It's Dan once again with another post!
I finally got a little bit of free time to go out into the Irish countryside outside of Ballycastle to enjoy the most beautiful weather and scenery that Northern Ireland has to offer. The director of Corrymeela Ronny, and our now famous guide Derick took us out to a rope bridge on the coast that was once used by fishermen long ago. Today it has become a popular spot for tourists and it is easy to see why. The waters around the bridge were crystal clear reflecting a beautiful green and blue. We took time to take in the view and process much of what we had learned the previous few days.
After the rope bridge the group and I hopped back into the minibus to go look at a castle on the very edge of the Irish coast. Much of it lay intact and it was interesting to see how some of the nobles lived in old Ireland. the castle itself was built in the late 16th century, and still featured high walls, chimney places, as well as stables and a living quarters. We are all still pretty tired from everything we have experienced so by the end of the day I think a full nights rest is well deserved.
I finally got a little bit of free time to go out into the Irish countryside outside of Ballycastle to enjoy the most beautiful weather and scenery that Northern Ireland has to offer. The director of Corrymeela Ronny, and our now famous guide Derick took us out to a rope bridge on the coast that was once used by fishermen long ago. Today it has become a popular spot for tourists and it is easy to see why. The waters around the bridge were crystal clear reflecting a beautiful green and blue. We took time to take in the view and process much of what we had learned the previous few days.
After the rope bridge the group and I hopped back into the minibus to go look at a castle on the very edge of the Irish coast. Much of it lay intact and it was interesting to see how some of the nobles lived in old Ireland. the castle itself was built in the late 16th century, and still featured high walls, chimney places, as well as stables and a living quarters. We are all still pretty tired from everything we have experienced so by the end of the day I think a full nights rest is well deserved.
The rope bridge took us into a new view of land and sea. Here is where Albino and Frances found a special feather and we talked about how to thank Derick for all his generosity, guidance and teaching. This trip would not have been possible without his and Loretto Blackwood's good stewardship and energy. We were able to meet so many of his lifetime colleagues and fellow youth workers and to go into worlds we will never forget because of his relationships. A key lesson for us to remember when we host Irish youth workers next year - relationships, stories, places and people make this experience exception. But the rope bridge teaches us the walk can be very precarious when we move from one place to another - in the process of finding a peaceful and solid landing. mmm
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