This post is a bit delayed as UCD is currently on spring break and I’ve been taking the time to travel to both Italy and France! That’s a post for a different time though. Today’s blog is going to be about the joy it was to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. I chose to study abroad in Dublin because of the amazing city, the 1/8 Irish in me, and because UCD has a great English program (i.e. what I’m majoring in). But a bonus for studying abroad in the spring was that I would be in the homeland for St. Paddy’s Day! Before we even left for the semester, my friends and I had planned to meet in Dublin on March 17 to celebrate. Coming from Holy Cross, so many of us have Irish heritage and what better way to pay homage, since we couldn’t be on The Hill, than by being in the Emerald Isle itself?
Soon enough, March 17 was coming up quickly and we were set to have visitors for the big day! I can’t believe how lucky I was to have my best friends join me. I would have to say it’s the luck of the Irish indeed. We had people visiting from Oxford, Florence, Paris and Barcelona! It’s sadly a little bit true that the U.S. has Americanized St. Patrick’s Day so the city was overrun with Americans and other study abroad students. It was the most crowded I have ever seen Dublin. Regardless, it was such a unique experience to see people from all over the world coming to The Island to celebrate.
The roads closed up pretty early for the parade so we had to make sure we got into the city in the a.m. We got all decked out in green with shamrocks painted onto our faces and burrowed our way through the crowds, packing onto the sidewalk to watch the parade. What an incredible thing to say I’ve done. When the parade ended, swarms of people made their way to the pubs where we spent the rest of the day. Listening to live Irish music, chatting with friends, meeting new people and overall just celebrating. The Irish know how to have a good time for sure. Sláinte sláinte sláinte!
