What did you do this summer? We talked to eight people who had a ball – at home, abroad, or just feeding the pigeons
BRÍD CLARKE and CHARLIE (age four)
Bríd and her daughter Charlie were enjoying life’s simple pleasures feeding the pigeons in St Stephen’s Green
Did you enjoy your summer?
It was great.
Did you go on holidays?
No, we’re going to go over to England for a week next week just to say hello to friends and family.
What was the highlight?
Bríd: Sitting in the park feeding pigeons – Charlie just finished Montessori yesterday so she's been busy with school this summer so I'm just enjoying time with her, my little lady.
Charlie: I love these pigeons!
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
The weather when we get it and the long evenings are great out in the back garden with her on the trampoline.
JIMMY MARTIN
Jimmy Martin from Cabra in Dublin thinks the best of what the summer has to offer might yet be around the corner
Did you enjoy your summer?
Yes.
Did you go on holidays?
I spent a few weekends away and I spent a week in the Italian Alps climbing.
We normally go walking or climbing in the Alps.
In Ireland I normally go sailing or hillwalking so I was hillwalking in Donegal – in the Inishowen Peninsula, Mount Errigal and Glenveagh National Park – and had a wander around the Burren.
What was the highlight?
The summer’s not over yet, I’m waiting for the highlight.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
The weather. It’s been quite a warm summer.
DAVID GAUL
David from Swords in Dublin spent most of his summer making sure his girlfriend’s was memorable
Did you enjoy your summer?
Bit good, bit bad. I didn’t have a job until the end of the summer and then I was happy but then I had to save for my girlfriend’s 21st so all my hard work went out the window. But my girlfriend’s happy – she had a good summer.
Did you go on holidays?
No, but I plan on going away at the end of October to Puerto Rico. Again it’s for my girlfriend’s birthday so we said we’d go somewhere different and exotic.
What was the highlight?
My birthday. I just went out with all my friends for a meal and night out.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
I’d say the fact that everyone’s kind of free to go out a little bit more and you don’t have to worry about college or something the next morning. People are more relaxed.
ABBEY SOTYMINU
Abbey has been in Ireland for six years and is living in Saggart, Co Dublin, but is looking forward to going home to Nigeria to be a tourist in her own country
Did you enjoy your summer?
Yes, I always do.
Did you go on holidays?
Not yet – but I’m leaving next week to go home for five weeks. I’m from Nigeria, but there are places that I never visited when I was living there so I’d like to visit some places like that.
What was the highlight?
I volunteer for church activities from Friday to Sunday which I really enjoy . . . I take people out to do things like going to summer camps and other places. I really look forward to that.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
The long evenings and the sun. I am from a very sunny place so whenever I see the sun here I just feel like I am back home. This year was a much better summer.
CLAIRE FITZGERALD
Claire, from Raheny in Dublin sampled some of the best of what Ireland has to offer
Did you enjoy your summer?
I had a great summer. I had placement with college so I was working in an investment company.
Did you go on holidays?
I was in Corfu with the girls and in Spain with the boyfriend. Then a few weekends – Castlewellan, Belfast, Aranmore and weight boarding last weekend. It’s the first summer I’ve spent around Ireland. I did the J1 last year but because I wasn’t going anywhere this year we decided to do a few things here.
What was the highlight?
Corfu – it’s a gorgeous island. If you go off from where the main places are it’s really unspoiled.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
Just the craic. Random weekends away. I don’t think I’d go away for a full week anywhere here because you’d get a bit bored but when you’re going away for random weekends it’s good — something different.
LUIS GAZANA
Luis, from Brazil, thinks that Ireland is too hot when the sun is shining (yes, really)
Did you enjoy your summer?
Yeah it was good – it was very hot. Some people say to us from Brazil, ‘oh, it’s very hot in Brazil’, but here is very hot as well.
For me, if I stay in the sun I go red because I am very white.
Did you go on holidays?
Yes, I went to Spain for 15 days, south of Sevilla. Granada was my favourite part – it’s a very beautiful city, but also very hot.
What was the highlight?
When I went to London because it was my first time there. It was fantastic. I saw many concerts there – Paul McCartney and Pearl Jam.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
The people. You see it in their faces, everybody’s happy because it’s summer.
SEAN WALSH
Sean, from Killala in Co Mayo was on holiday in Dublin with his family
Did you enjoy your summer?
Yeah, it’s been good.
Did you go on holidays?
This is our holiday. We were in Carlow for a couple of days and Dublin for a couple. We decided to stay in Ireland because of a mixture of pressure at work and the financial thing as well. We’ve done a good bit of work to our house recently so the budget was low.
What was the highlight?
We were in Galway during the Arts Festival. It was good. Because of the kids we didn’t get to any shows but we did get to some exhibitions.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
Definitely the weather! No!! There’s so much in Ireland that most of us haven’t seen yet – for instance, that was our first time to see the new contemporary arts centre down there . . . People are often mad to get away but there’s plenty to see in our own country as well.
ELISABETH O'HIGGINS
Elisabeth, from Clontarf in Dublin, was glad of the summer holidays after her Junior Cert
Did you enjoy your summer?
Yeah, a lot. I did my Junior Cert so I was happy for it to be over but once it was done I kind of forgot about it and just enjoyed the rest of the summer.
Did you go on holidays?
I went away to France and I went to the Gaeltacht in Cólaiste Chiaráin in Connemara for three weeks. The weather in France was better but I really enjoyed the Gaeltacht. It definitely improves your Irish a lot.
What was the highlight?
The highlight? Oh there are so many – France, the Gaeltacht was really good . . . eh, probably getting the Junior Cert over with, going out with my friends.
What would you say is the best thing about an Irish summer?
Because I live by the sea, walks along the seafront in the sun.
