entrance way to the spirit world. The stone of destiny is there and is speculated to be from the godlike people. If one places their foot on top of this stone and their name is hollered out then they are meant to be the King of Tara. “The Hill of Tara feels powerful, not due to me simply placing a foot on the Stone, I mean there’s just this echoed energy there that crawls beneath your skin. You can feel it in the air, that this was the coronation sight of kings and now you’re there as a tourist,” said Holly. One mound at the Hill of Tara used to hold hostages, a term that meant important people at that time in history. They had a small passage door to enter, but visitors were not allowed to go in. This is because it was too small, and artifacts had been stolen from inside. Dublin Writers Museum The Dublin Writers Museum shared some of the most importance to our class. Writers in the museum included James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, and W.B. Yeats. The Dublin Writers Museum had countless interesting things to see. “Seeing the first editions, manuscripts, and artifacts of these great figures really gives you a sense of perspective about the depth of the Irish literary heritage, and also demystifies the writers themselves to some extent,” said student Matt Pierce. “The Dublin Writers Museum really just throws into sharper relief that incredible
breadth and depth of the literary tradition of Ireland. The sheer number of amazing literary talents that have come out of Ireland and Dublin is absolutely fascinating,” said Pierce. One of the writers, W.B. Yeats, helped to create the Abbey theatre with Lady Gregory. This was interesting, because we expected to learn about the writing these writers did, not what these people did in their community. James Joyce Center The James Joyce center was dedicated to him because of the impact Joyce’s writing had on Ireland. One of his major works is “Ulysses.” He also wrote “Dubliners,” a book of stories about the Dublin society. “Joyce is just such a monumental figure in literature that I think serious students sometimes forget the real person that existed under the deification we project onto him,” said Pierce. The Center had a model of his room and where he wrote. “Playing his piano, sitting amongst his personal effects, watching videos about the man himself, as a person and not an abstract literary titan, really bring home the humanity of the person himself,” said Pierce. Kilmainham Gaol Kilmainham Gaol touched each student emotionally. While there, one of the students, Victoria Browder said, “My most memorable experience was Kilmainham
Gaol because I’m a Criminal Justice Major and a lot of the stuff we’ve studied was there.” 16 executions took place at the Gaol. These people were killed either by firing squad or hanging. James Connolly, an Easter Rising leader, was one of these prisoners executed. His story is a bit tragic because he had already been injured and suffered from horrible wounds. When it was his time to be executed he was too weak to stand. Instead they tied him upright in a chair for his execution. The prisoners at Kilmainham Gaol were not placed in cells properly and there would be multiple prisoners in one cell. They did not place men and women together, but the tour guide said they would have about 15 people in a cell at a time. Sarah Holly says she encountered an experience with an Irish spirit while we were at the Gaol. “To be more descriptive, it began when we entered the room labeled with a “Robert Emmett” placard above the door, the one where prisoners on death row were held prior to execution. There was a hole cut into the wall where the executioner could examine the prisoner and decide what weights to use when hanging him or her. As we stood there, listening to the guide, I felt horribly dizzy and a small headache began somewhere at the edge of my mind. A tad nauseated, a tad jarred by a feeling of distinct ‘strangeness,’ if that makes sense.” O’Neills There was one pub in Temple Bar we visited multiple times and was the perfect Irish dining experience. They had a great variety of items including lamb
shank, Irish stew, soup, and brown bread. On our last night at Dublin we chose to eat here one last time, and by chance we were eating in the writer’s room. There was a picture of all the great Irish writers, which served as more proof that literature is all over Dublin. Study Abroad Program at Tusculum College The Study Abroad program was introduced to Tusculum College in 2008 when Geir Bergvin funded the center for global studies. The trips include all transportation, lodging, excursion, and insurance. Some of the other places Tusculum students have been to include Barcelona and Malta. Different courses offer Study Abroad, so a variety of students get a chance to qualify for the trips. Students are allowed to go on multiple trips. A Tusculum graduate Beth Collins went to Malta, and this trip to Ireland. “Tusculum’s Study Abroad program is perfect for inspiring individuals to become more rounded. It pushes students to get out of their comfort zone and experience the world while retaining a safe, educational environment,” said Collins. Overall, the Ireland trip inspired students and gave us a chance to learn and grow. It was truly a once in a lifetime trip.s
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