This past month my family and I traveled to Ireland to spend two weeks exploring and enjoying this beautiful country.
From the mundane to the profound, here are some of my reflections and observations on traveling to Ireland with kids.
Enjoy!
Playgrounds in Ireland are charming, creative, and ubiquitous. We saw (and of course played on) ones in every town center, outside cathedrals, on piers, and even some gas stations. I saw many rope climbing structures, obstacle courses, and inspired playground themes.
I packed a few small notebooks and some crayons which became our go-to activity while waiting for food at restaurants. So easy to pack and carry, and very low stakes if it’s lost or spilled on.
It was clear how much the Irish really value and revere their artists and art in general. We saw countless more public monuments to poets, authors, and artists, rather than soldiers and politicians. Public art is everywhere.
On our last night I was reminded of the lesson ‘don’t yuck someone else’s yum’ or in this case, ‘just let them get the proverbial stupid hat’. My youngest wanted this ridiculous sparkly hat with her own budgeted souvenir money, I discouraged her choice for it’s impracticality, and she conceded and chose something else. When she started crying after we left the shop I realized how my own judgment prevented her this simple joy. We went back in the store to buy it, and she was just so utterly delighted to wear it, it truly electrified her energy. Lesson learned.
One of my top highlights was visiting Knowth, which predates the pyramids and is home to the largest collection of neolithic art in Europe. Knowth is a series of giant decorated burial mounds with passages aligned to the sunrise and sunset of the equinox . Standing atop the central mound and looking up at the same sky that inspired these careful and purposeful celestial carvings, I felt profound connection to our collective humanity and our place in our little corner of the Universe.
I got to see a Sheela-na-gig! These are ancient depictions scattered throughout Ireland and other parts of Europe of magical witchy women of the past holding open their own vulvas as a display of their feminine power. I had read about them years ago in the work of the midwife Ina May Gaskin, and never dreamed I’d get to see one in person. This one was hard to find in real life, and in photos too.
We saw and explored ancient ruins of castles and monasteries, stunning glacial lakes and Atlantic outcroppings, dramatic cliff-sides, cathedrals, green mountains, music, art, fairy forests, charming seaside villages, and more.
And still the highlight for both my kids:
Holding a baby sheep and feeding it a bottle.
So, knowing that, would I have skipped all the planning, costs, jet lag, efforts, and energy and just taken them to a petting zoo here in Massachusetts? No. I’d pick the Irish adventure all over again in a heartbeat. Giving my family an opportunity to develop an alternative and deeper perspective of our world and the people in it is priceless. The beautiful memories that we will have for our lifetimes are invaluable and worth every effort.
I hope you, too, had a memorable and uplifting summer season.
I’m here to support you with more ease and alignment through these September transitions!
Warmly,
Dr. Lizzie