A Trip to Howth 

by Lindsay Patrick and Nicole Stukas

July 14, 2011

 

On our last day in Dublin, to wrap up our stay in Ireland, we went to Howth, which is located on the northern tip of Dublin Bay.  The weather was warm and sunny; just the kind of weather we needed for the day we had ahead of us.  After taking the DART to Howth, we hiked through the town to the summit overlooking the bay.  Once we arrived to the top we ate lunch together while enjoying the beautiful view.  We had class up there all afternoon with the sea as our backdrop, which everyone found to be a great environment for learning.  In groups, we performed sections of Act 4 in Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars.  These dramatizations were presented at the top of the cliffs, which was very enjoyable for the class.

 

We all got to see the different takes on the act and let our creativity shine. Acting out The Plough and the Stars really gave students a better understanding of character development and the themes within the play. We also had the pleasure of seeing the voices presentations of the day from Matt, who told us all about King Henry VIII and his six wives, Chloe who taught us everything we needed to know about Shakespeare, and lastly Victoria who showed us how the druids lived through a game of broken telephone.  After class was over we all went on a breathtaking hike down the cliffs right off the Irish coast. Everyone enjoyed spending quality time with each other and Howth was a fantastic way to spend our last day in Ireland together. After we took the train back to Dublin where it was time for us to get packed and ready for London!

Guinness by Robert Cole and Aidan Williams

July 13, 2011

This afternoon, we visited the Guinness brewery and learned the secrets behind the world famous taste of Guinness.

Upon our arrival we saw the original lease to the first Guinness factory signed by Arthur Guinness himself. We learned about the 3 ingredients that contribute to making the beer. We also learned the interesting facts behind the top secret strain of yeast that is kept in a vault in case of emergency to continue the distinct taste of Guinness.

At the factory, they were giving the opportunity to learn the trick behind pouring the perfect pint. They had a fascinating exhibit on the ways to build a traditional wooden keg.  We made our way up to the Guinness Sky Bar, which was very interesting, as it was the first skyscraper in Dublin. They gave out free sodas while we were there and had the perfect view of Dublin.

Also, we all learned the background of how this Guinness started from nothing and turned into the famous and popular beer that it is today. The trip was like going through the Wonka Factory of beer. Now when we are of drinking age we can think about all the hard work that goes into to making the Guinness and enjoy it.

Overall, we all had a great time and enjoyed the experience, and in the end all purchased a bit of merchandise in ‘The Store House’.

Dublin Castle and Guinness Brewery

by Alyson Schwitchtenberg and Lauren Boyd

July 13, 2011

We began the day by taking the bus to the beautiful and historic Dublin Castle, where we split up into three groups for a forty-five minute tour. The interior has been completely restored and is even more breathtaking than the exterior.

In addition to the spectacular rooms, we learned a lot about the history of Ireland during our tour. For example, apparently the city’s name, Dublin, translates into black pool.  One fact that many of the girls were especially happy to hear was that Ireland is coming up on 21 consecutive years of having a woman as president, the longest run in world history. We also learned about the colours on the Irish flag and what they stand for. According to our tour guide the green represents nationalism (those for a free Ireland), the orange is for unionism (those loyal to Britain) and the white in the middle is for peace between the two parties. Our morning was very historical and great fun!

After the castle we went for lunch to a place famous for making the best fish and chips in Dublin. In the restaurant was a list of all the famous people who have eaten there, including Sandra Bullock, U2, and the cast of PS I Love You. Though neither of us ate the fish and chips, everyone who did said it was delicious and there was definitely no shortage of food, as the portions were huge.

Following a short reading break, we arrived at the Guinness brewery. Once we entered the seven story building, we were taken into a huge area where they described the brewing process. Each floor demonstrated a different step in the manufacturing of Guinness. Once the tour was over, we were taken to the Gravity Bar, where we were treated to free soft drinks. We got some amazing pictures from the seventh story bar, because the walls were floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking onto Dublin.

Finally, we went to the gift shop, where everyone spent all their cash buying souvenirs! Though it was a long day, there were no complaints and we all cannot wait to come back when we are eighteen.