Today was our last day in Ireland, and I couldn’t be more reluctant to leave. It is difficult not to note the drastic differences between Belfast and Dublin. Even though we only spent two full days in Belfast, it’s very obvious that Belfast is not quite as lively or touristy.

First, we took a walk to the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens. Since the weather was nice, I decided to walk through the garden before the museum. The glass house was absolutely breathtaking and I could not believe how many different types of plants could live (and thrive) in one place (I have a hard time keeping succulents alive)! A bit further along, we came across the rose garden. I’m pretty sure I smelled just about every single type of rose in the entire garden. One of them in particular smelled like a Lush store, and I was tempted to take one with me!

We decided to explore the museum for a little while, and I found myself interested mostly in the exhibit on The Troubles in Ireland. I learned a new stance on the issue between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic when I walked through this exhibit, which I anticipated. Later on when we had our Black Taxi Tour, I was really surprised by how one-sided the information seemed. I completely have sympathy for the innocent victims who were needlessly killed, but I think they could have touched on the brutality that was received by victims in the IRA as well.

Aside from that point, I really enjoyed the tour and think I won’t forget it, as seeing the faces or innocent victims was incredibly sobering.

Today was a great way to wrap up our time in Dublin. Among the many firsts I’ve experienced on this trip, one of them was my first art gallery. I was pretty impressed with the Hugh Lane Gallery from earlier in the week, but I was completely caught off guard by the massive Vermeer exhibit we got to see today. As someone who has no idea how to analyze art, or where to even start, I feel like I learned so much in such a small time about Vermeer and the artists that he looked to for inspiration. The detail that they went into to explain the significance of small discrepancies was amazing. I found myself drawn into the works of art and picking up on things that I never would have noticed to pick up on before. There is definitely a certain way to look at art like this, and I am so thankful to have had this experience.

Of the Vermeer paintings we saw today, my favorites were the two male portraits; “The Astronomer” and “The Geographer.” I found it so interesting how the work he used for inspiration was so dark, yet his pieces were so much lighter and drew on other aspects to bring originality to the paintings. I was slightly disappointed that “Girl With a Pearl Earring” was not part of the exhibit, considering that everything in the gift shop had that painting on it… Regardless, I really enjoyed seeing the exhibit, as well as the other wings that were open. I could not believe how detailed some of the stained glass pieces were!

I really am going to miss Dublin, but I look forward to the upcoming adventures in Belfast!

This morning in class, we discussed Oscar Wilde’s “The Portrait of Mr. W. H.” I really enjoyed reading the story, despite my little knowledge of Shakespearean theory. I found it really interesting how we could tie some of the themes from James Joyce’s writing to Oscar Wilde’s, such as the role that memory plays in the stories.

After our discussion, we headed to the Oscar Wilde statue. I don’t know what I expected the statue to look like, but I was surprised when I saw Oscar Wilde sprawled out across a rock. I thought it really captured his personality as laid back and care free.

After our quick visit with Oscar Wilde, we continued on to the National Library. I found the Yeats exhibit really interesting. There were so many unexpected things in there, like a lock of his hair?? I also loved the fact that they included things like his personal copy of “Walden” by Thoreau. For some reason I find it really interesting to see the types of literature that influential writers were reading at the time. I also enjoyed looking at the original notes of his, especially his draft of “Lake Isle of Innisfree.”

Set apart from the exhibit was a small stand with all the rejection letters that Joyce had received while trying to get his work published. Though rejection is never something to be happy about, it was very humbling to see that such an incredible author had to try so hard, and so many times to get his work out.

Today was Bloomsday!

As someone who has never actually read Ulysses (aside from the first chapter/episode that we read in class), I was worried that this day would not hold much for me in the educational department. However, I was pleasantly surprised as the train pulled up to our stop at Sandycove. The location was beautiful and thriving with live music, fresh food, and happy people. As we made our way towards the restaurant, we passed countless people who were out to celebrate the life and writing of James Joyce. After reading the first chapter of Ulysses, I could begin to picture it somewhat as we walked around the area and made our way towards the tower.

At the tower, I was definitely not expecting to climb up those incredibly narrow and suffocating steps. Miraculously I made it to the top and got to hear an incredible reading of Ulysses. The speaker had so much enthusiasm and theatric qualities that he truly brought the story to life at the top of the tower. On the middle floor, they room had been preserved the way it would have been in 1904. A guide showed us where each person would have slept and why things were where they were.

As I said before, my limited Ulysses knowledge did not hinder my experience of Bloomsday. If anything, I learned more about the book and its importance to the culture of Dublin and its people.

Today was my free day in Dublin, and I have to say that I was definitely not disappointed. Being in a different country and an unfamiliar city, it was kind of exciting to figure out how to navigate and find our way around. During the day, Maddy and I walked around St. Stephen’s Green and did some shopping. We went into a hand-made cosmetics store called Lush, and our conversation with the saleswoman left me astonished by how kind the Irish have been on this trip. Honestly, every single person I have encountered has not hesitated to strike up a conversation or help me out with directions.

Later on, we were walking past St. Stephen’s Green and decided to sit for a little while and enjoy the nature. I watched as countless birds swam past in the pond and children chased after them.

In the evening, I got a true Dublin experience. I ventured into the city to a pub called O’Donoghue’s, and saw a music session. After our group “Musical Pub Crawl,” I was pretty disappointed because It wasn’t quite what I expected, and was unable to attend one of the sessions the musicians had mentioned would be taking place that night. Thankfully, I met up with a friend who was in town for the night, and we went to O’Donoghue’s. As a musician, this experience was really eye opening. Even though the pub was full of people, the scene felt so intimate. I was so happy that I had the chance to see a session before I left Dublin, and will always remember the passion on the faces of the musicians I watched.

Today we took a trip to the beautiful coastal city of Howth. Although I had seen a few pictures nd thought I knew what to expect, my breath was taken away as soon as I began to take in the astonishing views this city has to offer. A short bus trip and thirty minute train ride was all it took to get to this amazing spot, located only about sixteen miles from Dublin. Once we got off the bus, it was clear that we were definitely outside of the city limits. Although there were a few shops along the dock, you could really tell that this was a place where people were happy to relish in the natural beauty, rather than man-made tourist attractions. Chelsea and Nia presented their readings in place, and reminded us how the port we were looking out at may have provided escape for many Irishmen and Irishwomen in times of emigration.

Walking through the first half of the hike, I was captivated by the architecture embedded throughout the cliffs. The houses we walked by were absolutely beautifully built and I began to picture what it would be like to live in this area. Of course the further we ventured on, the fewer evidence of human presence we came across. Aside from the ever-present wind, I was surprised by how calm it seemed above the choppy waters. Everything was so green and magnificent. I found it difficult not to take a picture of every rock I stumbled across, but managed to make it back to the dorms with a meager 240 photos from the day!

As this study abroad program encourages us to define the meaning of place within the literature we read, I find that Howth may be one of those places that means something different to everyone you may ask. To some, it may be home. To others, it may be a speck on a map that has long since been erased from their memories. To me, Howth is a location that I hope to never forget.

Today was an incredibly eye-opening day for me. Having the history of the 1916 Easter Rising already fresh on my mind from the previous day, it was amazing to see where the executions of some of the most influential Irish men were executed. As I mentioned previously, there is a huge difference in classroom learning and seeing in real life the landmarks in which history was made. Kilmainham Gaol, having been a prime location for several films, seemed rather familiar to me. The reality really hit me when I saw the names of the prisoners, whom I had read about, on plaques above the cells in which they spent their time at Kilmainham Gaol.

At the very end of the tour, we were brought to the exact spots in which the 14 rebels had been executed. I find it important to mention that although the jail has been turned into a museum popular among tourists, the history and integrity of the infrastructure has been excellently preserved. After walking through the wings of the jail and even inside some of the cells, I had an entirely new perception of the men of the Easter Rising and their final hours.

After a rather heavy day, we got to attend High Tea at UCD. I have really been enjoying the activities and events that the college has been providing that allow us to get better exposure to the Irish culture and customs. Although the High Tea was more or less a social event, I met some lovely people and enjoyed spending time with the ladies in my group. Of course a good photo-opportunity is never a bad way to end the evening!

Today was probably the most interesting day we have had so far. The 1916 walking tour was the one thing on our itinerary that I was looking forward to the most. I honestly have never read a non-textbook history book before, but this was honestly more than I could have ever asked for. The tour guide was so captivating and really brought the history of the 1916 Easter Rising to life. I had very high expectations for this tour, and thankfully I can say that they were well surpassed. Reading the book, it was a little easy to picture the places that these events took place since there were pictures, but actually seeing the physical places like the General Post Office, City Hall, and the Jim Larkin statue really helped me fully understand the gravity of the situations that the people of Dublin found themselves in during the Easter Rising of 1916.

Later in the day, Karson and I went to the Hurling Demonstration in the field across from the residence halls. It was such a fun experience to get to learn how to play a sport that is only played in Ireland. Eoin, our hurling instructor, was also a professional hurling player and went to school at UCD and trinity. He told Karson and I that he got his masters at Trinity and is now a High School Irish and History teacher. I thought it was so cool how this guy took a few hours out of his day just to teach some study abroad students how to play a game that they will probably never seen again.

Something that I have also begun to notice and appreciate about Ireland is how everyone knows so much about the history of the city. Back home, I would find it hard to believe that many people could talk for five minutes about its history. This is probably due to the fact that Dublin is steeped in much more recent history than Atlanta, but I still find it interesting how everyone is well educated on the importance of Dublin in Ireland.

Today I experienced my very first art gallery, at the Hugh Lane Exhibit in Dublin. I was amazed by the collections of beautiful artwork and the variety that was offered. As we continue to contemplate place and the theories of Cresswell that set the tone for this trip, I entered the gallery with a very specific mind-set. I was planning on viewing the art in relation to where the paintings were set, or where the artist would have been when the art work was created. However, as I ventured further through the exhibits, I noticed something that I thought fit much better. One thing that really caught my eye was the “art studio.” I was confused at first because it just looked like someone forgot to close a door and had exposed a huge mess, but then I realized it was the “studio” of one of the featured artists. A quote on the wall explained how the artist felt he could not work in any other space; he preferred the untidiness and organized madness of his studio. I found this so relevant to what we have been discussing because in a way, this studio shaped him into the successful artist that he turned out to be. On the other hand, one could also argue that he shaped the studio into the way it was. Either way, it makes for a very interesting and relevant discussion of how Cresswell’s theories apply to more than just literature, but all forms of art and expression.

Another piece that caught my eye was “Drawing for ‘Tank'” by Edward and Nancy Kienholz. This piece, as the description beside explained, was part of an entire exhibit about a young African American woman. The wheel in the top right shows different possibilities of the type of life she may live, and the items in the sink depict the type of life she may currently live. It is amazing how we feel we may be defined by the place we live, the things we have, and the predisposition we are born into. I feel that this piece highlighted to role that “place” holds in the lives of people. This piece was also very different from the pieces in other exhibits, but I really appreciated it and felt as though I had made a connection and drawn meaning out of it.

Today we explored a completely new side of Dublin. As we arrived at the James Joyce Centre, I was amazed to see how much of the city I had yet to see. Our amazing tour guide showed us around what used to be a not-so-nice area during Joyce’s time in Dublin. Being new to Joyce’s work, I was worried that I wouldn’t get as much out of the tour as some of the other students, like the grads who seemed to have a wealth of knowledge. However, I was so surprised by everything I learned about James Joyce and his life as well as the “lives” of his characters. The scene was almost too perfect as an example of the “not-so-niceness” showed up when an altercation occurred across the street. The tour guide reminded us that this area was still not by any means the nicest place in Dublin. As I mentioned before, the physical connection to the literary material continues to strengthen my understanding and appreciation of the literature we have been studying as well as strengthening my appreciation for the authors who wrote about Dublin.

Later on in the evening, we had the amazing opportunity to see No’s Knife at the Abbey Theatre. As someone who spent countless hours in high school doing musicals and plays, this was an incredible excursion for me. Our discussion of Beckett’s “Texts for Nothing” this morning did little to aid my understanding of the literature, but I don’t really think understanding it is the point. I was amazed by Dwan’s talent in No’s Knife and felt as though she truly brought the piece to life. If she didn’t clarify it, she at least made it so much more interesting to watch and contemplate. The play tonight reminded me that even though cultures may be drastically different across the world, we can all share an appreciation for the same talents and performative arts such as the display we saw tonight.