No Brellie

When traveling around Ireland you will learn certain things.  One important fact is, it rains.  It may be sunny in the morning, but no matter what, it will rain.  Thus it is easy to tell who is a local due to the umbrella.  Yet when traveling the umbrella is more of a hindrance and can cause you to hit other people instead (I witnessed this a few times).  Some people staying in our hostel were unlucky enough to not have a rain jacket or umbrella, unlucky or just plain dumb.  However this fact that we do not have an umbrella has amused the locals greatly.  Some of our hostel desk workers have asked where ours was and at other times people on the street have asked us where ours was.  One such instance was in Rush.

 

Rush is a tiny little town along the coast of Ireland.  It is a fishing community and has two beautiful beaches.  However when we thought of going to the beach we did not think of one thing, this is Ireland when in rains, it pours.  Thus once at the beach and a light sprinkle of rain had begun, we hoped that it would soon be done.  Of course we were wrong, and in order to get out of the rain we either had to go back the way we came (2 miles to the train station) or find a café.  We chose option number 2 and were in desperate need of another local to point us in the right direction.  So as we walk around in yet another torrential down pour we see a lady walking her dog, with an umbrella.  Therefore we flag her down and immediately ask how to get to the nearest café.  She gives us the information and smiles asking, “No brellie?”  What the heck is a brellie? Then we remember umbrella?  Oh the Irish. 

 

However I am both sad and happy to state that I am no longer in Ireland.  We went to Dublin two days ago from Cork and spent our last day in the town, out on the coast in Rush.  Ireland has been wonderful.  You quickly realize that even though they speak English, it really is not the same English is you and that they are very helpful people.  But now it is off to Finland, and while I sit awake, guarding our luggage, I write to say goodbye to Ireland and hello to our next leg of this lovely adventure!!

~DH