I’ve been studying at the University College of Dublin for about 3 months now! I’ve loaded up on my Irish literature, art, and history modules, so while I may not be the most knowledgeable person on Irish history- I’d like to think I’m almost there!
Dublin has been absolutely phenomenal, and is of course vital to major Irish historical events, but what better way to gain a deeper understanding than to take a train up to Northern Ireland? Fellow friends and I studying at UCD (University College of Dublin) from Holy Cross went all the way up to Belfast. Because the Titanic was built and launched here in Belfast, we of course went to the Titanic museum where we learned a lot about the process of making the boat as well as the aftermath of its sinking.
After that, we went on the infamous Black Cab tour where we drove around Belfast and its different neighborhoods. Ireland has a rich and complex history with religion. Tension arising from British Imperial rule has taken the form of religious unrest for centuries, and because of this, there has been a major divide between Irish Catholics and Protestants. This divide still remains in Belfast, and the tour brings you through the Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods which are still to this day divided by walls with hundreds of murals between them.
From Belfast we took an all-day bus tour up to the Giant’s Causeway! This coastal route brought us through the most beautiful views of the Irish Sea and was close enough to see Scotland. On the way to the Causeway we went to the Dark Hedges, which any Game of Thrones fan may recognize. The Causeway was absolutely beautiful, but a bit difficult to walk on since the stones are very unique and uniform.
I’ll be writing more about Dublin, and the excursions I’ve been on here. My semester in Dublin has already been one of the best experiences of my life, so be sure to check out my blog if you’re interested!
