Wasn’t a very long day today so Mai and I got up early and went shopping.
The bus left at ten so we had plenty of time.

Examples of the Ring (two photos)-- What the design represents

How the Ring is worn--- History and manufacture

We both wanted a Claddagh ring.
We went to three jewellery shops before I found one that fitted my fingers as they are meant to be worn on your little finger and mine are little.
Anyway Mai didn’t find one she liked so I was the only one who brought but I was happy with my purchase.

A few details and brief history (postcard from Tanya)

(two photos)---In the museum---(two photos)

The side of a Cross

We got on the bus and headed to Clonmacnoise which is where the best preserved Celtic crosses in Ireland are.
They were very big and very beautiful.
They had been moved inside a museum.

Replicas in the grounds (two photos)

Tanya in the Monastery grounds

They have replicas in the Monastery grounds but they still looked lovely.

Then it was back in the bus for the drive to lunch at the Hiney Pub.

We had to drive through the Bog of Allen.
It was massive.
It is where they get all their fuel for the winter.

Joey had this song that we had to sing about bog, a hole, a tree, a branch, a twig, a leaf, a nest, a bird, an egg, a chick, a wing and a bug.
It all had actions that we had to do as well.
I was slightly concerned about the fact that Joey was doing this and driving but we were all (except the American girl) laughing too hard to worry about it.
We were all exhausted by the end of it.

Lunch at the pub was great - steak and guiness pie with fresh bread and butter - so good.

We went for a bit of a walk around the town.
I went into a little shop and bought an icecream.
I was talking to the guy that served me and he said “Are you Australian by any chance”.
I said that I was.
He picked up the paper and said “Look one of your girls is a princess. She was just a commoner and now look”.
It was quite funny and he was very excited.
I said “Yep, that’s Mary from Tassie. She’s a top chick!”
Anyway he thought it was quite funny.

On the way to the hostel--- A "famous person's" Hotel!!!

Customs House By day and by night

"Royal Doorway" (two photos)

After that we headed back to Dublin.
It was a nice drive back through the greenery.

Joey took us into Phoenix Park which is the largest enclosed urban park in the world.
Hyde Park here in London would fit into it five times!
It was huge and we saw deer and rabbits and there is a zoo there and two cricket fields and five soccer fields.
The place was packed and Joey said that it was a nice place to go and relax and look upon heaven.
It turns out that you can see the Guiness Brewery from the park and that is what Joey meant by heaven!

It was then back to check in at the hostel and say good bye to everyone.

The seven Aussies were all staying on at the hostel again so we checked in and arranged to go for a drink.
We ran in to the group of American girls outside and Joey as well.
Joey came and met us for a drink and the American girls came too.

We watched the Eurovision song contest.
It was really only me, Mai and Brett that took much notice but we did pick the winner!
It is really hilarious and it was being held in Turkey so they kept showing shots from around Istanbul and the country side and it was quite funny to think that I had been to a lot of those places!

An introduction to Dublin's cultural centre

After the pub shut we headed into the Temple Bar area which is the party place.
There were people spilling out of the clubs into the streets and it was so hot in the bars that we all walked straight out of the first one we went into and decided to go back to the hostel.

We all went into the TV room and put a movie on but my eyes were drooping badly so once again the girls went to bed and left the boys to play!