Final Thoughts

What Does it Mean to be Irish?

When I think about it, before this trip, I don’t really remember ever meeting anyone from Ireland, or even thought about their identity. I had no idea that Irish history was so rich and dramatic, full of life changing events that carry on through history to today. While we learned about the history of Ireland and the Irish people before we came to the country, actually being there and hearing real Irish people talk about it made everything much more clear and easy to understand. 

Since the beginning of Ireland’s history, Protestantism was the majority religion in Ireland, and Catholics were widely discriminated against. Starting with the Penal Laws, which restricted Catholics from having land, owning horses, having education, and eventually resulted in their loss of the right to vote, throughout history, and continuing today, most recently with the Troubles in Northern Ireland, religion plays a huge role in Irish identity. 

We can see from all of the events that have happened throughout Irish history involving religious tension, that religion is a huge part of the Irish identity. What does it mean to be Irish? To me, it means to be proud. It means understanding loss, and being strong when faced with adverse conditions. And I truly feel that this applies to all Irish people, not just Catholics, because not just the Catholics were involved. Every person living in Ireland has some sort of Catholic or Protestant background, and every person living in Ireland during the times of these events was affected. 

So to be Irish, from what I have been able to tell, means being proud of where you came from. It means accepting your history, along with the history of other people. While there are definitely some people who still discriminate, either against Catholics or Protestants, they still all share a history. Everyone has been affected, and that brings a sense of identity to the Irish people that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. 

Now that we have returned from our trip, I was able to really think about the experience as a whole. Before going to Ireland, I didn’t really have a reason to go, other than I thought it would be a fun trip, and I wanted to travel. I had no idea that Ireland’s rich history would affect me so much personally. 

“That’s what being Irish is a lot of the time, passing for something else – the Paddy, the European, the peasant, the rocker, the leprechaun. It’s sometimes funny; it’s sometimes dangerous and damaging” (Doyle, Home to Harlem). This isn’t done by the Irish people themselves, its done by all the other people who truly have no idea what it means to be Irish. It is so easy to believe a stereotype when you don’t know the history behind them. And while some Irish people will laugh and joke around about being drunks, or conform to stereotypes in order to make money off souvenirs, that’s not what it truly means to be Irish. 

Studying Abroad

My study abroad experience is something that I will remember for the rest of my life. In Ireland, I feel like I was able to get in touch with myself more, as well as understand more about the world outside of the United States. 

Sometimes, we forget that we aren’t the only country in the world, and we are often not taught of any other history than our own. That was the biggest benefit of the trip, to me; being able to learn about a history other than the one I grew up learning about, and learning it from people who have been personally affected by it. 

Being able to actually sit in the Parliament building, where leaders gather to make legislative decisions, that’s not something you get to experience in America. Some people in America may never even see the White House in real life. 

Another benefit, and my favorite part of the trip, was being exposed to scenery that we could only dream of seeing in America, at least for me, coming from South Bend, Indiana. (By the way, someone literally referred to South Bend as the “armpit” of Indiana while we were in Ireland.) I’ve seen the ocean before, but never like the sights I saw in Ireland, especially at the top if Killiney Hill and the Cliffs of Moher, and even at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. These are some of the best memories I’ve made from this trip.

Dear Future Candidates,

If I had to say something to pass on to future study abroad candidates, I would say, first of all, do it. When I first heard about the trip, I was interested in it, but didn’t really look into it. It wasn’t until the professors sent me an email after the initial deadline that there were still spots open, that I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity.

 My next question, then, would be why not? Why not take the chance to experience a different culture and history? Sitting in a classroom can be boring, and let’s face it, how much of what you learn in a classroom are you going to remember after college? Or even 6 months from now? Studying abroad gives you an experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. 

If you never study abroad in college, you may never get the chance to travel after college. Once you get a “real” job, and start a family, you may never get the chance to have a trip like the one we just took. So, my advice, or “words of wisdom” to future candidates would be just that:

Do it! Why not?

Submit to Ireland

After visiting Ireland and meeting “real Irishmen” it was evident that the Irish people hold their history dear to them. As a group, we went on many tours and we were met with the same charismatic, knowledgeable, and proud Irish person everywhere we went.

I think the Irish identity is something that has only gotten stronger with time. The Irish are proud and resilient. Throughout history, the Irish have fought countless battles to secure the rights of their people, and although they were often unsuccessful, the Irish never gave up, they never wavered, and they always came back stronger than before.

While in Dublin, the mark left by the leaders of Easter Rising was shown almost everywhere. When we met at the Spire, we stopped at the General Post Office which was the site the rebels declared Ireland an independent republic. We were able to see the bullet holes on the pillars, and also the proclamation.

Mural of Bloody Sunday

Another event in history that left its mark was Bloody Sunday. In Northern Ireland, "The Troubles" were a turning point in their history and are remembered across the city of Derry. As we were walking through the Bogside, we were able to see the various murals on the sides of buildings depicting scenes from Bloody Sunday. There were also various flags, plaques, and memorials to commemorate the lives lost and battles fought.

 In Derry, I could still feel a divide between the people. There was an awkwardness to the community as if everyone was walking on eggshells, but at the same time displaying their views aggressively enough to warrant a similar behavior on the other side.

A reoccurring theme in our class readings is that the Irish people are extremely hospitable, and I definitely saw that in both Dublin and Derry. Even our servers at restaurants were extremely kind even though they didn’t have to fake it just to get tips, and the people at the stores we shopped in were welcoming and helpful.

I was expecting people to not be so fond of Americans, but the whole time I was there, I never encountered someone that treated me poorly. Robert Bell speaks of the Irish hospitality in Document B when he says, “Such a visit, so far from being deemed an intrusion, gave pleasure to every individual of the family, who were not only impelled by their natural feelings, but conceived themselves bound by a kind of sacred duty, to perform those acts of hospitality.”

Another personal example of mine is when we hiked to the top of Killiney Hill and I managed to come into contact with stinging nettle. I was honestly freaking out and so scared I was about to have a major reaction to it, but then a local man offered his help.

He stopped what he was doing and began to search through the brush for another type of plant to help the pain. Instead of just pointing it out, he got me the plant and helped me try to stop the burning. That just shows how kinds and selfless the Irish are and how willing they are to lend a hand.

The thing that stuck me the most was the history. Our country is relatively young, so to be able to see buildings, churches, schools, and castles that date back 1000 years, it was amazing. We cant get that here.
When a few of u went into the church Christ cathedral, my jaw dropped as I stepped in. I’m not a very religious person, but the sheer beauty of the building and its contents was almost bringing me to tears. I’ve honesty never seen anything like it.

Overall, I'm obsessed with my experience on this trip and I have so much respect and love for Ireland and its people. If I had a word of advice for future students going on this trip it would be: Submit to Ireland, experience all it has to offer even if it scares you. This trip has given me a gift that I will forever cherish. I was confined to my American bubble, but now I feel more aware of the world we live in, not to mention I've made such wonderful friends.

 Now that I’ve been to another country, I’m addicted, all I want to do is travel more, experience more, and see more. where shall we go next?

Who are the Irish?

Ireland is not just leprechauns and green beer. After visiting both Derry and Dublin, I have come to find out about he Irish culture. Meeting and interacting with the infamous, hospitable Irish was really what I experienced in my time in the country.

Dublin is the capital of Ireland and I could tel why that is. It is full of vibrant and lively culture with people who love to interact with tourists. One way I experienced this was when we explored the city of Dublin and learned about the tough history from a charismatic Irishman, Dr. Frank Cullen. He explained to us how the Vikings first took over Ireland, specifically Dublin and was called the "black pool". In Gaelic, black pool is translated to "duvh lin", which is now known as "Dublin".

Temple Bar is also a location we strolled through during our history lesson, which is a major tourist attraction. It is filled with pubs, restaurants, shops, and more that give off the Irish culture. The pubs were streaming with traditional Irish music and if you were lucky, even Irish dancing.

Temple Bar

Visiting Dublin lit a lightbulb in my head because I truly understand the Irish identity. In Robert Bell's "Document B", he discusses the characteristics of the Irish by stating, "...every man's door was open to a neighbor or a stranger" (72) and "...and if he could play on any instrument of music, or tell tales of old times calculated to excite the admiration of his hearers, the inhabitants of every neighboring cottage vied with each other for the honor of entertaining him as a guest" (73). I would agree with Bell because I have experiences this first hand.

Meeting Irishmen who were happy to help with directions or happy to talk to us Americans, treating us like we were friends. Also, watching music players entertain others at pubs or on the streets just for the fun of it, was what I saw in Ireland.

In Derry, we visited the famous Giant's Causeway. We first learned about this in William Carleton's, "A Legend of Knockmany". It was beyond beautiful and unique to be able to tour this location. Also, having the opportunity to visit a place we once read about in class was fascinating as well.

Giant's Causeway

During the lectured we had we learned about, "The Troubles" Derry faced. The one that stood out to me most was Bloody Sunday. It was a major event that is still commemorated to this day. Citizens were killed, fighting against internment and the ban on marches. 14 were killed and 13 others were injured.

Meeting Irish people in Derry was easier than in Dublin, since Dublin has more tourists there. I was fortunate enough to become friends with one in particular and she proved that the readings and my impressions of the Irish were correct. She showed kindness, willingness to help, and hospitality. It was a nice change to be able to meet authentic Irish people rather than meeting other Americans.

This study abroad experience has altered my life because I was shown there are more patient people who are willing to help strangers that I'm not used to much in America. Meeting professors in both Dublin and Derry benefitted my experience because I learned more about the history and culture of the Irish.

Cliffs of Moher

If you ever get the chance to study abroad in Ireland, you will have no regrets.

A Trip to the Giant's Causeway

Due to their ability to transcend time, stories are invaluable tools of communication. The characters and places used within a story are bearers of cultural values and history, solidifying their place in the greater entity that is the society itself.

The Giant's Causeway

One such location is the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, as its creation and lack of completion are key points in the story A Legend of Knockmany. While the scientific origins of the Giant’s Causeway involves volcanic lava, the legend places Fin M’Coul as the creator of the Causeway and tells that his work was interrupted due to the impending threat of the giant Cucullin.

A Legend of Knockmany manages to touch on both the history of the land and the mentality of its people. Though the story begins with Fin essentially leaving the job unfinished for fear of being killed by Cucullin, his triumph in the end leaves the impression that finishing the Causeway would be no trouble should he feel compelled to do so.

Fin’s triumph can be attributed to his own strength, but most of the praise goes to the quick wit of his wife Oonagh. In doing this the story establishes the strength of the Irish, their value on women in society, and a culturally significant landmark as facets of Irish culture that are worth remembering.

The importance of this story becomes even more apparent with the knowledge that Irish was originally only an oral language. There is a certain degree of showmanship present in repeatedly telling a story that is not solidified in a written format. While it is true that this repeated telling of the same story by multiple story tellers leaves room for variations in the story, it would seem that this variation is as important as the story itself.

The freedom that is present in oral storytelling is something that serves more to strengthen cultural identity rather than harm it. Each prospective storyteller is given the opportunity to alter the story in a way that they fell is more telling of the Irish culture and values, likely providing a more personalized and meaningful message for the listeners.

As a closing thought, I am curious to hear if anyone experienced a strong example of oral storytelling during our time in either Dublin or Derry? Personally I feel that our time with Gerry in the Guildhall would be a perfect example. Not only did he have the history memorized, but he presented it in a way that made the events feel alive and relevant even to this day.