As I look back on the events of Tuesday, the 9th, I am so proud of the students. We had a jam packed day, from start to finish, and they all responded so well.
After breakfast, the kids had two classes in the morning. At 10:30, we loaded the bus to head into town for the Guinness Factory tour. This tour is self guided and interactive. The kids were pleasantly surprised at how much fun they had just walking through the different levels. They especially liked the restaurant level, where many of them enjoyed artisan deserts and sandwiches. This year, we have two 18 year old students, which is the legal drinking age in Ireland. With parental consent, they got to partake in a special activity of pouring and drinking their own draft Guinness. It was adorable to watch their excitement.
After the tour, we had a quick packed lunch and re-ascended the bus for the Croke Park tour. This was the tour that we had to re-schedule, leaving us no room for rest. It was about two hours long, and a really fun tour. We were taken into the player’s quarters, locker rooms, practice facilities, and see all the locations the behind the scene activities take place.
As soon as the tour was over, we rushed back to King’s Hospital for a lasagna dinner. As soon as dinner concluded, Casey, myself, and all of the students got dolled up to watch Riverdance at the Gaeity Theatre. This gorgeous venue has given entertainment to the people of Dublin for 146 years and counting. The kids were awestruck by the performance of the dancers, and couldn’t believe how fast the dancer’s feet could move.
The show was over by 9:30 and we arrived back at King’s Hospital by 10:00 PM. Exhausted but incredibly happy, the kids went to bed early so they could be rested for our early morning the next day.
