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A Cup of Tea in Ireland

Twice I travelled to Dublin to study at the James Joyce Summer School.  There we students were housed in a novice nun’s residency while the young women themselves were on summer break,  and yes,  you guessed it,  my husband told everyone he’d sent me to a nunnery!   (See My Love Affair with James Joyce)

The Joyce course lasted two weeks,  and Monday through Friday we attended morning classes taught by university professors,  and afternoon lectures by visiting Joycean scholars.

But on weekends we were free to stroll through St Stephens Green park,  see a play at the Abbey Theater,  visit the Irish Writers Museum,  shop for sweaters and Irish linens on Grafton Street, or pub crawl in Temple Bar.

One weekend several of us decided to take a day-long bus tour out of the city.  We left in the morning and the bus’ tour guide regaled us with Irish history and song as we drove through the beautifully lush countryside.

We were promised a lovely lunch,  but when the bus pulled up to a simple,  rather inelegant-looking roadside cafe I was skeptical.  But the Irish stew and the traditional apple cake were delicious!

And – unlike a teabag in a styrofoam cup as might be expected at a roadside dinner back in the States – when I asked for tea the waitress brought me a small tray with a teapot,  cup and saucer,  tea strainer,  sugar bowl,  and two pitchers – for milk and hot water.

So if tea is your cup of tea,  I hope you get to drink it in Ireland!

– Dana Susan Lehrman

Dana Susan Lehrman
This retired librarian loves big city bustle and cozy country weekends, friends and family, good books and theatre, movies and jazz, travel, tennis, Yankee baseball, and writing about life as she sees it on her blog World Thru Brown Eyes!
www.WorldThruBrownEyes.com

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