Out the plane’s window all I see is a vast land of green, as I have landed in Ireland! Coming here with my mom and ten other students for my senior trip, I am returning to the land of my ancestors who are from Moville, Ireland. Over a period of five days we traveled to Dublin; Killarney; we journeyed into the mountains of the Ring of Kerry; and we explored villages along the way.

In the mountains of the Ring of Kerry, I got to see remains of the ancient village that existed long ago. All that remains is the circular outline of the stones. Consisting of multiple layers of rings, the outer ring was for the military, the next inner ring was for animals, the third for food, and the innermost circle was reserved for people. While up in the mountains, we got to stop and get off the tour bus to take pictures of the gorgeous view. While taking in the view I held an adorable lamb. As we descended the mountain, we witnessed an Irish traffic jam - a roadblock of sheep!

Killarney is covered with beautiful rivers and green pastures, creating picturesque scenes. I loved Dublin- a lively Irish city enriched with shops, the main library, museums, and entertainment. Ata natural museum in Dublin, I viewed ancient remains neatly intact. These bodies, known as the Bog Bodies, are partial human bodies that are remarkably revealing of faces, hair, and the bones of their hands!

My time in Ireland went by too quickly, as we left for our European tour. Leaving Ireland was like I was leaving home. My grandpa’s study of our ancestors from Moville, Ireland drew me towards Ireland. When I was atop the mountain of the Ring of Kerry, I stopped and took in the bonnie green fields and breathed in the smell of the Dingle Bay and realized, “This is where I come from.” I hope to return there one day and visit the town where my ancestors hail from. Until then, I’ll keep my postcards close and my memories closer!