Arcadia Ireland

This past weekend, students from nine of Arcadia’s  partner universities across both the Republic  and Northern Ireland made their way to Belfast for a cultural field study organized by The College of Global Studies in conjunction with EIL Intercultural Learning. Their itinerary was balanced in such a way that students were introduced to the rich political and social history of Belfast city, while also having the opportunity to experience the stunningly rugged beauty of Ireland’s North Coast – all in the space of a few days!

Friday afternoon, students were taken by coach on a guided tour of Belfast city, during which they were given an abridged background on the ethno-nationalist and sectarian conflict that has  so strongly characterised the city’s history.

On the Saturday morning, students headed for the Giant’s Causeway on the North Coast. While there, they enjoyed  guided tours courtesy of volunteers from The National Trust, a UK conservation charity tasked with maintaining the integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The unbiased guides typically present the two prevailing narratives used to explain the existence of the 40,000-some-odd hexagonal basalt columns that litter the causeway’s shores: one involving a prehistoric volcanic eruption, and the other an epic stand-off between the Irish giant, Fionn mac Cumhaill, and his Scottish counterpart, Benandonner.

Following the guided tour, students were left to explore the various bays and vistas that help make the Giant’s Causeway the most popular attraction in Northern Ireland, before returning to Belfast by coach in the afternoon.

On Sunday, students were privy to a slide presentation and Q&A session with Dr. Bill Rolston, Director of the Transitional Justice Institute at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown campus.  Dr. Rolston is a leading expert on the sectarian murals that adorn many walls throughout Northern Ireland, and his talk sought to use these artistic pieces in framing the conflict for this group of foreign students.

After the seminar with Dr. Rolston, students enjoyed a buffet style lunch before returning to their home universities in Ireland.