Legendary and "Legend-derry"

Returning to Ireland last week was like coming home, to our second home. Both MB and I have grown to love the Irish people for their lack of pretension, sense of humour, and appreciation of a good pint. Well, I love the pint part. MB continues to order red wine even though she is the only person in the pub not drinking beer or whiskey.

I was especially excited for this jaunt around the Emerald Isle because we had rented a car. Not only could we travel on our own schedule, but I would get the chance to try driving on the "wrong" side of the road. We planned our tour so that we basically drove around the circumference of Ireland over the course of a week - from Dublin to Waterford in the southeast, to Cork in the southwest, up the west coast to Westport, Donegal and Derry and then back to Dublin. It was an amazing trip and the perfect farewell - for now, anyway.

Ireland will always be legendary for us: not only its history, but also the very special memories we've had there over the past six months. On our visit to Derry, our tour guide explained that due to its rocky past, the safest name for the city is "Legend-derry". Its always been known as Derry to the Irish, but since the British insisted on renaming it Londonderry, now its name is unclear. Even maps refer to it as Londonderry/Derry. 

From legends to Legend-derry, here goes our last week in the land of the leprechauns...

MB at the Newfoundland plaque in Ireland.  This plaque was the reason we ventured into Waterford and we're so glad we did, it's a lovely town.

View of Blarney Castle.  Ireland itself is magical and Blarney Castle and it's grounds is the most magical place we found.  It includes a poison garden, wishing steps, witches kitchen, and the badgers cave - not to mention the Blarney Stone, which when kissed grants you the "gift of gab".  

Looking down from the top of Blarney Castle

I was head over heels excited to kiss the Blarney Stone.

MB hoped that kissing the stone would cure her lingering childhood stuttering.

View of Peace Bridge and the Guildhall in Derry, Northern Ireland

Inside the Guildhall - MB found this window to be particularly significant.  Can you see why?  Sorry, you have to look close.

Hopefully the significance of this window is a little easier to see.

Entering Free Derry sign has been updated to memorialize tragic events in Palestine and Ferguson, Missouri.

Ireland has a violent history and it's only recently that peace has been found.  The Bogside of Derry is where the infamous Bloody Sunday massacre took place in 1972.  The Irish have differing opinions on when the healing between Britain/Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland and Prostant/Catholic took place.  Some say it was when the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998, while others would say it was when the Queen finally visited the Republic of Ireland in 2012 (it was the first time the a member of the British monarch had visited the republic since 1911).  Others would argue there's still a long way to go.  Similar to what we found at the East Side Gallery at the Berlin Wall, here are how some artists try to make sense of the tragic past and hope for a peaceful future: