Once again, another great week in Dublin is over. We have now hit the halfway mark; time flies when you’re having fun! As I reflect on the last week, a big thing I came in tune with was the community and culture in Ireland. This past Saturday, we spent the day at the Gaelic Games Experience where we learned how to play two national sports of Ireland, which included Hurling and Gaelic Football. This experience not only taught me how to play the sports, but also gave me knowledge of the deeper meaning behind these sports. These sports aren’t just the national sports because it’s fun, but it’s because of the community it brings for Ireland. This intrigued me a lot as it gave me a better representation of the people of Ireland and their priorities and values. Ireland values a strong community, where they unite and take pride in their culture. Although Hurling and Gaelic football is only a small part of this, the intention behind it helps support the importance of unity to the Irish People.
The community aspect of these sports were an attempt to unite the country after facing several national challenges, including the famine and British control. The history behind this truly intrigues me as we have learned a lot of information over the course of time here regarding the famine and British control, and how it impacted the country day. Although the history is extremely important, the aspect of community behind it is interesting as you can see this mentality when interacting with the people here today. For example, in my internship I feel a great sense of community through the effort they put towards making sure they establish a fun, healthy work environment. Later this week, my internship company actually scheduled drinks after work for the 4th of July to celebrate the American’s on the team. This effort to create this event made me feel appreciated and valued which I have felt from Irish natives the entire trip.
When learning more about Irish history and tradition, I am able to connect it more and more to my experiences in this country as well. I have really enjoyed exploring Dublin and am looking forward to continuing to learn more and more about the culture. The sense of community is a great feeling, and has contributed greatly to my positive experience here in Dublin.
