Yesterday was our third Saturday excursion here in Ireland. As usual, we met early at the old school in Carrigallen, where we were joined by Father Jack, who kindly came to offer the Sacrament of Confession. Father Jack had previously served as a missionary in Peru, so he was able to speak Spanish, which made it easier for many of the girls to receive the Sacrament of Confession. At 9:15 we began with a short prayer. Those students who wished to take part had some quiet time for reflection and prayer.
After confessions, we continued with our weekly English class, which, as always, lasted one hour. At noon, our coach arrived to take us to Mullaghmore Beach. During the journey, the girls kept each other entertained with several lively rounds of “The Wolf,” a fun and strategic guessing game where the aim is to uncover who among them is secretly “the wolf.”
The bus ride took us through breathtaking Irish landscapes, including the city of Sligo and the striking Benbulbin Mountain. Eventually, we arrived at the stunning Mullaghmore Beach. There, we laid out our towels on the sand and enjoyed our packed lunches together. For dessert, we celebrated Lucía’s birthday, which had taken place on Thursday. While some of the girls kept her distracted, the others were busy preparing a sweet surprise: they made candy roses and set up thirteen candles—though the wind made lighting them quite a challenge! Once everything was ready, we sang “Happy Birthday” to Lucía, who then blew out all thirteen candles on her own, to the applause and joy of the whole group. She also received a special card signed by all the girls throughout the week. We all enjoyed the cake and some delicious muffins bought from a small village shop nearby.
As the afternoon went on, the sun came out little by little, and several of the girls decided to brave the cold Atlantic waters in their swimsuits. Some jumped in the waves, others took a peaceful walk along the shore—everyone enjoyed the beach in their own way, and the hours flew by with joy and laughter.
All too soon, the coach returned to pick us up for the journey back to Carrigallen. None of the girls wanted to leave just yet, but the day was coming to an end, and we had a long ride ahead. After drying off and changing quickly at the beach, we boarded the bus full of happy memories. The return journey was more relaxed; as with every Saturday, it was a quiet moment for the girls to chat and reconnect—sharing stories from the second week of their stay in Ireland.
As always, the host families were waiting to collect the girls at Saint Mary’s Church in Carrigallen, and with that, we said our goodbyes and wrapped up another wonderful Saturday together—ready to begin our third week in Ireland.
Warm regards to all families—let’s stay in touch!
