I've finished my first full week of work. It's amazing how, even if you move half a world a way, you still get into the workweek grind: waking up on Thursday mornings wishing it was Friday, walking out the door without your ID badge and then turning back to get it, the buzz around the office on Friday afternoons. I've learned some interesting Lilly-related work things about Ireland, but those are too boring to talk about here. Instead, I'll share some Irish folklore.
Thursday was St Swithin's Day, similar to our Groundhog Day in the U.S. Here's an excerpt from an Irish culture website:
St Swithin's Day, if it does rain
Full forty days, it will remain
St Swithin's Day, if it be fair
For forty days, t'will rain no more
This charming weather rhyme is well known throughout the British Isles and Ireland. St Swithin was an early Saxon Bishop of Winchester and legend says that as he lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried in the common graveyard, "where the rain would fall on him and the feet of ordinary men could pass over him"
It did indeed rain on Thursday, but so far we are clear this morning. It's true that the weather in Ireland changes every 5 minutes, so I'm sure St Swithin's proclamation will be true.
I've also learned this week that the Irish love their walks. There are few sidewalks, especially once you get out of town, but it's very common to see people walking down the roads, often with a dog off its leash. Coworkers have given me two books of good walking tours in Cork. If the weather holds up, we will attempt one of them this afternoon.
And now, some photos from a walk around Compass Hill on Tuesday evening:
View from Compass Hill to the River Bandon and Castlepark opposite, and Kinsale Harbor beyond. I live on Compass Hill but don't have quite this nice of a view
View of town from Compass Hill
An Irish gate - ingenious!
It's true that no one has forgotten the famine, 150+ yrs later. Small memorial outside of Kinsale
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