Global Studies Ireland

 Hi all, the bloggers will write and post their blog on the Aran Islands tomorrow morning due to a full day and a late dinner! Here are some photos from the day.

*Due to the water related activities, we do not have any photos. We will load up the next post with tons! To start Day 5, the group was told to be at breakfast at 7:45, but with a few stragglers left sleeping in, (mostly) everyone was punctual for another impeccable breakfast, with orders including a traditional Irish breakfast, pancakes, a vegetarian option, as well as grab-and-go cereal, fruits, yogurts, and assorted beverages. After waking up some more and getting some fuel for the day, we were off to the Killary Fjord, the only thing in the way was an hour long bus ride through County Galway where we were all pleasantly were joined with music, played by me (Cat), and singing from most bus riders. The scenery was straight out of a movie and with the fog over the mountains with the water beneath, it made for a breathtaking view from any seat on the bus, even the very front where Jaiden found his place and his microphone to avoid car sickness and find his new passion for tour guide vo...

After an expeditious wake-up and egg-making from Van, the group had breakfast at 7:15 in the hotel. Breakfast consisted of the aforementioned eggs, cereals, scones, and coffee. Following this breakfast, the group promptly departed in a bus to the western part of Galway, Connemara. Around an hour into this bus ride, the group stopped along the road to get some fresh air, which, frankly, the windiness of the trip necessitated. After this break, the group was met by the unexpected traffic of sheep along the road, further delaying our trip.  Finally, after taking some photos as a group with the backdrop of Ireland's smooth green hills, we continued our journey to Connemara to begin our hike on The National Famine Way. This trail follows the path of famine emigrants during the Irish Famine of 1847 and begins at Strokestown Park in County Roscommon and ends in Dublin.  Beyond the essential historical context of this trail, the impressive natural landscape alongside it directly relat...

We started the day off with a 7:00 am wake-up to be ready for a 7:30 departure. Breakfast consisted of cereal, scones, coffee, and energy drinks. Following breakfast, we took a long walk through some beautiful scenery. We walked a trail along a river and saw the ruins of Blake Castle, which, according to Andy, was burnt down in the early 20th century and has since become a prime spot for the youth. We took a long scenic route (with sunshine) to the University of Galway, passing a track, joggers, and dog-walkers. The University of Galway is the institution our tour guide Andy graduated from and where his brother teaches. While at the university, we learned about Ireland's education department. Ireland has free public education, with a large percentage of students attending university, as well as a government fund for mature students, usually people who are older and would like to continue their education. While at the university, we saw a statue of the British crown, with a unicorn...

The day started with a 6:55 alarm that had most people scrambling down to the restaurant to try and get to breakfast by 7 am. After a nice breakfast, including cereal, fruit, and yogurt, we hopped on the bus around 8 am and headed off to Galway, kissing the Generator goodbye.  On the bus, a bunch of the lads played card games, including hearts and president, while the girls mostly listened to music and chatted about the upcoming day. After about an hour and a half in the bus, we made a pit stop at a rest stop with a McDonalds, and a Circle K, where most kids enjoyed snacks and beverages while others, such as myself (Jake) and Blake, enjoyed flapjacks and hash browns from McDonalds.  The rest of the ride was pretty quiet as I “tried” to play solitaire and think more about how I could connect what I learned yesterday about the Gaelic Athletic Association to my research after we passed a bunch of Gaelic clubs and fields/pitches. Also, I was fascinated with whether I knew of any G...

  After wrapping up dinner at The Norseman, in what felt like the longest day we might have ever felt, we ended the night with our first "bandana ceremony." The bandana is awarded to the student who most embodies the expedition spirit. The expedition spirit includes expanding comfort zones, being conscientious of local customs, and, in our case, fighting through jet lag. Last night, Cat Atchison won our first bandana for her spirit, enthusiasm (she was packed and ready five days before departure), and "expedition attitude!" After the ceremony, we got some much-needed rest (I got 9 hours for the first time in months), then headed down to get a mini Irish breakfast–one bacon, one egg, one sausage, one hash brown, toast, and baked beans–to get ready for our day!  Our first activity was a scavenger hunt in the Docklands area of Dublin! This was particularly interesting to me (James) as I am researching the impact of globalization in the "Silicon Docks." My res...

  Cead mile failte! (One hundred thousand welcomes!)  Our trip started off on Friday afternoon when we loaded into the sprinter vans at SG to head to Logan Airport. We met James at the airport and Max flew in from Geronimo, meeting us in Dublin. When we landed, our guides Sophie and Andy greeted us, along with Max. We took a short bus ride into Dublin to check in at the Generator. We were able to get some breakfast and spend a little time resting as we waited for rooms to be ready. Everyone remained in good spirits despite some exhaustion from the flight.  We gathered as a group around 12:15PM to review some of the plans for the day and then headed out for our first adventure in Dublin! We walked to a bus stop and enjoyed a double decker bus ride to the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) with the Na Fianna Gaelic Club. At Na Fianna, Cormac taught us the three ancestral Celtic sports of Ireland--Handball, Hurling, and Gaelic Football. With some of the local young members, w...

Welcome to our Global Studies Ireland Blog! We will post nightly entries here from faculty and students with reflections on the day and trip as a whole. Students will connect their reflections to their research and we will include photos as well. We will do our best to post each day depending on our access to the internet. In advance of the trip, students wrote mini introductions to give insight into what they are most excited about for the trip as well as what they are researching while in Ireland. Thanks for following our blog and we hope you enjoy it! Catherine Atchison Researching: Ireland’s natural landscape and geography - how each of those plays a role in the Irish economy, tourism, and agriculture, and how it can shape a pivotal role in daily life. Most Excited About: I am mostly looking forward to kayaking in the Killary fjord, and experiencing new culture! Christa Badoo Researching: I am researching competitive Irish dancing and how its impact on dancers worldwid...