This past weekend I participated in a home stay, which means I went to stay with an Irish family and explore their hometown for a few days.  I spent my time in Ballintubber, County Mayo, which is just a ten minute drive from Castlebar, the biggest city in the whole county.  My friend Kaity and I spent the weekend with the Murphy family.  On Saturday we explored Castlebar with our friends Mary and Bridget, and then on Sunday we visited Ballintubber Abbey, which was conveniently located just across the road from the Murphy’s house.

Visiting the abbey was my favorite part of the whole weekend, though admittedly the drive to Castlebar from Galway was scenic and beautiful.  Driving through Ireland is something I could always do – it gives me time to take in the beauty of the country and really think without interruption.  Watching the sun descend on the fields and houses was one of the most beautiful views I’ve seen so far.  Writers, beware… Ireland will inspire all sorts of literary and romanticized thoughts.  No wonder this amazing country has produced so many successful authors.

Before we explored Ballintubber Abbey on Sunday, Kaity and I went on a walk to explore local Ballintubber.  We walked down past the school and around the training pitch, admiring the quaint houses and small town atmosphere.  On the way we made friends with some ponies who live right near the pitch.

Ponies in a field, Ballintuber, Co. Mayo

When we returned to the Murphy’s home, Mrs. Murphy and her daughter, Katelyn, took us to Ballintubber Abbey, which has been offering Mass without break for 800 years.  It was founded in 1216 by Cathal Crovderg O’Connor, the king of Connaught (one of the four provinces of Ireland).  The beauty of the abbey took my breath away… the old grave markers, the hazy grey day, the sheep in a field near the abbey, and the looming presence of the ruins made for a memorable experience.  We walked around the grounds and admired the amazing history that surrounded us, both inside the abbey and out.

Celtic cross cemetery marker in front of Ballintubber Abbey

I enjoyed exploring Mayo, but I was eager to get back home to Galway during my stay in Castlebar.  It’s amazing that I’ve only lived in Galway for three weeks and yet I miss it when I’m away.  Every time I go into Galway’s city centre, I fall in love over and over again.  I’ve been feeling really attached to the city lately, and I know at this point that saying goodbye will be very difficult.  But until then, I have a lot more adventuring to do, so I’ll save sad thoughts of departure for another day!

Until my next post,

Maddison

Location: Ballintubber, Co. Mayo, Ireland