Lahinch, County Clare Ireland 2/23-2/25
I had the opportunity to go surfing with the DIT Surf Team to the west coast of Ireland, County Clare in a very small town, Lahinch. It was a four hour bus ride and we left on Friday evening. (Side note due to some unknown reason almost all of our classes for the past week were cancelled so we had a week to run around and do nothing).
When we arrived at the Lahinch Surf Hostel it was late and dark but we were all so excited to be by the sea we decided to walk around the town. Go left and you hit the sea, go right and you are on the main street of Lahinch. We went into the one pub in the town Kenny's on the main street, where they had license plates from around the world nailed to the walls. After we left the pub we sat by the sea in the dark on the huge rocks only able to see the first couple waves that were crashing, we sat there for a long time chatting with some of the irish students that were on the surf team enjoying hearing the waves.
The next morning we went outside and found the most beautiful cove I have ever seen. Where we had been the night before sitting on the rocks was a huge cove that opened up to the sea with colorful little houses lining the coast to the right and green cliffs to the left. We walked along the sea for along time with the other students and then around half 2 (2:30) we went to surf!!!!!! Wet suits were needed as the water was 45°/ 7° so we put on wetsuits, gloves, boots and hood. Pretty sure I looked ridiculous but I was warm despite the freezing water. After a five minute crash course on how to lay on a surfboard and being told to stick together we were sent into the surf. I swallowed a stupid amount of water after falling off the surfboard for the next couple of hours, I did manage to get up on my knees a few times though. That night we hung out in the hostel, got to know everyone else on the surf trip better and the managers of the hostel (who were all from Australia and were super cool). To end the night we went to the one nightclub in the whole town The Claremont where we as the surf team of 40 people made up the entire population of the night club.
The next day we woke up and went walking (Madalyn, Myself, Sophia and Anika) along the other way to the cliffs of Lahinch and it was breathtaking. We stood on the cliffs watching surfers in the water enjoying the early morning sun on the water. When we all went surfing at half 2 again the sun was out and I was warm in my wetsuit. I managed to get up on my knees again, and then once with one foot and once with my feet but kept falling off. Walking off the beach that day it was like I was dreaming or was in a movie. The sun was shining down on us, the waves had claimed, my hair was down, full of sea water and I had just had my first chance to surf ever, in Ireland. We watched the sun set over the sea before we left and I am still smiling thinking about it - I wish you could have seen it.
On the bus ride home I tried a biscuit and it is now my favorite Irish biscuit to date. A Mikado - pink coconut and jelly on top of a plain biscuit!
I had the opportunity to go surfing with the DIT Surf Team to the west coast of Ireland, County Clare in a very small town, Lahinch. It was a four hour bus ride and we left on Friday evening. (Side note due to some unknown reason almost all of our classes for the past week were cancelled so we had a week to run around and do nothing).
When we arrived at the Lahinch Surf Hostel it was late and dark but we were all so excited to be by the sea we decided to walk around the town. Go left and you hit the sea, go right and you are on the main street of Lahinch. We went into the one pub in the town Kenny's on the main street, where they had license plates from around the world nailed to the walls. After we left the pub we sat by the sea in the dark on the huge rocks only able to see the first couple waves that were crashing, we sat there for a long time chatting with some of the irish students that were on the surf team enjoying hearing the waves.
The next morning we went outside and found the most beautiful cove I have ever seen. Where we had been the night before sitting on the rocks was a huge cove that opened up to the sea with colorful little houses lining the coast to the right and green cliffs to the left. We walked along the sea for along time with the other students and then around half 2 (2:30) we went to surf!!!!!! Wet suits were needed as the water was 45°/ 7° so we put on wetsuits, gloves, boots and hood. Pretty sure I looked ridiculous but I was warm despite the freezing water. After a five minute crash course on how to lay on a surfboard and being told to stick together we were sent into the surf. I swallowed a stupid amount of water after falling off the surfboard for the next couple of hours, I did manage to get up on my knees a few times though. That night we hung out in the hostel, got to know everyone else on the surf trip better and the managers of the hostel (who were all from Australia and were super cool). To end the night we went to the one nightclub in the whole town The Claremont where we as the surf team of 40 people made up the entire population of the night club.
The next day we woke up and went walking (Madalyn, Myself, Sophia and Anika) along the other way to the cliffs of Lahinch and it was breathtaking. We stood on the cliffs watching surfers in the water enjoying the early morning sun on the water. When we all went surfing at half 2 again the sun was out and I was warm in my wetsuit. I managed to get up on my knees again, and then once with one foot and once with my feet but kept falling off. Walking off the beach that day it was like I was dreaming or was in a movie. The sun was shining down on us, the waves had claimed, my hair was down, full of sea water and I had just had my first chance to surf ever, in Ireland. We watched the sun set over the sea before we left and I am still smiling thinking about it - I wish you could have seen it.
On the bus ride home I tried a biscuit and it is now my favorite Irish biscuit to date. A Mikado - pink coconut and jelly on top of a plain biscuit!