University of Wisconsin–Madison

Ireland: Allie Bacholl (The 5 senses in Limerick)

A courtyard of a castle, with walls on all four sides, is lined with stone.

See – King John’s Castle

King John’s Castle sits along the Shannon River in the center of Limerick. The castle dates back to the 13th century, and while beautiful to look at on the outside, the inside contains a great museum about the history of the castle and Limerick. Below is a picture of the courtyard within the castle.

A brown tart with grilled fruit placed carefully on top, sitting on top of a white paper with a pink logo that says "Gourmet Tart Co".

Taste – Pastries from the Milk Market

The Milk Market is similar to a farmer’s market. It happens every Saturday and there is fresh produce, fish, meat, baked goods, and other foods. The pastries are my favorite part. Below is a picture of a tart I got at the market.

A top down view of coffee in a cup with a heart pattern created with the white foam.

Smell – Coffee

There are many cafes located across the city. Besides serving great coffee, they also serve tea along with other baked goods. One type of bread that Ireland is known for is soda bread which you can get at Sodalicious in Limerick.

Stadium stands surround a large, turf field with players on it at night with large stadium lights illuminating everything.

Hear – Cheering from Thomond Park

Sports, especially Gaelic sports such as hurling and Gaelic football, are very popular in Ireland. Limerick in particular has won four out of the last five All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships. Rugby is also a popular game in Ireland. Below is a Munster vs Osprey game of ruby that I went to see at Thomond Park.

A grassy field with a large tree sits in front of several tan two-story buildings.

Feel – Like Spring

The weather in Ireland was surprising to me. The grass stays green all year round. When I arrived in January it felt like spring to me compared to the Wisconsin winters I am used to. Now that it is properly spring in Ireland, I can see many flowers in bloom, especially daffodils. Additionally, I have been seeing more wildlife like this hare pictured in-front of my dorm building. Traditionally, Saint Brigid’s Day on the first of February marks the beginning of spring. This year was the first year Saint Brigid’s Day became a bank holiday in Ireland.

 

Allie smiles in front of a window with black trim.

Allie Bacholl

Hometown: Chili, Wisconsin

Major: Computer Engineering

Program: University of Limerick

While at Madison, I took folklore classes along with my computer engineering classes that I thoroughly enjoyed, so I decided to pursue a certificate in folklore. The University of Limerick offers various classes about Irish folklore and folk music that I look forward to taking and which allow me to finish the folklore certificate.