Irish Lit is Lit

Coming to Ireland, I only knew the island for its drinking of Guinness and stories of deception and tales of the supernatural. Recently I adventured on the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl by accompanying three professional actors as they performed renditions of some of Ireland’s famous writers like James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Brendan Behan, Oscar Wilde, and many others.

This insightful tour gave me knowledge of past writer’s ideals through the portrayal of their famous works. I now can see the Irish for more than just the drinking I once believed was their talent. The voice and passion of the Irish now stand out most. Having both the intelligence and the charisma to produce such beautiful literature truly opened a different perspective to me.

Two actors performing "Waiting for Godot" at Dukes Pub

If the stories about the writers were not engaging enough for some, there was an added incentive to paying attention along the tour. When the pub crawl started at the Duke Pub in Dublin, the actors announced there would be a trivia challenge at the very end with two potential prizes to those who could answer the most correct answers about both the writers and their literary movements. Anyone with a competitive mindset was truly engaged after this point. After proclaiming the challenge, one actor then broke out into a famous interactive Irish song “Waxie’s Dargle.”

True Irish actor playing an Irish song in Dublin

The pub crawl then proceeds to tell more tales and famous songs of Irish history, most of which I was hearing for the first time. The most notable lectures tome where those by Oscar Wilde while we strolled through Trinity College. What we heard of his work through adversity was pervasive in a positive manor. His influence to me can be seen as having a voice and standing out even when others may not want to hear it. Wilde definitely had an impact of future writers.

The tour continued to go through M.J. O’Neill, then to The Old Stand, and finally concluding to Davy Byrnes. It was outside of this last pub where everyone regurgitated their brief trivial knowledge. Our class at IUSB worked semi-collectively to take one of the two prizes showing our commitment to excellence. Overall in regards to the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, I would definitely recommend everyone to indulge on this tour to not only see the city from an insider’s view, but to gain some knowledge on the people who helped shape literature in Ireland and made an impact on the city for the better. The tour has also received brilliant reviews! 

Pictured is myself, actor (I believe Finn was his name), my classmate David, and the other two awesome actors!

Special thanks to the three gentlemen actors that led our tour (whose names now escape me)…

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?

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

From South Bend to Dublin

When I think of Irish I instantly think of the color green and leprechauns due to the extreme stereotypes of St. Patrick’s Day. It did not help living in a town that religiously celebrates a college team called the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to enhance these views. In downtown South Bend, Indiana I have been going to the annual St.Paddy’s Day Tent Party and Pub Tour, where the whole town goes from bar to bar drinking green beer on the way. This event always gave me a sense of community that I also believed was a strong aspect of the Irish culture.

Plastic Paddys enjoying the South Bend Tent Party

Now that I have been learning about Ireland (for 3 weeks) with Indiana University of South Bend, I now know my assumptions were not completely accurate. Green beer would be a travesty in an Irish pub, to waste a good beer by tainting it with food coloring. I did not realize that both the GuinnessStorehouse and JamesonDistillery are located in Dublin, Ireland. Along with these two major alcohol corporations, I noticed by looking at google maps that there is a surplus of pubs in Dublin.

I am interested to see different places and try different foods. Hopefully we might run into some famous Irish celebrities such as U2 singer Bono, UFC fighter Conor McGregor, or former One Direction member Niall Horan to name a few. Seeing that the geographical size of Ireland is roughly the size of Indiana, and that the majority of the population resides in Dublin, it is a possibility to be star struck while out enjoying a pint of ale on our literary pub crawl.

Real Irishmen on a pub crawl

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?

Expectations of Ireland

It became apparent to me after the first class that, outside association with Guinness and Notre Dame, I did not have a clear expectation or impression of Irish culture. To be honest I had always taken these sources of Irish culture to be noting more than a part of their branding, so I had not related impressions of them back to the culture itself. For example, most of Notre Dame's impact on my life has revolved around their football games (American football). American football is not something I think of as being Irish, so once again the Irish ties seemed to be more of rallying cry for school spirit instead of a direct connection to Ireland itself.

Though we are only at the end of our third week in the class my expectations have already changed. From the stories and documents we have read from Ireland their culture seems to place considerable value in storytelling (this is something I was grateful to hear). At this moment I am most excited to see how prominent storytelling still is as part of their culture, specifically in the areas of film making and books. On the topic of storytelling I am curious to hear from others if they prefer films or books? Personally I feel that each form has its own benefits depending on the story, but overall I do prefer film.

Legend of Knockmany

It's Not All Leprechauns and Green Beer

Leprechaun

Like many people, when I thought of Ireland I thought of St. Patrick's Day, leprechauns, four leaf clovers and green beer. Much to my demise these Irish example are all false.

Throughout my course at IUSB - Everybody's Irish, I've learned some facts about what makes the Irish so special and it does not include leprechauns and green beer. Many of you may not realize that the country of Ireland was under the control of the British for 800 years before claiming their independence in 1921-1922. The people of this beloved country endured a massacre, battles, famine revolutions, rebellion, and discrimination laws known as Penal Laws. The country of Northern Ireland (6 most northern counties) remain under the control for the UK. 

Map Ireland and Northern Ireland 

According to readings I've read throughout this course, such as "Condy Cullen and the Gauger" and "A Legend of Knockmany" the Irish may be tricky, cunning and conniving folk. The readings I have mentioned are folk tales but seem to give a slight interpretation on how the people of Ireland are percieved. These two folk tales describe tricks and schemes the Irish people have pulled off in order to get the upper hand on an unwelcoming situation. Even though these tricks and schemes worked out for the Irish in the long run, what do you think would have happened if their conniving plans did not work out? Would they have tried to sweet talk their way out of the predicament or would they have retreated and confessed their wrong doing?

Although, these two readings could have been thought to depict hospitality. The sister of the giant Oonagh suggested inviting a stranger giant into her home for a snack before ever knowing the details on why her sister needed a distraction. It seemed like a natural thing for her to do. In the story of Condy Cullen, after the guager thinks he has out smarted and out witted Condy Cullen he invites him to have dinner with his wife and daughter. Though the circumstances in each situation were different the same evidence of hospitality was depicted. If you have read these two stories, which character trait do you think best represents the Irish? Hospitable or conniving?

*evidence from other readings and scholarly source welcome.