BUS ÉIREANN

The lodging house.


I dithered about for two days trying to decide if I should rent a car. By Saturday morning there was a car available in my price range so I made for the bus. Timmy gave me a ride to the Kylemore Luas station. The Red Line now goes all the way to Busáras (and beyond to the Point). I arrived with about 15 minutes to spare. Just as I was getting down from the tram the heavens opened and it poured down rain. I scurried into Busáras and got in line to buy the ticket.
The bus was late leaving Dublin. There was a good crowd and we picked up more people at the airport. I was sitting beside an old lady who had recently gotten a mobile phone. I had to check her voicemail for her and show her how to access her address book.
The bus journey is long – close to five hours just to get to Donegal Town. (A person leaving Dublin Airport at the same time would arrive in New York long before the bus would arrive in Donegal!) In Donegal I had to wait until 6:15 for the bus to Killybegs and there was another change to a smaller bus for the Gleann. I met Seán from Milwaukee at the bus stop. He wanted to go for a drink. I sat and had a Ballygowan water with him then left my stuff in his care so I could go to the supermarket.
At the SuperValu on the outskirts of town I met Mary from Dublin. She had a car and offered to take my heavy grocery bag with her to the Gleann. She didn’t have room for me but I was glad I didn’t have to lug the groceries with me on the bus.
Seán was still in the bar when I got back. More Ballygowan water for me, more Carlsberg for him. Seán is in charge of a party of students from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. He brings a group from the Celtic Studies Department every year for a couple of weeks. They are usually a wild bunch with parties every night. I think that’s why Seán drinks so much – so he won’t be fully “responsible” for them.
I am staying at Roarty’s, a pub with rooms above. There is a well equiped kitchen so I will probably be catering for all the singles who never got beyond baked beans in Home Ec. I’m looking forward to the challenge.