Aran Islands and Dublin

     While studying in Ireland my classmates and I get to take some field trips around Ireland. The past two weeks I was able to see the Aran Island and Dublin the capital city of Ireland. First I'll talk a little bit about the Aran Islands.

Monastery

The Aran Island consists of three islands, we unfortunately only got to visit one it is named Inishmore the largest of the three. Inishmore is only nine miles long so it isn't a very big island. It was also very cold on the Aran Island, we were suppose to take a bike tour, but had to take a bus tour instead. On the tour we got to see what used to be a big monastery, but there was not much left of it. Around the monastery was also a very old cemetery. The other huge attraction we got the pleasure of seeing was an old fort called Dun Aengus, which is at the edge of a 330 foot cliff. Even being near the cliff was such a rush. At this fort I laid on the ground, and peered over the edge how the ocean beat against this cliff. It sounded like thunder every time a wave hit the cliff and felt like it got louder with each crashing wave. It was honestly breath taking to see not only the fort, but the natural cliffs.

Cliffs near Dun Aengus

        After being on the Aran Islands, we went back to our cottages for a day before heading off on our next adventure in the capital city of Dublin. While in Dublin I so many things that I could write about it for days, but the one thing that really stuck with me the most of visiting Kilmainham Gaol musuem. Kilmainham Gaol was an old Irish prison, it was a different type of prison than anyone had encountered before. It was about separation and silence. All prisons before had just put everyone into one room and didn't really care about reforming anyone. This prison was suppose to be better with single occupancy rooms. 

Seeing the room through an eye hole

Executed after the Easter Risings

While in Operation Kilmainham housed many people, but it also housed a lot of Irish revolutionaries over its span of 128 years. Most notably the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. After surrendering during the Easter Rising, many were bought here and executed shortly there after. After each person was executed they were taken and thrown into a giant pit to rot. This is seen as a major downfall for England's rule of Ireland, because it outraged the common people. While being in this place for the short amount of time I was I could honestly feel the history.

One last thing during the Tuesday and Wednesday Jessica and I walked almost 25 complete miles. Until next time guys!