I have just returned from one of my best visits to Ireland since I left it four years ago.
It was an action packed weekend, and I got to see so many people!
It was literally one of those all 'GO GO GO' weekends. I travelled to Glasgow, then flew to Dublin. From Dublin airport I had a horrendously overpriced taxi (34 euro!) to Heuston Station as the airport bus wouldn't get me to by train on time. Literally made the train by the skin of my teeth and nearly 24 hours after I left Aberdeen I arrived in Cork.
At a family wedding in June, my cousins and I decided that we should try and meet up more regularly and that led to the plan of meeting last weekend. In hindsight we forgot to include those who weren't at the wedding but the learnings have been taken for next time! It was so great to see my family. We are such a close bunch despite not seeing each other that much. As a collective, I have never encountered such wit and banter. Literally, the majority of the night was just spent in laughter.
I asked the photographer in the pub to take a photo of all the cousins together. There were a few grumblings... I would even go as far as threats as what would happen if I ever arrived with a photographer again,... but we took what is one of my favourite photos! Also, don't my cousins have amazing cheekbones!
Then on Sunday, I spent the day with my grandmother.
My grandmother is a treasure. She is one of the most pleasant people in the world.
Nothing shocks her, she takes the world in her stride.
I think if I could have half her strength I would be pretty set up for life.
We had a really good catch up, and I got to see all my wee cousins.
Though they aren't so wee anymore!!
The difficult thing about living away is when I first see the kiddos after a while away, and they treat me like a stranger. I guess I am a stranger to the younger ones, but it is always a bit sad. It is also quite difficult to see how much they are growing. It just highlights how long I've been away!!
But the children are beautiful, and so well mannered. I heard all about school, hurling and charades. What more could you want on a Sunday.
Yesterday, I got to meet my lovely cousin Caoimhe and her mum and dad. It was so nice to have a catch up with them, even if it was in passing in the airport.
As always, the time went too quickly and I was unable to meet all those that I would have loved to meet. I don't know when I will make it over to the West again, I reckon I will not stir out of Aberdeenshire until Hogmanay. I have a holiday to America to save for!!!
Thank you everyone for such a great weekend, and I can't wait until we do it again!
That cousins photo is amazing! It's always nice to have pictures like that. My aunt had a baby last year and for the 1st birthday all the first cousins were together for the first time (the 2nd youngest just turned 21! So we never thought we'd have more first cousins on that side), so it was nice to get a picture!
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