Spoiler alert!!!
I did it. I kissed the Blarney Stone! My fellow Cork YAPers laughed when I said I intended on going to the Blarney Stone, because it's a total tourist trap and only Americans go there. Rumour has it that the tradition is for boys graduating high school urinate on the stone as a joke on Americans. I initially wasn't going to kiss it, but I figured it was a cliché for a reason, and who knows when I'll be back. So, I kissed the Blarney Stone.
But, the real reason I was in Cork this week was to see another YAP Ireland programme. The Cork programme is pretty new, only about two years old. They hired their second full-time staff member literally weeks before I came to Ireland. It was interesting to experience the differences between the Cork office and the Dublin office, one of which is not how nice the staff are. They were so so so nice and helpful! But, on to the programmes...Cork is a much smaller programme (which is probably obvious considering I've just told you they only recently hired their second full-time staff person). I was able to go on an outing with a young person and their advocate, and I went to a golf range for the first time ever! But, more importantly, I was able to experience firsthand the relationship between a young person and his or her advocate and just how much support is there for the young person. It was really cool (for me, at least). I attended a staff meeting, but only two advocates were able to come as most were very sick. I also was able to check out a residential facility, which, while not being representative of all residential facilities, was very depressing. I think it used to be a psychiatric ward, and it was kind of rundown and strikingly bare. Again, while not being representative of all residential facilities in Ireland, I would hate to have to send my child there. Although, the staff members I spoke with did seem to genuinely care about the young people in the facility (I feel bad judging a place I only spent a short amount of time in, but that's my honest opinion).
One question I was asked a couple of times while in Cork was about differences between YAP Ireland and YAP Inc. (the mother organization). I said that I think the issues young people in Ireland face are pretty much the same ones being faced by the young people in the U.S. I also said that, it didn't matter which YAP office I was in, whether it be Philly, New Brunswick, Dublin, Meath, or Cork, the energy in each office was the same. The people who work for YAP truly believe in its mission and its model, and the belief is palpable in every office I've visited and with every YAP person I've met. I think it's pretty cool that there's a truly international belief in YAP's model that is consistent across nations and cultures. This past November I was able to speak with Tom Jeffers, the founder of YAP, and I asked him what it felt like to see his organisation grow from this tiny idea to having an international presence. He told me that he always wanted his idea to grow, because even if an office closed, the idea could never be killed. It's been really interesting/cool/neat/(other awesome adjectives) for me to see how his idea of keeping kids out of institutions and connected to their communities is supported and spreading worldwide.
I spent an extra day in Cork to do some travelling. I was able to get to Blarney and Kinsale on Saturday. To me, Kinsale was absolutely breathtaking, picturesque, and what I think of when I think of Ireland. It also is the gourmet capital of Ireland, so my stomach was happy! I found two really cool shops. One was a silversmith called Kinsale silver. I was just on the way to walk up to Charles Fort, saw the shop's sign, and remembered my dear friend Kate asked me to get her a real Irish claddagh ring. I ended up getting her ring, my mom a necklace, and myself a ring engrained with "grá" in Ogham, which means "love" in Irish. I asked the shop owner how he became involved in creating jewelry and silversmithing, and he said it was his family business. Once I got home and did some googling I found out his family has been the silversmiths for Kinsale for the past 300 years! It makes the pieces I got for Kate, my mom, and myself somewhat more special knowing they come from such an iconic shop that has its roots in the town for centuries.
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| Blarney Castle |
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| View from the Castle |
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| Walking the grounds of Blarney Castle |
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| Views in Kinsale |
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| Views in Kinsale |
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| View of Kinsale |
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| Inside Charles Fort |
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| Inside Charles Fort |
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| View from Charles Fort |
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| Read from the bottom up. "Grá" |
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Information about Ogham (have fun trying to read that...sorry!)
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The other shop I found and loved was an artisan chocolate shop. The owner makes the chocolate in the shop, and he talked to me about the different flavours he creates. I ended up also buying some chocolate from him, because as a social worker I support local shops (and maybe I just really love chocolate). A breast cancer walk is happening soon there, and here's what he created for that
The main touristy thing I did in Kinsale was Charles Fort. Kinsale is the most southern harbour between Ireland and the rest of Europe, and back in the day when enemy ships would come, they would (in the words of a Corkonian) "bomb the shit out of 'em from Charles Fort." The walk to the fort (Scilly Walk) was the most breathtaking walk I have ever taken, and the fort itself is cool as well. If you're going to Ireland, I'd definitely make Kinsale a stop on your trip.
Here is a picture of Casey with her cousin Sandy!
On a total side note, I also went to see Once the Musical tonight. If you know me, you know I am 1) A HUGE musical theatre geek and 2) Once is my favourite musical. So, imagine how elated I was to find out Once the Musical was playing IN DUBLIN. It was FANTASTIC, and the magic of seeing a show so based in Dublin culture, streets away from where the movie was filmed, surrounded by Irish people, along with the magic the cast (especially the leads) created was certainly not lost on me. It proved to me that, even though the story is so simple, it's such a beautiful story that no matter who portrays it, you are moved. I wish my friend Jackie was with me, because she's my Once (and theatre) P.I.C. and I know she would have loved the experience just as much as me. So, that's my advert for Once. Sorry, I wouldn't be me if I didn't geek out over it :)
