As an American of Irish descent, I love this time of year. In addition to Ireland being a large, deeply-rooted part of my family tree/genealogy, Saint Patrick’s Day is also my lovely wife and I’s anniversary. I wish I could take full credit for that, but in truth, it was actually her that suggested getting married on St. Patrick’s Day (although, she knew how much I love Ireland going into our relationship, so maybe it really was my idea in a bizarre, power-of-suggestion, reverse-psychology kind of way? Jury’s out…)
This past November, my wife and I spent two weeks in Ireland. And with the current season, it’s worth stating that Saint Patrick himself was an incredible missionary, and several of the sites we visited had direct ties to Pádraig: the Rock of Cashel and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh just to name a couple. But in this blog post, I want to focus on a God-moment I had while there at a spot called Gougane Barra. If you are grasping at straws for this one, don’t feel bad- I was completely unaware of it until we arrived, but it is truly a hidden gem! It’s located down in the Southwest of Ireland in Co. Cork in the Shehy Mountains.
On Day 5 of our trip, after a bit of a drive, our tour guide hopped on the PA and announced we were there, so we hopped off the coach, and immediately, the overwhelming beauty hit me hard. I’m not an overly emotional man, but I got tears in my eyes taking in the site: immediately before me was a bank of green, green grass, the lake stretching a few hundred yards across being stirred by the wind, and beyond the other bank, the foot of the mountains. I took a deep breath, and began walking towards a stone outcropping and slowly exhaling as I took in the beauty and the quiet.
Recognizing the stone slab jutting out in the water a few feet being a small dock for canoes/kayaks and the like, I closed my eyes, ignoring the chatter and laughter of our tour group, and I began to pray. I simply thanked God for the beauty He was giving me the opportunity to experience. I thanked Him for giving me a moment with Him… I was on vacation in my ancestral homeland and had a wonderful moment between my Father and me.
Gougane Barra is also home to a small chapel known as St. Finbarr’s Oratory (Airegal Naomh Fionnbarra), situated on the lake's island. The chapel itself isn’t a massive cathedral, but again, stepping inside, the stained glass and presentation of familiar Scripture pointed my heart to God. Exploring the small island a bit, we were able to see the ruins of the original monastery, which further got me praying- thanking God for His faithfulness through the ages to keep His Gospel presented over and over, which gave me the ability to come to know Him.
To conclude, I have a quick question for you, dear reader: When was the last time you made a conscious effort to just stop and thank the Father for being Him? I may have traveled to Ireland for fun, ancestral exploration, and a bit of R & R, but I had a big encounter with our Father while there, and the exciting part? I have been able to bring that same moment home… every day I find myself simply thanking Him. He’s with me every single day! And He is with you…
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!