Happy Saturday! We ventured outside Dublin today to visit Kilkenny, Wicklow, and a sheep farm! Although I knew Dublin is a growing city with a large tech and business presence, for some reason I had a more rural idea of the town in mind prior to this trip; I was really excited to see this side of Ireland! We started in Kilkenny, where we popped by a cafe and did some quick shopping. We climbed St. Cancine’s Round Tour and were met with a breathtaking view, which I attached below! When we visited Wicklow, I felt like I walked into a storybook. We were able to relax by the lake, and soak in the beauty around us. We spent about two hours in Wicklow, but I could have sat by the water and watched the sheep and cars in the distance, and the rippling reflection of the blue sky in the lake, the whole day. Our last stop was a sheep farm! We got to watch herding dogs corral ewes, see the lambs up close, and learn about sheep farming in rural Ireland. I was pleased to see the slower-paced lifestyle of the countryside.

Entrepreneurship has been a big theme this trip, and I think we got to see a little bit of that today. While on our excursion, we definitely saw a large portion of farming. While we saw livestock, I would imagine dairy, meat, and other products that come from farming create large industries outside of Dublin. As I mentioned, we got to visit a sheep farm on the way back to Dublin. The sheep farmer who runs it, Mr. Cullen, is a fourth generation farmer, and the family job dates all the way back to his grandfather! While I would imagine that a piece of the business was passed onto him by his father, I am sure he had to utilize some entrepreneurship skills. He had explained to us that his brother also farmed sheep, and that other farmers were in the area. I’m sure Mr. Cullen has to take measures to differentiate himself and to establish strong relationships with his customers and potential new buyers. From listening to how he runs his business, such as selling stock to other farmers and crossbreeding, I would not be surprised if he has dominated sheep farming in his area!

Dublin and rural Ireland are alike yet different in many ways. I’ve seen more diversity in Dublin than rural Ireland, but this makes sense as Dublin has a much larger population, is an urban setting, and the city has had many professionals from all over come here for work in the tech industry. Everyone was friendly to me in Kilkenny, and even when it would become clear that I am American when asking a question or striking up conversation. I think that perception of foreigners can definitely vary based on where you are, but since we have been in some pretty touristy areas, I have not noticed any large disparities in treatment. I think it’s about comfort, and people’s experience with diversity in their hometowns that has a large impact on perception.