Wednesday morning we left the Woodlands and were off to see the famous Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs were astounding and to me, had a bit of a mystical feel. Perhaps it was the fog that had rolled in, or the roaring of the waves paired with the whispers of the grass, but I could understand why many filmmakers have sought out the cliffs and the caves below to capture that feeling of ominous uncertainty.
After visiting the cliffs we stopped off at a place called The Burren. This Alvar is the exposed bedrock of a limestone plain, and is one of the largest landscapes of its kind in Europe. There were no guard rails at the Burren so you could get very close to the edge which made it feel as if it were even higher then the Cliffs of Moher. I had never heard of the Burren before, but the barren land before me contrasted so with the green blanket of grass behind me it felt as though we had stumbled upon something secret.
On our way to Derry we stopped in Galway to see Galway Cathedral and have lunch. We made one more pit stop to see the grave of W.B. Yeats, a famous writer who founded the Abbey Theater, before we arrived in Derry that night.
Here is a video of our visit to the cliffs and drive to Derry!
We checked into our hotel at the Woodlands then drove to Limerick to meet with some students at Mary Immaculate College. Their campus is beautiful and you can feel the close knit community atmosphere as soon as you set foot on the grounds. After being greeted with tea and scones, we were welcomed by the President Professor Michael Hayes, and given a tour of the campus with Holly Cowman who runs the student exchange programs at Mary Immaculate.
We began our tour in the education center where we were met with sculptures from the German Irish sculptor Imogen Stewart. This artwork has been funded by the Per Cent for Art Scheme by the Department of Education and Science. The Per Cent for Art Scheme was approved by the government in 1997, to allow for the inclusion of 1% of the budget, for capital construction projects, to fund an art project.
So where did their 1% come from? Mary Immaculate has recently undergone renovations in 2011 to build a 510 seat theatre, 300 seat lecture hall, and has plans to build a second floor extension to their library. The history of the school has not been lost in the new construction though, in contrast, the new buildings have highlighted the old. Alongside the new construction is the original chapel built in 1898, which has been beautifully maintained. You can tell that improving their facility and meeting the needs of their students is not only important to Mary Immaculate, but it is a priority.
Staying connected with the community is another focus of Mary Immaculate and can be seen with the use of their radio station that is run by over 140 volunteers. Wiredfm on 99.9fm, is licensed by the Broadcasting Association of Ireland and covers sports, celebrity news, community events, other talk programs, and of course, music. The radio station will take any students from any majors as volunteers and it only takes a 3 hour information session to get started. This is a great opportunity for any student who is interested in media or communications, and is a chance to gain valuable on the job experience.
At Mary Immaculate primary education is one of their largest majors. Their Bachelors of Education graduates make up about 40% of the elementary teachers in Ireland. To me, this was very impressive seeing that a student body of 3400 can make such an impact on the future of their country by educating their children.
Making a difference at Mary Immaculate means much more than just reaching out to the local community, it means reaching out to the world. Along with having partnerships with schools in France, Spain, the US, and other countries for student exchange, Mary Immaculate is a big supporter of Fairtrade which promotes non-violence in the Congo. While visiting the school we also met with representatives from the Congo along a few visitors from France who were touring the school as well.
After our tour we went out for dinner and were joined by a few American exchange students from Texas, Pennsylvania and Colorado that are studying at Mary Immaculate this semester. It was wonderful to meet some American students who had been living in Ireland for a few weeks and hear what they loved about the country. Their majors ranged from nursing to business, and every one of them described spending a semester in Ireland as the experience of a lifetime.
Even though Mary Immaculate has connections with colleges and universities all across the globe, their campus in Limerick has kept its community feel. While speaking with 3rd year students Ally and Cliona who both work at the school helping to organize on-campus events, they said that their favorite thing about Mary Immaculate College is that everybody knows each other. There is a closeness among classmates and the students and faculty form a family. This would be a wonderful school to spend a semester abroad at, and a great community to become a part of.
GMercyU Ireland Pilgrimage 2014 