Category Archives: Uncategorized

“My only son was shot in Dublin,” I heard as I stepped onto Saint Patrick’s Street. I turned and followed the melodic strains drifting through the air, and as I got closer, I saw an elderly bearded man strumming his … Continue reading →

Today was a classically foggy Wednesday morning in Dublin. As the sun creeped up behind the hazy gray veil, I tossed on a sweater and slid on my thickest socks. I’ve always loved the rain. I think rain is a … Continue reading →

As I sit to write this reflection, it is like two months breezed by, and also like I have been on the island forever. So much has happened! I figured it would be best to break this blog post up … Continue reading →

“There’s a race of men that don’t fit in,     A race that can’t stay still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin,     And they roam the world at will. They range the field and they rove … Continue reading →

This post comes to you live from a homey bed & breakfast in Donegal County, owned by a sweet Irish family with a young granddaughter and two loud but friendly puppies. My fingers are still thawing from my hike in … Continue reading →

Through impeccable foresight on my part, I arrive in Ireland at 5am on the day of my program’s orientation. Air travel and I have an on-again off-again relationship, and after that flight we were not on speaking terms. For the … Continue reading →

Last month, I bought a €6 pack of oil pastels on my way back home from class. I was itching to start drawing again after abandoning it at the start of college. With my newfound free time and proximity to … Continue reading →

Ireland has been different than I expected. The first day I arrived, I was shocked by how American it felt, from the legging-and-jumper outfits to the ever-present mullets to the Taylor Swift playing in the background at Tesco. Over the … Continue reading →

Meeting new people here, the inevitable question always arises: “So,” they ask, “what do you study?” I tell them, “I study Old Irish and Middle Welsh language and literature.” “Oh!” They exclaim excitedly, “Do you have any Irish then?” Studying … Continue reading →

Before I arrived in Ireland, a friend of mine gave me a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses. In some impatience, I immediately flipped to the last few pages, to the famous “Molly Bloom” monologue. The last few words have always … Continue reading →

“A person from Northern Ireland is naturally cautious.” -Seamus Heaney (2008), Irish poet. For years, I wondered what it would be like to live in Northern Ireland (or the “North of Ireland,” depending on who you ask). My undergraduate program … Continue reading →

It’s very difficult to believe that my time in Ireland is almost over. In September, I am moving halfway across the world to Juneau, Alaska, where I’ll be working at a nonprofit focused on helping local governments across the state … Continue reading →