From the book itself....

"It was in Warwick Castle that I came across the curious stranger whom I am going to talk about. He attracted me by three things: his candid simplicity, his marvelous familiarity with ancient armor, and the restfulness of his company-- for he did all the talking. We fell together, as modest people will, in the tail of the herd that was being shown through, and he at once began to say things which interested me. As he talked along, softly, pleasantly, flowingly, he seemed to drift away imperceptibly out of this world and time, and into some remote era and old forgotten country; and so he gradually wove such a spell about me that I seemed to move among the specters and shadows and dust and mold of a gray antiquity, holding speech with a relic of it!"

Sunday, March 7, 2010

A quick Update!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to give a quick update of what's been going on since the trip to Cork which now feels like so long ago! Oh how time flies.

Last weekend I spent up in the great northern city of Belfast! Or as I know it, my second home. This time I stayed with the Sharratt family. Pearse Sharratt was the NI teen who I hosted during my Ulster Project in 2004, and then I went to visit him and the family the next summer for two and a half weeks. Needless to say it was great to see them all again! As any strong relationship goes, from the first second I walked back into the house I felt as if it was only yesterday I left.

The first night back Pearse and I went out to a local pool hall, as he is now a professional pool player! Now to me he was still my brother Pearse, so challenges were made and in the end....he destroyed me. But it was great fun still!

The family owns and operates two hair solons, one for men and one for women. On Saturday morning I was given the experience of having my hair washed, conditioned, cut and styled, and it was quite a fun time!

The rest of my time up north was spent hanging with the family, playing and singing music, watching the Ireland v. England rugby game of the Six Nations tournament, and catching up on everyone's lives. My teen from UP 2009 had a party that I went to and we had fun with that as well. The night after the party I got home and Pearse, Aarrin, Alanna and I watched some winter Olympic events and saw the U.S.A. win some golds!


Then I spent most of this past weekend in Dublin and it was a great time. Though Maynooth is only a 25min train ride to the city center, I had not yet spent any time enjoying the city of Dublin outside of its train stations for my journeys to Belfast. Not only was the weather fantastic, but we had a great deal of fun as well.

Ellen, Lindsey and I met up with four girls who are also international students with us at Maynooth and attend St. Norbert College in Wisconsin! After spending the day Saturday with them, we met up with four John Carroll students, all close friends of Ellen and Lindsey, who are studying in London for the semester. The night we spent in Dublin, and most specifically Temple Bar, was fantastic.

Now outside of all the fantastic adventures of travel and exploration in Ireland I am going to class, and they are all going well. One of my literature classes is a focus on medieval Irish literature, thus it focuses on the stories of Cu Chuliann and Fionn Mac Cumhail, and I am really enjoying this one. It certainly is helping me add material and substance to my love of story telling!



Well thats my quick update for now, later in the week I will post up pictures from the recent Dublin adventures, as well as some stories that go along with it.

I want to also acknowledge the great success of this years Ulster Project Family Fun Night that was held last week Friday.
All reports I have heard are nothing but great, which I of corse expect from any UP related event. But nevertheless, congratulations for the great support that was shown to Ulster Project MIlwaukee 2010 and beyond! Love always Wins!


I hope everyone has a wonderful week as I hear spring may finally be breaking through back in the great midwest!
Talk to you all soon!

Cheers!
Patrick
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