Nate ’27 is introduced to Irish pubs and their traditional oysters, fish and chips.
At 9:00 a.m., we touched down in Dublin. Upon arrival, our group of fifteen joined our two tour guides, Sean and Steven. Sean is a young man from Amherst, Massachusetts, while Steven is a native Irishman from Dublin.
Once we departed by bus, we made a quick pit stop to fuel up. Many of us grabbed a coffee or another beverage, while others picked up a pastry. During this stop, we learned about the expectations for the trip and how currency changes depending on where you are in Ireland. The Republic of Ireland, which is still part of the European Union, uses the euro. Northern Ireland, which remained part of the United Kingdom following Brexit, primarily uses pounds, although some stores near the border will accept both currencies depending on the circumstances.
Following this stop, we visited a coastal town on the border, where we saw a traditional Irish ports used for catching oysters and fish. For many people on the trip, this was their first real exposure to Ireland. We were able to see traditional Irish architecture and experience the sporadic windy rain that Ireland is known for.
This small weather hiccup meant we settled into a local pub for lunch, where we shared oysters, club sandwiches, and salads. After lunch, we filed back onto the bus for our final trip of the day: Belfast. The ride took about an hour and a half, but nearly the entire bus fell asleep, so most of us were unaware of how long it actually was.
Once we arrived in historic Belfast, we walked into our hotel, the Europa. While waiting to check in, we overheard another tour group talking about the history of the hotel. The Europa was heavily bombed during the war, making it one of the most frequently bombed hotels in Europe. This prompted a conversation with our trip leaders about the tensions that led to the division of Ireland, including religious differences and political conflict.
Steven shared that many signs throughout Northern Ireland include Irish translations underneath them as part of a local effort to reclaim and preserve the nearly forgotten language. Some people are less willing to embrace Irish, while others actively voice their support for it.
During that conversation, we also set group expectation and formally introduced ourselves, sharing why we wanted to attend the trip. Afterwards, we explored Belfast, which provided some beautiful photo opportunities.
For dinner, we ate at a local pub and enjoyed traditional delicacies such as fish and chips. By that point, many of us were tired from the day’s travel, so we headed back to the hotel to wind down and get some rest before the days ahead.
