ROAD TRIP AROUND THE ISLAND

When I arrived to my friend’s in Killarney, south west Ireland, a destination of travelers, I was surprised to find out that he had taken one day off of work! “We can’t drive around the island in a day!” I complained. “I thought you meant Castle Island, just down the road, he laughed.” “Not a tal” as they say in Ireland. After a tad of persuading, he rented a car and after our first initial laughing and a quick drive around town, only driving on the ‘foot path’ once or twice, we set out for a week on the road. The first day we went to Co. Clare, (were there are some reports that my family is from this area) to the Cliffs of Moher. St Brigid has a Holy Grotto there. I found out that St. Brigid’s feast day is on Feb. 1, my birthday, and she is the female patron St. of Ireland. My birth name Patricia, derived from Patrick, the male Saint. We continued on to see some people in Galway, spent the night and headed out North once again. We took a round about way to get to Knock, where apparitions of the Virgin Mary have been seen. This is the off time of year for visitors in Ireland, so no one was there. We walked the grounds, surprised that two of my patron Saints were revered there as well, St. Therese, the Little Flower and St. Michael. We attended at 3PM Mass and then went to the Holy Water fonts. We turned around and saw the site of the apparitions where there was a Mass being held for a Philippine tour group. We walked over and stood inside the back of the church. When the Mass was complete, my friend said, “Jesus, he’s a Bishop,” as he put his little beanie on top of his head. I had been praying where to leave one of my books and I had said, if he was accessible after Mass, I was going to give on to him. He was, and most gracious about receiving it. He asked for my email address to contact me later. As I left. I had chills up the back of my neck. I left a second one at the religious book store for their review. I continue to stand in awe of how things get orchestrated. I came to Ireland for my book to go to Rome and the Philippines. The energy of Everybody Wants to go to Heaven....is now in Peru, Switzerland, Jamaica, Hawaii, Ireland, Rome and now the Philippines! Amazing....Last night while staying in Sligo, I read in a magazine about seaweed sea baths, good for many things, but dry skin, (my friend) and thyroid (me), so we’re heading off to the beach to check it out. I tried to put in some pictures, they wouldn’t take.....so maybe next time. Tomorrow to Northern Ireland to view Scotland....if I don’t return, you’ll know where to look!