In Focus: Alice Ann Robinson New York representative for this year’s Mary of Dungloe competition

Best of luck to this charming young woman.

Three years ago, I made my first trip to Ireland. The first part was a tour but the second part was a trip to Co. Donnegal because I wanted to see a bit of all of Ireland. I stayed in Dungloe to see this festival. It was so much fun. I learned how to drive (and, after a couple of days, accidentally discovered the trunk opened by the button on the backside of the key!) It always fun when young women feign an interest in you (for the congeniality part of the competition), although I did occasionally spend a little time with the Philadelphia girl and the Irish girl from England, who had become friends. (It's a very small town with only one 'hotel' where we all stayed at.) The people there were very friendly, plus the ladies from Scotland who I could seldom understand but so what, and I have a story for every day there. My apologies for publicly volunteering the young black haired, blue eyed docent at the castle at Glenveagh to play the 1000 year old harp. She handled the request so diplomatically. Dungloe and Co. Donnegal were so much better than the tour! Best of luck to you, Alice Ann, and enjoy your trip.