My name is Connor McDermott, and I am a rising junior at Bucknell. After months of waiting, 28 other Bucknell students and I have finally arrived at University College Dublin for the Bucknell summer in Dublin Internship Program. This program has been something I’ve looked forward to ever since I first toured Bucknell as a high school senior and learned about this experience. On our first night in Dublin my roommates and I went to the Temple Bar area of downtown Dublin. It was the night of the Real Madrid vs Dortmund. The streets were packed with fans chanting their team’s song. Our first major event as a group was The Irish Emigration Museum. The museum started off in a room that put you in the shoes of Irish emigrants on a cramped ship escaping famine and misfortune in hopes of a better future. From there we learned about the history of Ireland, why so many people emigrated, and the legacy of Irish emigrants around the world. After the tour many of us walked around the city looking for a place to grab lunch. In just a few days I’ve realized that pubs are more than just bars or restaurants, they’re places where friends and families gather after a long day to relax and spend time with each other. Every customer knows the staff, and everyone is welcoming. I felt the same way on the first day of my internship. For the next 8 weeks I will be working at Tax Assist’s Dundrum office as a Life and Pensions Brokerage Assistant. Tax Assist focuses on providing tax and accounting services to small businesses in the Dublin area. In just one day I’ve worked with architects, contractors, and even the owner of a falafel cart. Working in this office has been a great learning experience. The whole team sits at a table next to each other, so it is easy to ask the people around you a quick question about something you’re working on. The office is in Dundrum, a village outside of Dublin. During my lunch break I was able to explore the neighborhood’s cobble paths and local stores. The whole neighborhood felt like a charming Irish town. The past few days have been incredible, and I can’t wait for our upcoming trip to the Wicklow mountains where we’ll be able to hike along an iconic Irish mountainside and explore Kilkenny Castle.
