Friday July 10… the last day of the first week of placements – where has the time gone?!
Although this marked the end of our first week for Kathryn and I with the Ulster-Scots, this by no means meant we’d be any less busy. In fact, it really meant the exact opposite! Luckily we got to have a bit of a lie-in (Irish slang for sleeping in) and bus from Crawfordsburn into Belfast to meet everyone at the agency before heading out for round 2 of a deliciously artery-clogging Ulster Fry with Matt. Today would be nothing short of busy as the first half of my morning we spent walking to the Victoria’s Square Dome, Queen’s University – Belfast, the Botanic Gardens, and the Ulster Museum.
The beautiful new dome atop the Victoria’s Square shopping centre is yet another testament to the progress Belfast and Northern Ireland has made since the troubles considering it is made entirely out of glass, allowing for a breathtaking 360 view of the city. Any type of construction across Northern Ireland throughout the past few decades never considered the use of glass because the fear of petrol bombs, IRA or Paramilitary/UVF attacks destroying the glass was all too real, so the fact that the city has confidence in building all glass buildings & domes is very significant in a change of times.
The Ulster Museum also had a wonderfully powerful exhibit called “Silent Testimony” dedicated to the Troubles created by a local artist. The exhibit consisted of large 3-D type portraits (oil on canvas) of people who experienced extreme personal losses, accompanied by a personal statement of their own story. The room was filled from wall to wall with these personal testaments and only offers a glimpse into what the people of Northern Ireland experienced during this time of their history.
On our way back to the city centre, we popped into the beautiful and historic Crown Bar for a quick drink, located across from the Europa Hotel – the most bombed hotel and site during the Troubles because of the number of reporters that would stay there (which never shut down despite such controversies). We also experienced quite a young character as we passed once of the most infamous bonfire sites (Days Hotel parking lot) as they rebuilt their bonfire which had been prematurely lit by a Catholic (or so this very fiery young lad let on to believing). We then switched hands to another brilliant man from the Ulster-Scots Agency, Gordon, who led us on a tour of the Belfast City Hall and took us into the Linen Hall Library across the street which has the largest collection of Irish Political History and has an immense collection of political posters that were collected throughout the Troubles – documenting both sides of the disputes. While we toured City Hall we were fortunate enough to meet several MPs (Members of Parliament) from the DUP (Democratic Ulster Party) and met with the Deputy Lord Mayor, Guy Spence, who so graciously showed us around and chatted with us in his office. Oh, and did I mention he is 23 years old and the youngest person to hold his position to date… what?! Kudos to you Mr. Spence.
As we left Belfast, our travels didn’t take us back to Crawfordsburn… instead we headed down to the Saint Patrick’s Centre for the annual Young Ambassador’s BBQ and peace blessing in the friendship garden. All of us young ambassadors got a chance to meet members of the Saint Patrick’s Centre Board, Margaret Richie, MP of South Co. Down (SDLP – Social Democrat and Labor Party), an infamous Ulster-Scots member (Maynard), and Dean Henry Hall who led the peace blessing after our meal together. Each year the Young Ambassadors bring a rock from their part of the world to add to the Peace Garden during the blessing to symbolize the beautiful message of Saint Patrick in his land of County Down. His words along with those from Margaret Richie emphasized the importance of each of our journeys and experiences in Northern Ireland for these two weeks as we set out to spread our knowledge of Saint Patrick and bring together people from all different places and backgrounds. The ceremony was truly beautiful and I’m so glad we all had the chance to sit around chat, grab some dinner and of course a cup of tea, and enjoy each other’s company.
After all the guests headed home and we wrapped up at the Centre, it was headed home to our wee village in Crawfordsburn for the night… Although there would be no placements for the weekend nor on Monday or Tuesday due to the holiday, this by no means meant our days would be any less busy!
Although this marked the end of our first week for Kathryn and I with the Ulster-Scots, this by no means meant we’d be any less busy. In fact, it really meant the exact opposite! Luckily we got to have a bit of a lie-in (Irish slang for sleeping in) and bus from Crawfordsburn into Belfast to meet everyone at the agency before heading out for round 2 of a deliciously artery-clogging Ulster Fry with Matt. Today would be nothing short of busy as the first half of my morning we spent walking to the Victoria’s Square Dome, Queen’s University – Belfast, the Botanic Gardens, and the Ulster Museum.
The beautiful new dome atop the Victoria’s Square shopping centre is yet another testament to the progress Belfast and Northern Ireland has made since the troubles considering it is made entirely out of glass, allowing for a breathtaking 360 view of the city. Any type of construction across Northern Ireland throughout the past few decades never considered the use of glass because the fear of petrol bombs, IRA or Paramilitary/UVF attacks destroying the glass was all too real, so the fact that the city has confidence in building all glass buildings & domes is very significant in a change of times.
The Ulster Museum also had a wonderfully powerful exhibit called “Silent Testimony” dedicated to the Troubles created by a local artist. The exhibit consisted of large 3-D type portraits (oil on canvas) of people who experienced extreme personal losses, accompanied by a personal statement of their own story. The room was filled from wall to wall with these personal testaments and only offers a glimpse into what the people of Northern Ireland experienced during this time of their history.
On our way back to the city centre, we popped into the beautiful and historic Crown Bar for a quick drink, located across from the Europa Hotel – the most bombed hotel and site during the Troubles because of the number of reporters that would stay there (which never shut down despite such controversies). We also experienced quite a young character as we passed once of the most infamous bonfire sites (Days Hotel parking lot) as they rebuilt their bonfire which had been prematurely lit by a Catholic (or so this very fiery young lad let on to believing). We then switched hands to another brilliant man from the Ulster-Scots Agency, Gordon, who led us on a tour of the Belfast City Hall and took us into the Linen Hall Library across the street which has the largest collection of Irish Political History and has an immense collection of political posters that were collected throughout the Troubles – documenting both sides of the disputes. While we toured City Hall we were fortunate enough to meet several MPs (Members of Parliament) from the DUP (Democratic Ulster Party) and met with the Deputy Lord Mayor, Guy Spence, who so graciously showed us around and chatted with us in his office. Oh, and did I mention he is 23 years old and the youngest person to hold his position to date… what?! Kudos to you Mr. Spence.
As we left Belfast, our travels didn’t take us back to Crawfordsburn… instead we headed down to the Saint Patrick’s Centre for the annual Young Ambassador’s BBQ and peace blessing in the friendship garden. All of us young ambassadors got a chance to meet members of the Saint Patrick’s Centre Board, Margaret Richie, MP of South Co. Down (SDLP – Social Democrat and Labor Party), an infamous Ulster-Scots member (Maynard), and Dean Henry Hall who led the peace blessing after our meal together. Each year the Young Ambassadors bring a rock from their part of the world to add to the Peace Garden during the blessing to symbolize the beautiful message of Saint Patrick in his land of County Down. His words along with those from Margaret Richie emphasized the importance of each of our journeys and experiences in Northern Ireland for these two weeks as we set out to spread our knowledge of Saint Patrick and bring together people from all different places and backgrounds. The ceremony was truly beautiful and I’m so glad we all had the chance to sit around chat, grab some dinner and of course a cup of tea, and enjoy each other’s company.
After all the guests headed home and we wrapped up at the Centre, it was headed home to our wee village in Crawfordsburn for the night… Although there would be no placements for the weekend nor on Monday or Tuesday due to the holiday, this by no means meant our days would be any less busy!