Kilkenny to Galway








Kilkenny to Galway


I woke early and enjoyed a lovely Irish breakfast in this beautiful and gracious hotel. Then I was off to enjoy a morning stroll in the heart of the city.

I enjoyed the Medieval Museum that was created in the ancient church that Sir William had built for his family around the year 1100. The museum led me through the years and all the things that happened in Kilkenny. I wonder how far back my family knew about this church and this city. I only have their history back to the early 1800’s. 

After the museum I collected my things from the hotel and walked to the Famine Workhouse which is located in a mall. The mall was built around the old workhouse yard where the occupants came to exercise. It was built in 1842 during the potato famine. Men, women and children came here who were starving. They were all separated into groups of men, women and children. They could not see or be with each other. The conditions were deplorable. Only starving people would come here.   When starting to build this new mall in 2005 they found an unmarked grave of almost 1000 people. More than 500 of the bodies were children. 

As I understand it my family came to the States during the second potato blight in the 1890’s. I wonder, what was it like for them in the first one? How bad was it for them to leave their family and country to come to the States? And as I sit here in the mall, I give thanks for the resilience of the human spirit and for everyday life today in this historic city. It has seen great wealth and great poverty. 

After leaving the mall I walked to the train station. The train was crowded. These are commuter trains between towns and cities. A black man from Africa with his four year old daughter invites me to sit with them. His name is Peter. He puts his daughter on his lap.  He tells me in his country younger people always give their seats to elders and he is dismayed with the young people around us who are seated. He has lived in Ireland since 2018 having to leave his country because of the government and the dangers living there.   His accent is thick and I have a hard time understanding him. I have to ask him to repeat often. He worries about me traveling alone. He gives me his number in case I need any help along the way. I wish now I had taken his picture. This encounter reminds me of all the changes that can take place in a country. My family leaves because of the dangers here and more than a 100 years later his family comes because of the dangers in his country. 

After four hours on the train I arrived in Galway on the West coast. I am staying in a lovely new hotel that overlooks the bay. It lacks the old city charm and history but is a delightful refuge. My how life can change over time. 

The theme for this day seems to be from challenge to rest; from hope to new life is powerful.

Prayer
May life give us enough challenge to strengthen us and to help us always appreciate what we have. May our hearts always be open to reaching out to others in need. I give thanks for Peter this day and the many kindnesses I have been offered since arriving here in Ireland. 

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