Today was by far my favorite day of the trip. While I have loved every minute of the trip so far, there is truly something magical about rural Ireland. Today we went on a two hour bus tour, stopping in Kilkenny and then we headed to the gorgeous Wicklow mountains to visit a working sheep farm! It was so cool to see how different people’s livelihoods and family histories were merely an hour outside of the city. In a way it reminded me of Lancaster, PA, which is about an hour and a half away from where I live near Philly. People in Philly live fast-paced city lives with white collar jobs, while many folks in Lancaster make their living by farming crops and livestock. I will say that Wicklow was more beautiful than Lancaster (no offense to my wonderful grandparents who live there) due to its endless views and wonderful nature.

I would say that so far in Ireland, in both Dublin and the country I have experienced nothing but a welcoming spirit from the locals. There obviously are some differences in the perception of foreigners depending on whether or not you are in the city or country, however I think that with the amount of tourism and international travelers, as well as the kindness we have experienced from everyone here, there is not much difference in how we have been perceived between Dublin and rural Ireland.

I admire people such as Mr. Richard Collins, the owner and operator of the sheep farm, who choose to live their lives away from the noise and rush of the city. Mr. Collins let us see a piece of what his life is, and how his family has made their livelihoods over the past four generations, even pointing out his brother’s neighboring sheep farm across the valley. Mr. Collins has a true entrepreneurial mindset. He has embraced Ireland’s booming tourism culture and opened up his farm to sheep dog demonstrations for tourists, as well as many more incredible parts of his working farm. By maintaining his family’s legacy on the farm while also making it his own and capitalizing off of tourism, Mr. Collins has demonstrated that you do not need to be a young professional in the city to make a successful career for yourself. I would even argue that Mr. Collins is happier than many people who live their lives so attached to the business world; I know I wouldn’t be too upset about living on acres of beautiful country land.

The tourism industry in Ireland has been extremely visible since we arrived, and perhaps I have been more keen to noticing it because I am foreign, however I do not think there were many stark differences between the tourist attractions in Dublin and the Irish country. There was so much to do in Kilkenny, including a beautiful castle tour, not dissimilar from the architecture and general vibe of Christ Church in the heart of Dublin. I think that in a country with such a growing tourism industry, there is no better choice for locals of both the city and the country to capitalize off of it.

I had an absolutely incredible day, but I am definitely looking forward to some rest on our free day tomorrow. I also can’t wait for our second outing out of Dublin on Monday to the Cliffs of Moher! See you soon, friends!

(PS, I think that holding a baby lamb had to have been one of the top 3 greatest moments of my life).