2. We drove through a little town called Lisdoonvarna which is famous for its annual matchmaking festival. Yes, I said MATCHMAKING festival! I've heard of peach festivals, music festivals, art festivals, but never a matchmaking festival. This festival goes on for one month in September and appeals to those looking for love. People write to the matchmaker himself prior to this festival, and when September comes, he arranges for two people to meet, that h
e thinks would make a good match. My tour guide jokingly said that a man might say something to a woman like, "I have 20 acres of land; do you want to dance?" We all were quite amazed at such a thing!
3. Typical education for children in Ireland begins around four years old. Children then enter into a "junior" or national school at 8 years of age. They are taught all of the core classes and then leave this school at age 12. Then they move onto secondary school for three years where they then get their junior certificate from an exam that they prepared for in their third year of this secondary school. This secondary school includes classes in english, irish, math, foreign language, and the general history, geography, business, science topics as well. In their fourth year of secondary education the student either prepares to put on a production or leave the country for work experience. The way that college works is quite different than how it works in the United States. There is sort of a point system which determines what subject you are qualified to study. Throughout secondary school, an "A" at an advanced level is worth 100 points, whereas an "A" at an ordinary level is worth 70 points. In order to study medicine at a college or un
iversity, it requires almost all of the advanced levels and a lot of points.
4. On the way to the Cliffs of Moher, our tour guide pointed out a little square of grass in a small town. This square is an acre in size and owned by a man who owns a pub directly across the street from it. Every year he divides this acre in 49 plots, 7 x 7 in size, and he marks it all off. Inside his pub across the street, you can "buy" a plot for one euro. Once all the plots are sold, he then lets a cow into the acre, and the cow just grazes, and grazes away while people are all watching in anticipation for the cow to let out a plop on their little 7 x 7 plot. The money goes to the person who owns the plot with the plop! This happens annually and brings a lot of excitement to the town. And by the way, it is called the Plotto!
5. This is an Irish wolfhound. It gets its name from its purpose, hunting wolfs, rather than
its appearance. It is built like a very muscular greyhound and is extremely strong!
6. We also took a visit to Yeats' tower near Gort, County Galway. William Yeats was an Irish poet and he was an important 20th century literary figure. He wrote his poetry here and lived with his family here for a few years, but once he died and they moved out, it was ruined. Since then, it has been restored to the condition that it was in when he lived there. It is in such a quiet and pleasant location.
7. I kissed the Blarney stone! Blarney castle is one of the most famous castles in Ireland, and many people flock to this treasure of Ireland to kiss the Blarney stone. The legendary Stone of Eloquence is found at the top of the tower, and supposedly if you kiss the stone, you have the gift of the gab. Not only does the castle have a mystical stone, but it also ha s gardens which attract many people. The castle that I saw was the third one erected on that site. This one was built by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster, about 600 years ago.
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