brigid, and how I’ve been adjusting to Dublin life. When the topic turned to exploring Ireland, I enthusiastically mentioned my love for taking little day trips to explore as much of the country as possible. One of the people I spoke with started listing off trip recommendations with great enthusiasm. Maeve and I had been hoping to plan an outing for the following day, so with the help of suggestions from this man, we planned a trip to visit the Hill of Tara and Trim Castle.
What followed was… a bit of a chaotic adventure. We actually managed to board the 122 bus without any issues, which was shocking in itself, considering that bus has caused us more headaches than we’d like to admit. Boarding our connecting bus also went smoothly. (I’ll confess: it was on this second bus, nearly a month into living in Ireland, that I finally saw my first farm animals. I am a little embarrassed to admit it took that long.)
Despite the fancier second bus and our uncertainty about how to signal for a stop, Maeve and I managed to exit at the right place. This is where the true adventure began. We were dropped off at a bus stop that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a busy road without a sidewalk in sight. To avoid an unfortunate accident with the cars hurdling past us, Maeve and I trudged through the wet, tall grass toward our next turn. The next “road” was more like a muddy path barely wide enough for a single car, but we pressed on anyway, half-convinced we were lost and half-convinced we might be flattened by oncoming traffic.
Eventually, we finally arrived at the Hill of Tara. It was very scenic and peaceful, which was exactly what we needed after our stressful trek.
Maeve and I at the Hill of Tara!
After wandering around the grounds for some time, we stopped at a cozy coffee shop nearby for lunch. As we ate, we quickly realized that the bus schedule had changed. The next bus wasn’t coming for nearly an hour. If we waited for this bus, we wouldn’t arrive at Trim Castle before it closed for the day. Panicking and praying for a miracle, we inhaled the rest of our food, hurried down the narrow road, and reached the bus stop. After some time had passed and just as we decided to order a taxi, I saw the bus driving towards us down the street. We were unsure if we would make our next connecting bus. Somehow, after almost boarding the wrong bus, we made it to Trim Castle right before the gates closed.
The castle grounds were beautiful. I’m sad to say that we just missed the last tour group, so we could not go inside the castle itself. However, we enjoyed exploring from the outside. Wanting to bring something back for ourselves and the rest of the House of Brigid crew, we set off to find a small trinket. Unfortunately, every shop in Trim was either too pricey or already closed. Maeve and I couldn’t stop laughing at our terrible luck. After what felt like forever, we found a shop selling small candles, which became our trinkets of choice.
Trim Castle
Finding dinner was somehow just as challenging. Eventually, we landed at Brogans Bar, where the food and Guinness was exactly what we needed after such a long day. We thought our adventure was finally over… but the journey home had other plans. We accidentally boarded the less-than-ideal bus, and the very kind driver seemed genuinely baffled as to why we hadn’t taken the better one that had left just moments earlier. About forty-five minutes into this ride home (and after traveling very quickly down narrow paths that somehow qualified as a two-way street), this poor man tried to catch up to another bus that would take us home before his shift ended. That plan failed, but he stuck with us until he could drop us at the right stop. I felt terrible, but he was incredibly kind about the entire affair. We finally caught our connecting bus and made it home safely, ending the day with a well-earned sweet treat.
Although this adventure didn’t go at all to plan, I am extremely grateful of the memories that Maeve and I made that day. We laughed through every twist and setback, turning what could’ve been a frustrating day into one of my favorite memories so far. Without that conversation at Taizé the night before, we never would’ve had the experience. Life rarely works the way you expect, but sometimes that’s the best part. I’m so incredibly grateful for the adventures, the laughter, and the people I’ve met. I’m looking forward to what awaits us all in the next few weeks!
