Our First Field Trip!

Yesterday was our first field trip!  After winding our way through small Irish villages, we arrived at Thoor Ballylee.   This was the home of Noble Prize winner and Irish poet, William Butler Yeats. Thoor Ballylee is tower that was built in the 13th century.  A creek flows around the area and Yeats lived there for many years in the early 1900s.  After touring his home, we drove to Coole Park. Now a nature preserve, Yeats visited his friend and the land there  for inspiration for his poetry. The park is over a 1000 acres and is covered by pastures, lakes, cedar forests and walking trails. We were able to hike around as our literature professor would stop and read poetry to us.  We had absolutely gorgeous sunny weather-even needing to take my sweater off once and awhile! The rest of the week is filled with class and then we are off to Limerick for the weekend!
-M

The remaining bridge near the Tower that survived bombing during the Irish civil war. 

Yeats' tower and cottage