We've made it to County Kerry!

Greetings! We are  now at the last stop on our travels. All of the delegates are safe and sound at four beautiful bed and breakfast "home stays". I will have the delegates report/reflect on today's activities and post those tomorrow. Just a hint: Boating, Buggy Rides, Hiking, Irish Dancing and Talent Show!!!! We have a very full itinerary for our final day: A scavenger hunt around the town, visiting a senior center, working with local teens on cutting peet, trying our hand at Gaelic sports with the teens, and packing for our very early departure! While the delegates are looking forward to going home and "resting", they are sad about leaving the friends - family, really - they have made. The leaders hope everyone will make every effort to attend the reunion party in August.

Here are yesterday's reflections:

KAITLIN - The GAA was amazing! I had alot of fun seeing the stadium. I really enjoyed learning about the history of the stadium (*Croke Park) like that one of the players for Ireland got shot by a British soldier. Now there is a section in the stadium named after him. Also because of that day, they have Bloody Sunday. We also got to tour the city and see their monument, which was a 300 foot tall needle thingy. Then we saw the University of Ireland (*Trinity University). They had an arch and the tale is, if you go under it, you will have bad luck in school, so I didn't go under it. I had a great time.

BRIANNA - We went to a stadium today. They play like five different sports in one stadium. It was really interesting. Hurling sounded dangerous. I wouldn't want to play that. The stadium was huge (*seats 82,500), and the guide said you could play two football games on the field. It was amazing! The people in Ireland saw that their sports are a part of their culture, and that's why the tickets aren't that much money. I wish people in America cared that much about their culture. Well, I guess we don't think like that because we have so many different cultures. It's spectacular how much people treasure their culture.

KRYSTAL - Yesterday at the university, we walked through a place that no one walks in because it was built on a graveyard. So hopefully I don't die! I felt cool! The spier was amazing - 10 feet wide at the bottom and 15 inches at the top. It looks like a giant needle. I loved Croke Park Stadium. It was so pretty and the grass was so green. I like how no matter who you are, the ticket prices were the same. We ended the day with shopping and yummy burgers! YAY!

VIDA - Yesterday we went to Croke Park Stadium and learned about Gaelic Football. It was really amazing that the width of their stadium was the same as the length of our football stadiums. We got to try some skills or techniques that would be needed to play hurling. I think you had to be born with the skills for that, because it seemed like it would be very hard to play. I wouldn't mind trying it for real, because I love sports, and it seems fun.

PENNY - Yesterday was heavenly for me! We walked the busy streets of Dublin, where we were allowed to roam and shop in groups. I, personally, had been scouting fashion boutiques and did a little research before we came. Seeing as how we'd spent the first half of the day getting into Dublin, I was in need for some exploration and shopping. However, I pittied the boys we'd be grouped with. After a little over an hour of roaming, scattered with bits of hopping, we boarded the coach and, once again,  headed to yet another hotel.