Dublin Spring Seminar 2023

This morning the BC High students took a class on the topography of Ireland, the 4 provinces, and the counties in English and Gaelic. They then took a class on Irish music and dancing. We had the luxury of listening to three students play traditional Irish instruments, fiddle, barren, penny whistle. It took a couple tries to get the dance down, but we eventually figured it out. Afterwards, we had a lecture about Irish scientific discoveries, especially Jocelyn Bell Burnell's discovery of the pulsar. We then heard the interesting life story of Mr. Foley, and his immigration story, back to Ireland from England.    After lunch, we went to 14 Henrietta Street and learned what it was like in Ireland in the 18th and 19th century. 14 Henrietta Street was a tenement building that originally started out as one big mansion. At its peak it housed 100 people and up to 20 families. The house is well preserved and still has the original wood and ...

  Today was another great trip for our BC High students. We made the trip to Newgrange to visit the famous catacombs that have been dated back to the Stone Age. After Newgrange the students visited Tara, the spiritual capital of Ireland, We were also lucky enough to stop at the petting zoo! In the evening Sean P and Coleman Williams visited their host brothers Rugby training to observe authentic rugby in Ireland. Sean Payzant Newgrange Petting Zoo Tara Landscape Rugby Training Today was a really fun and interesting day. We had the opportunity to visit Newgrange which is was a mass tomb for cavemen thousands of years ago which was more recently discovered by archeologists. It was really interesting to see the engravings on the tomb and being able to go inside was a once in a lifetime experience. All that aside I would say my favorite part of the day was seeing all the animals at the farm down the road… especially the sheep. Aidan Boyle Petting Zoo Knowth A little bit of information....

  Daniel O'Connell's tomb Relatives of Daniel O'Connell's coffins We visited Glasnevin Cemetery & Museum today. What stood out to me most was the contrast between Daniel O'Connell's tomb and the tomb of his relatives. It makes sense that he has a nicely decorated tomb because he founded the cemetery, but it seems unfair that all his relatives’ coffins are stacked on top of each other in a small, dusty room. A little history of the Glasnevin Cemetery & Museum….   Glasnevin Cemetery has been at the heart of some of the key moments and events in modern Irish history. Many of the iconic figures from that history are buried here: Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, Eamon de Valera, and Countess Markievicz to name just a few.   Glasnevin is also the final resting place of almost 1.5 million people you will not have heard of; but behind every name, and beneath every headstone, there is the story of a life lived, of a unique individual’s experiences, joys and...

Upper Lake - Glendalough Powerscourt House & Gardens Powerscourt House & Gardens Powerscourt House & Gardens The first day of the second week started out with a rainy beginning. For many of the boys’ first time going south of Dublin we had a great time visiting the Powerscourt House & Gardens and Glendalough. Unfortunately for the boys, it was very rainy in the Powerscourt House & Gardens, but they were beautiful nonetheless. On the bus on the way from the gardens to Glendalough the boys got to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and Guinness Lake. When the boys arrived to Glendalough, they took a brief tour of the monastery paying their respects to all of those who are buried there. Next, they took a hike to the beautiful Upper Lake where they skipped rocks and joked with each other for the following 15 minutes. After a long day, the weather had cleared up as a sign for a great rest of the week.  Jacob Padula Monday Morning Meeting Bus Transportation -...

John Cetrino, Thomas Trout and Sean Payzant Black Bush Golf Club Dunshaughlin, Co, Meath, Dunshaughlin, Ireland It was a grand Saturday for Sean P, John and Thomas. The boys and their host brothers went to Black Bush Golf Club for some craic and a round of golf. Unfortunately around the fifth hole we had our first rainstorm of the trip. Thomas made his first ever par and the lads had a blast. Some history on Black Bush Golf Club. It is only 35 years ago since Black Bush Golf Club was one of the first Golf Clubs in Ireland to offer full membership to both men and women. What we take for granted today was quite a radical departure from the status quo at the time but the founding members of Black Bush showed vision in many ways when they set about starting the first new club in County Meath in decades.

Lahinch Golf Club - Dough, Lahinch, Co. Clare Lahinch Golf Club - Dough, Lahinch, Co. Clare On Saturday I had the pleasure of being able to see Lahinch Golf Club in county Clare. Lahinch Golf Club  is a links golf course in western Ireland, in the town of Lahinch on the northwest coast of County Clare in northern Munster. It is situated approximately thirty-two kilometres northwest of the town of Ennis. I t was the most beautiful golf course I have ever seen. It’s right on the water and about 10 minutes away is the Cliffs of Moher. Saturday was one of the best days on the trip so far and I’ll remember it forever. Aidan Boyle