Fresh Perspective

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Marian Royston (Queens University, Belfast)

I’ve been in Belfast for nearly two months now, and I’ve settled in well to my new environment. As this is my first time properly traveling outside of the United States, everything about my Mitchell year will be new to me. Thus far, I’ve enjoyed learning new things, seeing a new landscape, and meeting new people. Many of my experiences have been as I imagined them, but others have been completely unexpected. One of the most delightfully unexpected aspects of my time here is the opportunity to learn more about myself in the context of another culture.

Studying history during my undergraduate career taught me to understand and appreciate the culture of different regions while understanding how I fit into the social fabric of the society in which I live. When I arrived in Belfast I felt that I had a firm grasp of who I was and what I represented. I expected my perception of what it means to be an American challenged, but I didn’t expect my perception of my personal background to be challenged. Although I love who I am and where I come from—America, the South, Alabama—I wasn’t truly aware of the social, pressures and stigmas that constrained me in the United States until I was suddenly free of them.

What I mean is, here I don’t feel the weight of being a black woman in America bearing on me. The people here don’t understand the long history of black womanhood in America or the social tightrope that we feel ourselves walking daily. Moreover, they don’t know the long history of the South or what it means to be a Southerner. The history of my race, gender, and region that I belong to in the States isn’t an issue here. Instead, I’m simply an American studying in Belfast, and it’s a truly liberating feeling.

I’ve been able to reflect on the state of myself and American culture in a way that renews my resolve to better both. I think that’s the beauty of experiences like these: being able to take a step back and see the whole picture rather than fragments. Here, all of the pieces that make me who I am are united for the first time. I don’t have a fragmented identity. I’m able to live as I was meant to, and when I return home I’ll surely continue doing so without caution or fear. Some of this self-discovery may simply be natural maturation, but I’m sure that process is being accelerated by fresh perspective.

I wonder what kinds of social pressures and stigmas inhibit women here in Ireland. Surely this isn’t a personal phenomenon or even an American one. No, invisible restraints must be a part of belonging to a cultural group. Living in a new place has helped me to identify mine and break free of the undesirable ones. I don’t think I will go home with any radical personality changes. But, I will have a new found self-awareness and confidence. That alone will make this entire experience worthwhile.

I don’t know what the rest of the year has in store for me, but I’m eager to continue to learn and grow.

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Settling In

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Robin Tipps (National University of Ireland, Galway)

Today marks my third full month in Ireland. I must say, August 10th seems like a lifetime ago.  Although semester feels like it has flown by (especially as my final essay due dates creep closer), the days of scrambling around Galway trying to convince prospective landlords to rent their apartments to me despite my lack of an Irish bank account are long gone.

When I first arrived in Ireland, I created a mental list of the things I looked forward to the most about living abroad. Naturally, the prospect of visiting famous European sites and trekking through the Irish countryside excited me. I couldn’t help imagining the places I would visit and the things I would see. And, thus far, I have not been disappointed. I’ve been fortunate enough to walk to the edge of the Cliffs of Moher, hike through the Burren, enjoy a pint at one of the three pubs on Inis Oírr, and utterly lose my way trying to find Barcelona’s awe-inspiring Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (totally worth the hour of aimless wondering). But for all the time I spent focusing on the places I’d visit, I overlooked the most impactful aspect of my time abroad: the people I would meet.

Truly, the people I’ve come across and new friendships I’ve made over the past few months make the Mitchell year so special. First off, the other Mitchell Scholars are an incredible group of people. How a group of folks my age could amass such accomplishments is beyond me. Yet everyone is incredibly kind and down-to-earth. I do not know how the selection committee does it, but I could not have imagined a more fun and genuinely interesting group of people to spend a year abroad with. Be it discussing educational policy over dinner in Dublin or dancing at the Roisin Dubh to an Irish alt band whose lead singer wears a lampshade as a hat, my greatest memories of Ireland center around the time I spend with my Mitchell Family.

In addition to the Mitchell community, my classmates and professors at NUIG could not have made me feel more at home. All of my professors have been eager to take me on a sampling of the many restaurants around town or offer tips on the must-sees of Western Ireland. Although Galway is home to over 200,000 residents, it still retains a small-town feel. I can walk from my apartment on the famed Long Walk to NUIG’s campus across town in just under thirty minutes, and each time I do, I seem to run into a familiar face who insists on buying me a “cuppa tea.” Just last week, I spent an hour at a cafe overlooking the River Corrib with a professor discussing the history of Brehon Law and comparing it to traditional forms of tribal governance.

As for my classmates, I don’t think a week has gone by without someone asking a variant of, “How are you getting along in Galway?” Everyone goes out of their way to make sure I am making the best of my time in Galway and exploring everything West Ireland has to offer. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I had a recent craving for cranberry sauce. Not homemade cranberry sauce with whole cranberries and orange zest that someone spent hours carefully concocting, but canned cranberry sauce. Something about that jiggly, artificially flavored mound tastes like the Thanksgiving season to me. Unfortunately, it’s nowhere to be found over here. One classmate, however, upon hearing about my craving, somehow found and gave me a can of cranberry sauce before my Advanced Legal Research course.

I’ve also found that one other American tradition has made its way across the Atlantic. Luckily for me, I found a group of classmates who follow the NFL almost as obsessively as I do. My Sundays are spent at Garveys Inn in Eyre Square watching my Dallas Cowboys do their best to take years off my life, consoling Galway’s resident Jets fan over Geno Smith’s most recent interception, and arguing that the read option is still a viable professional offense. Timing can be a problem as games do not kick off until 6PM over here, and the late game generally lasts until 4AM. Thankfully, the inn owner regularly lets us finish watching the day’s action long after the bar officially closes.

Here’s to many more interesting experiences over the next eight months.

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My Time So Far

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Lucas Mason-Brown (Trinity College Dublin)

Today marks the end of my first two months in Dublin. I am slowly adjusting to the unstructured life of a graduate student in mathematics. Although I am the only student in my program (a one year research degree in mathematics), I find it stimulating nonetheless, thanks, in part, to a fantastic academic advisor – a lively thirty-something russian-born wunderkind. During our first meeting he told me, over a plate of pirogies, that he was the true inventor of Napster and that his algorithms were stolen while he was napping (has anyone seen the Italian Job?). It’s been an interesting two months.

When I’m not doing math, I’m exploring the city with the other four Mitchells in Dublin. With over a million people, Dublin is not a small city. But its compact city center gives it the feel of a small provincial town rather than a big European metropolis. About a month ago, a good friend from college moved to Dublin to do some reporting (he’s looking for work, so get in touch if you have any leads. Seriously). All together, we have a nice little crew. Some of us took the bus to Galway a few weeks ago to visit Tom for the weekend. It’s a beautiful little town with a very warm culture, and I’d like to visit again before the year’s over.

I write this on the bus back from Glendalough, a scenic glacial valley in Wicklow national park. It is the site of a medieval monastery, surrounded by a forest of ferns and mossy oak trees. It was a peaceful afternoon, and I’m glad to be in Ireland.

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Parting thoughts

Posted on May 30, 2013 by pdekoning13

As my year in Ireland approaches its end, I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to spend an amazing year on this island. I have met awesome individuals, seen beautiful landscapes, learned a tremendous amount about the history of a feisty people, and made countless memories that will stay with me long after my departure.

My passion for security and conflict resolution brought me to Ireland, and I feel like my year here has given me a more profound appreciation for how important these issues remain. Though I initially became dedicated to working on international security issues out of a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, I came to work on nuclear policy and broad military strategy, which – while critical to global stability – made it difficult to feel connected to the people I sought to help. During this past year, encounters with former terrorists and paramilitaries and conversations with the families of their victims helped me develop a new perspective on the way insecurity touches people’s everyday lives. Such experiences have humbled me, and I hope I can maintain a connection to the human aspects of security as I keep working on these issues after my scholarship.

Delving into the history of the conflict in Northern Ireland furthermore awakened my curiosity in a variety of new areas. I still believe that achieving security remains the most important thing for societies to thrive. Yet learning more about how key economic stability is necessary to maintain peace in Northern Ireland helped me realize that gaining a deeper understanding of economics and development is critical if I ever want to make a significant difference in the realm of international security.

On another note, my year on the Mitchell Scholarship has been marked by fascinating travels throughout Europe, but it is my traveling throughout Ireland itself that has most marked me. On a drive to from Killarney to Galway with my mom, who was visiting for a few days, we found signs pointing towards little-known Portumna Castle, which we gleefully turned towards. We soon discovered a spookily barren yet beautiful building (pictured below), with a rich and painful history – it was owned by members of the Protestant ascendancy and served for years as a hub of repression against the largely landless Catholic population in Connaught. I encountered countless unexpected surprises during my year here, and came to realize that nothing gives me more of a thrill than driving toward a destination only to find hidden treasures along the way.

Portumna Castle, Co. Galway

Though I am now in the United States for my sister’s college graduation, I hope I can cram as many amazing new experiences into my last couple weeks in Ireland, before hopefully moving onto something else as exciting.

Posted in Class of 2013, Dublin City University, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Surprises in my Mitchell Experience

Posted on May 20, 2013 by kdwyer13

This year isn’t what I had planned.

In many ways, I have done what I set out to do with my Mitchell year: I traveled, I studied, I met amazing people, I did work I am proud of, and I am leaving with a more complete understanding of myself and my goals. I am so glad that I had the chance to study human rights and international law from this particular vantage point, seeing global issues through the particular frame of a staunchly peaceful country from this European perspective. Some of the people I have met in my classes and in my volunteer work are folks I hope to maintain as friends and touchstones over the long term. I feel fulfilled, and tremendously grateful.

However, I also got a whole dose of experiences I did not expect.

Aside from the above, and my joyful exploration of Ireland’s beauty and culture, this year has been about music. That wasn’t planned. And it’s been about music in this totally offbeat way, which has repeatedly taken me on the road with rock artists from the UK, touring Ireland with some of the big emerging artists.

Like several Mitchell Scholars before me, I have become romantically entangled with an Irish guy.   The Gentleman in Question is a music photographer, so I’ve had the chance to witness the music industry from the inside: the joys and struggles of touring; the complexity of the business/artist relationships; and the pure adrenaline-fueled passion of the live performance. I have seen some concerts that left me reeling with joy afterward. I’ve been mistaken for a band manager, have been backstage at the RTE TV recording studios, and have put my writing skills to work as a guest music blogger.

A year and a half ago when I was applying for the Mitchell Scholarship, I never would have imagined that I would spend my year in Ireland partially wrapped up with pop music and the art scene on this side of the world. But I am so glad I did. When I travel, I always try to do one thing that most people don’t get to do. In Chile, it was taking a two-seater flight with a student pilot. This year it’s been seeing Frank Turner perform eight times, and witnessing Bastille front man, Dan Smith, hoist my boyfriend through the suspended ceiling backstage.

It’s meant that my year has been a bit bi-polar. I’ve dashed from a late-night gig to an early-morning meeting with ex-prisoners, or rushed from a class presentation to a sold-out show. I’ve balanced schoolwork with adventure in a way that was of great importance to me, and which is very Irish at its roots: I’ve prioritized relationships and enjoyed the “craic,” and then showed up and got the work done as well.

My Mitchell year has moved me forward with my goals, my academic hopes, and my ever-expanding network in my chosen field.   However, it’s also put me as a ‘guest backup singer’ in front of 3,000 people.  That wasn’t the plan, but it’s made for quite the journey.

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Bubble or Hub

Posted on May 16, 2013 by rcarlson13

When I first arrived at Trinity, one of the first features of the school I noticed was its location.  Trinity sits at the convergence of three of Dublin’s busiest thoroughfares.  The first is Dame Street, where greasy chip shops frame stern entrances to Dublin City Hall and Dublin Castle, and pubs come classy (lampshades, decorative jazz pianos, maroon upholstery—the works).  The second is Grafton Street, cobblestone jungle where dreams are made (oh), where busking musicians vie for volume as they try to pull a Glen Hansard and make it big one tourist at a time.  Trinity’s third artery is O’Connell Street, passageway to the north side, its buildings shrinking from megaplexes to miniscule Malaysian buffets as you walk farther along.  Standing at Trinity’s wrought-iron front gates as a new student, I tried to take in all of this, and couldn’t wait to step into the confusion.

Yet, the more time I spent at Trinity, the more the campus became a small world.  On numerous occasions, my classmates mentioned feeling insulated as the year progressed and we burrowed deeper into our schoolwork. Despite its centrality to the city, there were moments when Trinity felt as remote as a small liberal arts school in the Berkshires.  I quickly realized that my mere location would not bring Dublin to me.  How I chose to live the city would determine how I experienced the campus: as a hub or as a bubble.

One way I ventured beyond Trinity’s walls was by beginning an internship in Maynooth, in County Kildare. Early last year, I began working for Trócaire, an Irish nonprofit that leads numerous environmental and agricultural livelihoods projects in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Specifically, I decided to assist Trócaire’s advocacy for tax transparency in oil, gas, and mining industries.  While I entered the project based on my interest in water issues surrounding mines and pipelines, I quickly became fascinated by the politics of financial transparency and tax issues.

Trocaire’s transparency advocacy addresses a complicated challenge: the unrealized potential of rich natural resources—magnets for multinational investment—to benefit domestic communities.  According to Action Aid, illegal capital flows, endemic in mining and oil projects, leak as much as seven times the value of inward official aid from developing countries every year. In order to stem this flow, Trócaire is an active lobbyist in Brussels for EU Accounting and Transparency Directives, new legislation that requires multinationals to publically disclose their payments to state actors. Contributing to Trócaire’s efforts to support revenue monitoring has been a rewarding and inspiring way to link my academic learning to Irish and EU policymaking.

In addition to my internship, my peers have helped me experience the broader social context of my year here. My Mitchell family, classmates, and I have traveled to Galway, Cork, Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, London, and Paris together, with potential trips to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco in the near future.  Talking and traveling with these lifelong friends refreshes my perspective on my academic year, and helps me appreciate coursework as pleasurable instead of stressful.

Bike ride along Dublin Bay with Ben and Mona

After 11 months in Ireland, I will leave Dublin with a renewed sense of place.  Certainly, I’ve relished the culture and conveniences accessible at the heart of Dublin.  Ultimately, however, it has been my outreach experiences and relationships that have enlivened my surroundings.  After all, actions and not coordinates will determine my place in my society, country, and world.

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Looking Back

Posted on May 14, 2013 by awilliams13

I’ve written most of my posts about the people who turn ordinary days into extraordinary ones. As a group of friends we have given ourselves the title of “Elephants” – we are loud, clumsy, and have big personalities. At times there are only 3 or so in the library, at other times 14 in the pub. This group of friends – from extremely diverse backgrounds – will forever mark my time in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

We’ve spent the last few weeks attempting to say good bye, knowing that it will be difficult, although certainly possible, to connect in the future. Knowing that my time is coming to a close, I’ve tried to remember my first impressions of Derry/Londonderry, the class, and INCORE (where my academic program is housed).

The first days in INCORE were terrifying, we were horribly nervous after being asked, “So, what’s your research topic?” I knew, albeit loosely, that I wanted to write on political graffiti and its relationship to space and conflict. I didn’t know that after ten months of thinking about this topic, I’d finally be able to begin to put words to paper about what I had the opportunity to see happen in Bahrain. I certainly didn’t know that I’d have the opportunity to mesh my classroom experiences with the community I was living in in such a practical way.

Derry/Londonderry initially felt extremely isolated from the rest of the island. As I’ve lived here, and had the occasion to work with different communities, I’ve learned more about its complexities and now it seems as if there are days when the entire world exists in a few city blocks. Today I went to the play “Re-energize,” about a punk rock band, based outside the city, trying to reform. Laughing at the jokes, finally, came naturally.

The Elephants became instant friends, the way you hope when you move some place new. We’ve celebrated birthdays, assignments, and holidays together, always making it as big a deal, if not bigger, as it should be. We’ve seen each other through some hilarious, and often awkward, situations. We’ve made tea, ate too much food and indulged in too many nights out. Elephants, thanks for helping me find my way through.

I feel like I’ve learned a lot over the year, inside and outside the classroom. There have been challenges, especially when navigating the nuances of a divided city, but all have helped me learn more about life from the place I’m in. Mostly, as I leave the island after a few weeks, I’ll know that I’ll always have a place to come back to, and a couch to sleep on.

Posted in Class of 2013, University of Ulster | Leave a comment

A Spiritual Feast for the Senses, or How a Monk Catches a Submarine on a Bicycle

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Catherine Skroch
Glenstal Abbey

If an old monk ever offers to take you on a walk through an enchanted forest, always say yes.

In April, we had the chance to visit Glenstal Abbey, a Benadictine monastery outside of Limerick. More than one former Mitchell scholar had told me that this was one of their favorite experiences from their year, and Trina had said that the Abbot Patrick Hederman is a true spiritual guru. As someone who finds much significance in spirituality and religious traditions, I was intrigued.

As our coach approached the Abbey, I saw what they had been talking about. Glenstal is set on a seventeenth century Italian-style wildlife sanctuary. Above the main stone archway is the bronze motto of the Abbey: “PAX,” meaning “peace.” According to their website, “A monastery is a place where peace reigns…a place apart, where all may find peace, quiet, recollection, and ultimately God Himself.” My kind of place.

Founded in 1927, the monastery now has a boy’s boarding school, a farm, a guest house, and hosts regular seminars. The 50 monks assemble in the church five times per day for prayer and chanting. Benedictine monks have been following this daily rhythm more or less since the sixth century.

We were greeted by Brother Anthony – with his walking stick but without his shoes. He has dedicated his life to studying horticulture and caring for the Abbey grounds. He led us on a forest hike and got us to experience the flora and fauna by encouraging us to touch the tree bark and smell the pinecones. He told us whimsical stories of past monks, such as Winsoc Mertens – the first soldier ever to capture a submarine on a bicycle.

Legend goes that before Winsoc was a monk at Glenstal, he was a part of the Army Corps of Cyclists. During the first World War, he was tasked to patrol the sea shore on his bicycle. One day, he spotted a submarine periscope in the water and cycled to alert the authorities. They were able to intercept the submarine off the coast, and Winsoc and his bike saved the day!

After our nature walk, we were introduced to Abbot Patrick Hederman and shared tea and the most beautiful cakes, handmade by the monks. Abbot Hederman and the other monks again surprised me with their pop culture savvy mixed with profound wisdom. They converse as if they have all the time in the world and as if everyone’s contributions are vital insights. If only we all actively listened like this.

We were then led into the vaulted cathedral, which I was (again) surprised to see is decorated in a style that Hederman described as “pop art meets 16th century gothic.” The garish primary colors contrast the serenity elsewhere in the Abbey, but somehow it works. We were treated to a concerto played on an ancient organ, and were enveloped by the most haunting Celtic spirituals, including a funeral dirge beyond words.

Glenstal Abbey

We were treated to an organ concert in the pop art-colored chapel at Glenstal Abbey.

The Abbot then took us into the crypt of Orthodox icons from around the world, and told us the miraculous and curious stories of how each icon came to rest there. We then attended vespers in Latin and I think I had shivers the whole time.  I only snapped out of this reverie when it was time to say goodbye.

I can barely put into words what a profoundly spiritual experience it was for me. At some point during the day, every single sense was engaged in with God. Seeing the beauty of nature. Smelling the pinecones and incense. Feeling the moss beneath my feet and the cool stillness of the crypt. Tasting the tea and cakes made with care. Hearing the music and the prayers that were truly otherworldly.

When we filed back onto the bus, I thought to myself, “what just happened?” Indeed, these sensory memories will stay with me, and Glenstal Abbey will go down as one of my favorite experiences on this island as well.

Posted in Class of 2013, Queen's University Belfast | Leave a comment

On the hunt for Irish relations

Posted on May 13, 2013 by kkirkpatrick13

“Do you have relations from Ireland?” is, without fail, one of the first questions that Irish people will ask when they find out you are American. It is a fair question, given the extensive Irish Diaspora and the country’s ‘special relationship’ with the United States. It is an even better question since I live in Cork, from where, it seems, half of America’s great great grannys and grandpas seemed to have been born or immigrated. However, my answer to the Irish relations question over the course of my Mitchell year has always been a confident (if somewhat apologetic), “no, no Irish relations or roots to speak of.” My family is not very genealogically inclined, but I was always told that we were of pure Scottish origins – descendents of the land of shortbread, smoky whisky, kilts, and (the indisputably best James Bond) Sean Connery.

Much to my surprise then, when I called home a few months ago, my Dad said “You know, I think your grandma mentioned something about having ancestors from Ireland.” He and my stepmom dug up the scrap piece of paper where my grandmother had written various family facts, and sure enough, it noted that my great great grandfather was born in Cork in 1845. ‘Thanks Dad, I thought, you couldn’t have thought of this 10 months ago when I moved to Ireland, and before I started lying to half the population of the country about my heritage.’

While the legitimacy of that scrap of paper is questionable, I figured a bit of family tree investigation would be a fun project at the least. I mentioned it to my good friend Jo here in Cork, and it turns out there is little else Irish folks love more than finding an American’s ancestral connection to the home country. Jo (and her entire family) have taken on the mission with vigor.

Last week, we paid a visit to Nell in Carrigtwohill, a small town three train stops down the line from Cork, where Jo grew up. Nell minded Jo and her siblings growing up, and her husband Carl conveniently has a hobby/business tracking down people’s (mostly Americans’) Irish ancestors. Jo and I showed up at the doorstep with a “thank-you-for-helping-me-discover-my-identity” lemon tart (always good to bring citrus-themed baked goods to Irish tea), and we spent the next few hours having a lovely chat. Like many good conversations in Ireland, the conversation weaved from how I have been enjoying my experience at UCC, to the sad news that the family cat had to be put down last month because of a hemoraging tumor, to the new ducklings that Jo’s father brought home from the wildlife park, to the couple’s recent vacation to Poland (shaky amateur home videos included, of course). The visit eventually wrapped up, I told Carl I would email him the name and dates I had for my family, and off we went (very little business happens in Ireland on a first visit).

And so the hunt has begun.

Whether something comes of it or not, I don’t really mind. That afternoon’s cuppa and chat were enough to call the project a success in my mind. More than that, it was a reminder of the warmth and hospitality that I have experienced here in Ireland – whether it is an invitation to Easter dinner with Granny, a cooked breakfast in bed after a late night out, or an offer to use the shower when my hot water goes out (again), my friends here in Ireland never cease to amaze me with their generosity. As the Mitchell year finishes up in the next couple of months, I find comfort in the fact that this kindness and friendship will be a part of my life forever. No matter the outcome of my investigation into my family heritage, I know that Ireland will always be a home.

Posted in Class of 2013, University College Cork | Leave a comment

Lessons from Ireland

Posted on May 13, 2013 by mlotfipour13
Enjoy
Explore
Experience

Eight months ago, I sat in a corner of terminal A6 in the Philadelphia International airport waiting for my red eye flight to Dublin. I began to list goals for my year in Ireland. I was not exactly sure what to expect. In addition to the traditional academic and social justice pursuits, this list was a bit  broader (on purpose) and personal. Somewhere in the last four years, in between preparing taxes, public health initiatives, and genetic research, I did not have the opportunity to intentionally focus on these goals. As my year in Ireland is coming to an end, I wanted to take the time to think about these initial goals and what lessons they have turned into.

1. Talking about our (often insignificant) problems is one our greatest addictions. It is best to break the habit and talk about our joys. This is probably the greatest lesson I have gained. Work is for work while relaxing is for being home and enjoying both yourself and the company of others. It is okay to turn our minds off to let it recover. When I ask my Irish housemate how work went, he does not complain or tell me all of the annoying things that happened throughout his day. Rather, he focuses on things that he is looking forward to (maybe going to the cinema or grabbing a pint) now that the work day has ended. Stressing and complaining about our problems only makes the unhappy parts of the day seem longer. After much reflection on my last few years, I’ve realized how much work dictated every minute of every day. A healthier approach (that I’m still working on) is to work hard and teach our bodies and minds to relax and enjoy the pleasures that every day brings by focusing and looking forward to the good.

2. Feel insignificant as often as possible. I do not mean small insignificant, rather small in comparison to the universe. Travel. Explore people and cultures. Grasp how big our world is. Visit the ocean as much as possible. Lay on the Cliffs of Moher looking over the Atlantic Ocean and take a deep breath in (If that does not make you feel insignificant, I’m not sure what would). Drive around the Dingle Peninsula and soak in the beauty of it all. Stop and look at every single rainbow you come across (especially double rainbows). Seek sunrises and sunsets. Travel some more. When flying – focus on how far up in the sky over the clouds you are. Being in the midst of clouds gives the same feeling as when looking out into the never-ending ocean, or a never ending mountain range. Ireland’s beauty has rekindled my sense of adventure that I hope to never lose again.

3. Do not miss an opportunity to share experiences. Never, and i mean never, say no to a cup of tea (feel free to say no to the milk). Even if you do not want any more caffeine or if you have a deadline coming up in a few hours. Explore new foods with friends.Similarly, always be willing to have a pint (or a Jameson if a pint of Guinness is just too big, or you can try adding a shot of blackcurrent to the Guinness to make it yummy) or go to a random gig. Enjoy the atmosphere of live music.  Some of my greatest moments in Ireland have been at the most inconvenient times (oh paper due at midnight? A 5:30 am flight the next day?) This year has been as much about my academic work (understanding inequalities in our global community) as it has been about experiencing community and friendships on this island.  Having incredible experiences with my Irish friends, lovely international classmates, and Mitchell loves has been the cherry on the top of an unforgettable year.
I know that because of these lessons in how to enjoy, explore, and experience , I’ll always have a piece of Irish wisdom with me .
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Further Afield in Ireland

Posted on May 13, 2013 by cwalsh13

Not nearly enough of April was spent on schoolwork. This is, perhaps, completely fine. I’m not sure if Mitchell Scholars are supposed to say things like that, but it’s the truth. For the past month, two of my best friends, Mark and Lizzie, made separate journeys to come see me here in Galway. Our goals were to see the somewhat less seen (if no less scenic) parts of Ireland. Everyone’s heard of the Cliffs of Moher and the Giant’s Causeway. Dublin and Galway are handsomely furnished with Celtic Tiger-era tourism offices and easily navigated with the help of a Lonely Planet or Fodor’s. We asked, “What about Clare Island?” How about Rann na Feirste and Gaoth Dobhair? Skibbereen? Portmagee? These are places with sparse guide book entries and even sparser access to public transportation. They are the places to meet the locals and see another side of Ireland.

In Anagaire, the local garda and the local ne’er-do-well sit together at the bar, debating how long it takes to get to the nearest jail. At Skibbereen’s Famine History/Marine Biology Center (an obvious pairing?), you have the choice of two informational videos: one ‘Suffering,’ and the other, ‘Death.’ On Clare Island, you can meet the whole island in the pub, get chased by a herd of sheep, and even find someone to give you a ride back to Westport the next day. Belfast might be home to the only Chinese-Mexican fusion fast-food (Wok-a-Molé, I’ll love you forever) restaurant in this time zone. It turns out, there’s an almost forgotten, 2000 year old Celtic ring fort in the middle of the Burren in County Clare, and the cobbler’s shop in Dingle actually becomes a pub after hours. The point is, Ireland is weird and it’s time we appreciated it as such.

My friends were good sports to indulge me during April. Mark and I did our meager best to keep a turf fire lit for a few cold days in a cottage in Donegal (along with Mitchells Kelly and Cath!). Lizzie was kind enough to tolerate (and even encourage) tableau vivant-style reenactments, throughout Galway City, of 2011’s major motion picture, The Guard. Everyone got either sunburned or soaked on Inis Mór, and I had a close call with a mud pit while searching for St. Brendan’s well on Valentia Island. Mark and I accidentally set off the security alarms at Dunguaire Castle, and Lizzie found out that bog-covered mountains are quite slippery after a fresh rain.

Travelling to the somewhat less-travelled-to places with dear friends is an opportunity to reflect on the past year, on the growth and change that have taken place since graduating last spring. It also sets the scene for having a bit of a think about the future.  As this year in Ireland starts to wind down, I’m left with more questions than I began with.  I imagine that’s the way these things are supposed to work, and I hope to always be asking myself questions, to be thinking critically about the work I’m engaged in, and to be pursuing meaningful long-term goals. But that is the future. Right now, there are few more months to revel in the wacky and wild off-the-map places that make Ireland such a special and memorable experience.

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In The Interim

Posted on May 13, 2013 by byoung13

On May 9th, Belfast Exposed, a gallery in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, had an opening for its two new exhibitions: Northern Ireland: 30 Years of Photography and Interim, an exhibition of the mid-program work from University of Ulster Belfast’s MFA Photography students. I count myself lucky to learn and be exhibited alongside the fine group of individuals in this latter show, and truly honored to put up work in the same gallery as those included in the former.

The Belfast Exposed announcement of our show, Interim:

http://www.belfastexposed.org/news/story.php?story=339

Interim was the result of the work of 16 MFA students over the past academic year. We have grown together and learned from one another as well as from our tutors. I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to study in Belfast and with this program. I included two pieces in this exhibition.  The first, only visible on postcards and the Interim poster, is a film still from a video I shot of cherry blossoms at night. The work is inspired by my time in Japan and seeks to evoke feelings of memory through its subject matter, imagery, and the tension between moving and still image.

This is the poster from the show displaying a film still from this work:

The second, main piece I included in this show is a still video shot of a clock (without a second hand) played on a loop. The video quality makes it difficult at first to determine whether the work is a photograph or video.

While my travels unfortunately made it impossible to attend the opening of this exhibition, I have come to see that Interim is indeed an appropriate title not only for this exhibition but also for my involvement in the course and in Belfast. This is due to the fact that I have decided to stay on with the course through the autumn semester, despite the conclusion of my Mitchell year. I am greatly looking forward to my continued participation in the course and my additional time in Belfast.

So rather than looking back and reflecting on my Mitchell year, I must admit that for me this is really only the interim, both in terms of my time here and the extent to which this experience will shape my artistic career and my personal life. The long reaching effects of this scholarship and my months on this island are still only beginning to be felt and I feel as though I have just settled into my life here and the true growth is on the horizon.

I would like to thank everyone who supports the Mitchell Scholarship and who made this year possible for myself and my fellow Mitchell classmates. I am so happy and blessed to be where I am and to have had this opportunity, and I only hope that I am able to repay this blessing through a future devoted passionately to this work and to a continued love of Belfast.

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