Author: swalkeyc29b0fca1a

Six days, four lively ladies, and a whole lot of Irish charm. Our journey across the stunning landscapes of Ireland was a rollercoaster ride of laughs and spontaneous adventures that created unforgettable memories along the way.

Day 1

My friends Bridget, Jessica, Siobhan, and I land in Dublin at around 4:00pm on May 6^th. It was a short flight from Edinburgh where we were just spending the last few days. Our excitement to continue on this next part of our trip is dampened a bit as we have some major issues with the rental car company. But after it’s all figured out, and we’re packed into the tiny rental car, we’re about to embark on the scariest part of the trip – Jessica learning how to drive us around on the “wrong side of the road!”

It’s already been a long week, so after we check in to the Ashling Hotel (which gave us a sweet, free upgrade!) we grab some food at the next-door pub and call it a night.

Day 2

My friends have been enjoying sleeping in on the trip, and even though I’m not a morning person, I can’t pass up any sightseeing opportunities on vacation. So, I get up early because I know I have a lot of ground to cover.

My first stop is Phoenix Park which is a lovely, large park that is known for its large herd of wild fallow deer, which I’m lucky enough to see!

After I’ve finished enjoying the green trails, I decide it’s time for some iconic Dublin sights! I make my way back to walk along the canal, cross the Ha’penny Bridge, and wander the busy, olden streets, in awe of all of the history. People and shops are everywhere, musicians at every street corner – this place is truly alive!

It’s hard not to get caught up in all of the touristy things when there’s so much to see and I’m a sucker for some souvenirs!

So, after grabbing a quick bite, I browse some souvenir shops and find myself at the iconic “The Temple Bar,” a pub that has been opened since 1840!

Shopping bags in hand, it was now time to check out Trinity College, a stunning post-secondary school with lots of history. One of the things it’s most famous for is that it displays the Book of Kells, a religious medieval manuscript. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take pictures of the book itself, but the exhibit was fascinating.

However, my favourite part of the campus was the Long Room in the Old Library as it first opened in 1732 and has 65-metre vaulted chamber, making it one of the world’s most beautiful libraries!

Well, that was a lot of sightseeing and walking(!) for Day 2, so I decide to make the trek back to the hotel to meet up with my friends where we end off the day at a quintessential Irish pub and are entertained with some wonderful impromptu Irish music put on by the crowd.

Day 3

It’s time to hit the road because today we have something super unique and special planned! However, we thought that we may as well see some countryside while we wait for our time to check in to the Airbnb so we stop at Hook Lighthouse and have a lovely time sitting and listening to the ocean.

After about an hour or so, we’re back on the tiny, windy roads again. The incredible countryside always has something to look at with castles and ruins at every turn. We’re close to this evening’s final destination so we pop in to a grocery store and stock up at a nearby town. And then we arrive…

TO TYBROUGHNEY CASTLE!!

This place has recently been turned into an Airbnb so no one knows about it yet and lucky for us, we have the entire place to ourselves!!

We all scatter to claim our rooms and then easily spend the next couple of hours exploring and taking it all in while trying to document the experience with as many pictures and videos as we can. When night falls, we cook up a big feast, sit outside by the fire, under the stars, and joke about the possible ghosts that may haunt us that night.

Day 4

At breakfast in the morning, we all laugh about how we “got into each others’ heads” about ghosts and how we each have little stories hearing creaks in the night. Even so, we’re reluctant to go but we have another bucket list item to check off.

After about a 2-hour lovely, scenic drive, we arrive at Blarney Castle! It’s overcast and a bit rainy, which just adds to the ambience, making us even more excited to start exploring.

The castle is fascinating and we take time to go through every room and read all of the history boards. We eventually make our way up the tiny staircase to the top where a line is forming to kiss the Blarney Stone. I must admit, it was a little scarier than I thought it would be as I hung upside down over the side of the castle!

There’s more to this place than just the castle – the grounds are absolutely stunning and have just as much history. We wander through the gardens and admire how green everything is while learning about a bunch of magical tales.

However, it’s time to keep moving and we pile into the little car and make our way to County Limerick to check into the Castle Oaks House Hotel.

Day 5

We’re slowing down a bit and having less and less on our daily itinerary – it’s been such an incredible and full trip so far! So, today’s a road trip day with only one goal in mind – see the Cliffs of Moher!

After about a 2-hour drive, we make it to the west coast of Ireland. We pull into the parking lot, and even though there’s a bunch of people, it’s thankfully not packed. It’s a bit chilly and really windy but we’ve layered up and we’re prepared! We hike our way passed the shops, get to the edge, and then wow! There they are!

We walk along the pathway and watch the giant waves crash against the cliffs. It’s absolutely mesmerizing. And sometimes we’re lucky and can spot a puffin or two in the distance.

Finally, we’ve seen all that we’ve wanted to see and we’re starving. We take a detour to head north to a small town where we warm up and eat a good, hearty meal before making our way back to our hotel.

Day 6

Sadly, it’s our last full day in Ireland…

I get up early so I have a chance to explore the beautiful hotel grounds. I go down to a path alongside the river and take a nice walk to enjoy the peace and quiet before it’s time to leave.

We stuff our little rental car to the brim with our backpacks and souvenirs and make a 2.5-hour drive back to Dublin. The sun is still shining and since we’re prairie girls, we figure that we should find a beach and sit by the ocean one more time.

We spend this last bit of time at Portmarnock Beach reminiscing about the whole trip and what our favourite parts were. It’s bittersweet as we would love to stay longer and explore more but we’ve already been gone for two weeks (the first part of the trip being in England and Scotland – a story for another time) and we’re also looking forward to being back in our own beds. We head to our final hotel, all with promises in our heads that we’ll be back to Ireland again some day!

Unlock the power of effective digital storytelling with these five tips! Begin by storyboarding to plan the sequence of events and ensuring a logical and cohesive flow to your story. Really get granular about defining who your audience is and flesh out your story in realistic ways to appeal to them. You can also elevate the narrative by including different types of media such as images, videos, audios, etc. to make sure the real message is truly being communicated. Connect to your audience by evoking emotions that will create a more memorable with your story. And finally, make sure you consider which is the best way to reach your audience and adapt your story to fit that method.

I love dogs, and I enjoy hearing stories about them. Even Fractl’s analysis of Buzzfeed articles tells me that dogs are a top topic to talk about. So, a “live tweet” of an exciting event, well, for my dog at least, sounded like a good idea.

Following Gary Vaynerchuk’s suggestion of storytelling in micro moments, my story technically unfolds over a relatively short period. However, when recounting it, I’ve broken it down and stretched it out, especially from Piper’s point of view. I thought this would make the story more interesting and fun. I included timestamps, which, hopefully, also added a bit of humor when reading about how some things quickly happened.

Eric Goldschein from “Social Media Today” emphasizes the importance of writing the way you talk. I did my best to achieve that through brevity and a bit of humor. In my short story, you won’t find jargon or complex language either, as I wanted to ensure that the story is relatable to the large number of people who are dog owners.

And finally, this is how I used the 8-Point Story Arc structure:

1. Stasis: The normal, everyday life of Piper
2. Trigger: The approaching supper time, marked by the clock and the anticipation building
3. Quest: Piper’s quest for supper, which involves waiting eagerly, showing excitement, and eventually getting to enjoy the meal.
4. Surprise: The level of enthusiasm and joy exhibited by the dog during supper time, adding a layer of unexpected delight.
5. Critical Choice: The moment when I decide to feed Piper, leading to the climax.
6. Climax: The climax is the actual feeding of the dog, with the first bite symbolizing the peak of anticipation and excitement.
7. Reversal: The shift from the anticipation and waiting to the actual enjoyment of the meal, turning the focus from the buildup to the satisfaction of the dog’s hunger.
8. Resolution: A content and happy dog and my satisfaction in quiet, peaceful post-dinner moments.

These narrative elements help structure the story and create a satisfying arc that engages the reader in the simple yet joyful experience of a dog waiting for and enjoying supper.

And without further ado, here’s the link to my Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/WalkeyTalkey_ua/status/1726031194142515269