Ireland offers a variety of sights

ancient ruins:
Dun Aengus, a prehistoric stone fort dating from 500 B.C., is the most famous of several prehistoric forts on the Aran Islands, off County. Galway, on Ireland’s west coast. It is located on Inishmore at the edge of an approximately 100 meter high cliff that offers unobstructed views of 120 miles of Ireland’s coastline.

I am a resident of Anderson who traveled to Ireland in September 2008 with my friend, Carol Ulmer, also of Anderson.

It was my first trip outside the U.S. and except for the length of time spent in the air, the entire adventure lived up to my expectations.

I have always seen the Irish people as poetic, romantic and loving. I wanted to see them on their own turf, the way they see themselves. Probably the closest I came to doing this was on the island of Inis Mor where the first language of the residents is Old Irish.

We traveled completely around Ireland, arriving on Sept. 9 and returning home Sept. 21 of 2008.

While there, we immersed ourselves in Ireland. We ate Irish stew, watched the National Champion Celtic dancers, attended the National Folk Theatre of Ireland and watched San Am Fado (The Long Ago), went to the Irish National Stud Farm and gazed in awe at the beautiful champion stallion, Invincible Spirit. We had great weather with only one or two days of light rain.

Ireland is a beautiful, green, old-world country with ultra-modern cities. It is also rampant with tourists.

Ireland is a country that features smorgasbord travel. The menu includes archaic sites like Dun Aengus, a prehistoric stone fort said to date back to 500 B.C. It's six-foot thick walls enclose an area of about 14 acres

At other world-renowned sites such as Trinity College, founded in 1592, one can see the magnificently illustrated Book of Kells. The pinnacle of Insular illumination, the Latin manuscript of the four Gospels was transcribed by Celtic monks in about 800 A.D. It is widely regarded as Ireland's finest national treasure.

For a quick appetizer, walk along O'Connor Street and view the many statues of most every man that ever said or did anything of interest in Ireland.

Then experience Dublin, the city.

This city contains one-third of Ireland's 4 million people. Listen to an accomplished street band play outside the modern St. Stephens' mall hoping that tourists will stuff the obvious open guitar case with Euros.

Then visit Inis Mor, largest of the three Aran Islands, where the first language is Old Irish and most everyone earns a living seeing that each tourist enjoys his or her time on the island.

St. Patrick's Day lets everyone claim Irish heritage.

On that day we wear green - probably not "Forty Shades of Green" like in Johnny Cash's song.

Make plans to eat at a favored restaurant or cook at home that once-a-year favorite smoky, spicy, juicy and scrumptious corned beef and cabbage.

Then sing the Irish songs such as "Danny Boy," "My Wild Irish Rose" or "Wild Colonial Boy," the song many recognize from John Wayne's memorable 1952 movie "The Quiet Man."

St. Patrick's Day is said to honor the patron saint of Ireland who was born in Britain. At age 16, Patrick was abducted by Irish raiders, brought to Ireland and forced to spend six years in captivity.

Finally, he escaped and returned to Britain where he became a priest. Then, as a missionary, he returned to his captors to convert the Irish to Christianity.

Editor's Note: Maxine Cambra was a secretary at Anderson-Cottonwood Neighborhood Church from 1987 until she retired in 1994. Prior to that, she worked as a part-time stringer, photographer and advertising sales person for the Anderson Press under then-editor Zoann McCain from 1970-79.