Ireland Study Abroad Experience

One of the first Irish readings we read before leaving to Ireland was an excerpt from “The Poor Scholar,” Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, which is based on (or at least influenced by) William Carleton’s personal experiences in Ireland.

Picture from "The Poor Scholar"

 A powerful statement helping define the Irish identity is when the famous Irish author Carleton wrote, “An Irishman will make you laugh at his joke, while the object of that joke is wrapped up from you in the profoundest mystery, and you will consequently make the concession to a certain point of his character, which has been really obtained by a faculty you had no penetration to discover, or, rather, which he had too much sagacity to exhibit. Of course, as soon as your back is turned, the broad grim is on him, and one of his cheeks is stuck out two inches beyond the other, because his tongue is in it-at your stupidity, simplicity, or folly.” (Carleton, 260-261).

 We all took a weekend to describe what this phrase meant. To me, this defines the Irish as being coy, and left me the impression that the Irish would be deceitfully fake. There was an underlying theme that pointed out others to be the butt-end of their jokes and to yank on and make fun of these others in subtle and keen ways. Although this is an impressive feat for people that I initially thought were under-educated in comparison to others, the Irish culture blew my expectations away almost as soon as I landed.

The vast historical knowledge the Irish have predates the United States. Some of history is well known among Irishmen while other have different variations of stories (due to different upbringings and different perspectives from the past and present tensions of catholic and protestant.) An example I can think of that fits the above quote to the explanation of the formation of Giant’s Causeway. Science has explained this natural phenomena being formed by lava. A bus driver in Dublin had told our professor of how he would tell tourists that scientists were all wrong about this formation. He would proceed to tell visitors the tales of the legendary Fionn MacCool (FinnMcCool) as solely responsible and not the preposterous molten lava. Although he was kidding, he was persuasive and funny. 

Pictured is myself on Giant's Causeway

True Irishmen hold heart to the incredible history of their lands and that is what makes America different from Ireland. Here, in the states, people are so eager to conform to change. Everything and everyone are always moving so fast to update and pave new roads and paths without being conscious of what lies underneath. The Irish are a proud community that may fight as brothers and sisters at times (between the Republic and the North,) but their faith and voice carry themselves through even the most adverse moments. The “Fighting Irish” has only stood for Notre Dame to me, but after visiting Ireland I now understand the name.

Irish flag flying outside Kilmainham Gaol

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.

The Gift of Gab- Fairytale Storytellers of the Irish

My first impression of Ireland when was I was just five years old. Not that I remember much from that trip, I can still reminisce about the green fields and open water when I was able to experience the Cliffs of Moher. I also vaguely remember the Blarney Stone and acquiring the "gift of gab".

Cliffs of Moher

My heritage is primarily from Ireland so I was excited to learn the history behind this culture. Throughout the course at IUSB- Everybody's Irish, we have been well informed about the struggles the Irish went though in order to gain independence from the British in 1921. While reading the fairytale stories that the Irish culture grew up learning and sharing from generation to generation, such as Legend of Knockmany and Condy Cullen and the Gauger, it helped me open my eyes about how this culture is about entertaining each other through stories. Through these stories, I became knowledgeable about how witty and hospitable the Irish culture is.

Dublin Castle

I am excited to take adventures in Ireland when we go in a week and to experience the culture we have learned through class. Going to the Giant's Causeway, the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin pub crawls, seeing castles and churches,
and the country side. It will be a great trip abroad for an experience we will never forget!

What is everyone else excited about in Ireland?