Intensivsprachwoche Irland 3 A

1^st Day: (Monday, October 20^th, 2008): Departure and Arrival

A group of highly motivated forestry high-school students decided to go to Ireland for their language week this autumn. The exact destination was Bray, the oldest Irish town, situated south of Dublin on the east coast. On Monday, October 20^th, 2008 our trip to Ireland started at six o'clock in the morning at the boarding school in Bruck. A bus took us to Schwechat airport where we arrived at 8.

The flight itself was rather uneventful first, but became a bit bumpy before we arrived at Dublin Airport at 2.30 p.m. where we were met by Roy, our bus driver, who was awaiting us there. We left Dublin and headed to the west, to Galway. So we went from the very East to the very West.

In the afternoon we had a stop at Locke's Distillery, where we had a guided tour through the old whiskey distillery.

Kilbeggan distillery

On the first day we went to Kilbeggan distillery. Kilbeggan distillery was established in 1757, but there is still Whiskey made in it. We saw all the old machines, with which the Whisky was made 251 years ago. The power came from the river next to the distillery, or, if there was too little water in it, from a steam machine.

Today the whisky is made with a much smaller and modern machine, but the barrels are still made the same way. After we saw all this, everyone over 18 was allowed to taste the whisky, which remains 3 to 15 years in the barrels till it is filled into bottles. After the tasting, the tour ended, and everyone tested the restaurant of the distillery, where we could eat marvellous chicken wings.