Our language trip to the green island
On Monday, September 16th, we started our trip to Dublin. Unfortunately, our train to the airport was cancelled due to the flooding. Therefore, we quickly needed an alternative, so our only option was to go with our parents. The flight didn’t go as planned either because we were delayed a lot due to bad weather. After the long and incredibly exhausting journey, we arrived at our meeting point in Raheny. Our host families, who were already waiting for us, took us to our new home for the next two weeks and we spent the whole evening getting to know our host family and exploring the area.
The following day, we had an exciting day filled with new experiences. In the morning, we participated in a city tour, which allowed us to explore some of the most famous landmarks and attractions. One of the highlights of the tour was visiting the iconic Molly Malone statue, a symbol of Dublin’s rich history. We learned about the famous ballad associated with her and how she represents the spirit of the city. That day we attended afternoon classes, where we had the opportunity to improve our English skills and learn about Irish culture.
On Wednesday, we started the day with a morning session at the language school. In the afternoon, we had a special experience: a pub singalong in a traditional Irish pub. It was an amazing opportunity to immerse ourselves in Irish culture. The Irish musicians encouraged us to sing classic Irish songs like “The Wild Rover” and “Molly Malone ” and everyone joined in with great enthusiasm. The atmosphere was lively, making it unforgettable.
Later that week, Thursday afternoon, we went to the castle in Dalkey by train. At the castle we met a barber, an archer and a cook. Each one of them gave us insight into the history of the castle. We even were allowed to make our own coins.
On Friday, we had the chance to discover Ireland’s dark history of emigration at the EPIC Museum. We got an idea of famous people who emigrated from Ireland such as famous artists, sportsmen, musicians and a lot of other historical figures. During our afternoon classes, we had to interview strangers, which was a pleasant change from our regular lessons.
On the weekend, we had the chance to explore the natural beauty of Ireland. We took a trip to Glendalough, the Valley of the Two Lakes. Located in the Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough is famous for its 6th century monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin. After we had explored the ruins of the old monastery, we started our hike. As we followed one of the more demanding routes, the majority of the students decided to enjoy their evening at home. On Sunday, we took the train to Howth, a picturesque fishing village. There we started our cliff walk. We followed the winding path along the cliffs, where we had stunning views of the Irish Sea. After the cliff walk, we headed back into the village where most students enjoyed the classic seaside meal: fish and chips.
To start the second week, we did a boat tour on the River Liffey. During the river cruise, we explored the historical sights and landmarks along the river Liffey. A tour guide offered us Dublin‘s folklore and the history. Additionally, we had the opportunity to discover Dublin’s modern architecture before we passed by the Jeanie Johnston Museum, which we visited the following day. The next day, we had a one-hour tour aboard the Jeanie Johnston ship. We learned about its fascinating history and could observe the replica, both inside and outside.
Unfortunately, the weather changed on Wednesday and it was pouring all day. Some of us decided to explore the city, while others stayed at home to relax. In the evening, we met at the Liffey Trust Center to take part in an Irish dance party. There we were taught Irish dances and sang Irish songs.
After our last breakfast with our host families, we took the Dart to Dublin’s city center, and headed to school. There we had our last lesson with our teachers and played some fun games with them. After our lunch break, we took the bus to drive to a hurling games club. There we were told the history of hurling and Gaelic football in Ireland. Despite the rain, we had the chance to try the game ourselves, which was a fun and unique experience.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our language trip to Ireland and we all agree that Dublin is truly worth visiting!
students of 7th grade
