Fieldtrip Friday: A Visit to the Past – The Stone Age Tombs

After the first couple of weeks of classes, we finally got to take the classroom on the road and see first-hand the subject matter we have been learning about. While PowerPoint is better than old textbook pictures, and museum trips can teach you a lot, having the chance to stand high on the top of an ancient burial tomb where kings once stood, is an opportunity not to be missed.


For our first “reserved Friday,” our Early Irish History class ventured out to the countryside north of Dublin to the Hills of Tara to explore. Our professor also invited a group of study-abroad students from another school, so right away the trip was a social event. The bus ride to Tara was especially exciting when we finally saw sheep in the fields for the first time since arriving in Ireland. Once we got there, we were greeted with beautiful views, cold wind, and muddy grass. The narrow sheep gates and small opening in the stone wall forced us to enter single file. After saying hello to the statue of St. Patrick and passing through the church grounds, we headed into the fields to look at the Ráith na Ríog (Fort of the Kings) where the Kings of Tara once sat. The site itself is a series of circular mounds surrounded by a large ditch and bank, but hearing the history makes it seem incredible.

We were then given the opportunity to test our luck with the legend of the standing stone. Story has it that if you are destined to be king, the stone will whisper to you when you hug it. It was on this same spot that the king would be crowned. Sadly, no one in our group is destined to be king!

By this point, everyone was happy to just be wearing a hood! It was so cold that our hands and toes were numb, so we hiked back over the muddy ground to warm up with some coffee or hot chocolate before heading to our next location.

The original plan was to go to Loughcrew, also known as the Hill of the Witch, a Neolithic passage tomb dating to 3000 BC. However, due to the weather conditions, we changed our course to go see the site of the Stone Age Passage Tomb at Newgrange in the Boyne Valley. The tomb is known for the illumination of its passage and chamber by the winter solstice sun. Since we didn’t have a reservation, we weren’t able to go in to the actual tomb, but we were allowed to walk through the museum and the small replica of the tomb, as well as watch a video about the history of the site. There were some interesting artefacts on display and I would definitely like to go inside the real tomb if I get the opportunity.

Both locations were amazing sites, full of ancient history that I would recommend putting on your “Places to See” list if in Ireland. And if I could offer you any advice, it would be wear waterproof boots, warm socks, gloves, and a hat! This was a field trip to remember and I look forward to future trips that are being planned!

Dayna Comeau- Dublin Spring 2012

Dublin Faculty Ciarán Buckley hosts International Round Table

Do the French really eat frogs legs?

What is Budejovicky Budvar?

Where is 'James' Gate'?

If you want to know this and more

join us at the

International Round Table

Thursdays
12:30

Jazzman's Cafe Champlain College, Burlington VT

under the European Union flag

Ciaran Buckley is spending the Spring semester of 2012 in Burlington, VT teaching CORE and Business.  Ciaran is Irish-born but has spent much of his life living in Germany and working as a  German lawyer. From 2007 to 2009 Ciaran was a senior visiting member of faculty at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, lecturing on International Business, Globalization, EU Government & Politics.  He returned to Ireland in the summer of 2009 to practice law and started teaching for Champlain College Dublin in the Fall of 2009. At the Dublin Campus, Ciarán teaches MGT 335 - Ireland, the Celtic Tiger and the European Union and INT 330 - International Relations (cbuckley@champlain.edu)

Hireland and links to Champlain College Dublin

When John Desmond arrived in Dublin for his Spring 2012 semester abroad, I don't think he counted on being photographed for a national newspaper within his first 2 weeks in Ireland.  But there he is, staring out of the pages of the Irish Sun newspaper alongside Lucy Masterson, Dublin faculty member and co-founder of Hireland.

Hireland is a non-profit, non-government and volunteer group attempting to kickstart the Irish job market.  Hireland is using 500,000 Euro in donated media advertising to encourage companies to hire more skilled staff through collective entrepreneurship and positive thinking.  The idea grew from a conversation Lucy had with some friends around the kitchen table....friends who were concerned that too many skilled people were leaving Ireland owing to the recession.  Lucy brought the idea to her MKT 340 - Social and Non-Profit Marketing class at Champlain College Dublin, and the ideas grew from there.  Both the Spring 2011 and Fall 2011 students were heavily involved in design, planning, and marketing of the idea. You can read more about their journey at the Champlain College website.

Champlain College internship student John Desmond (standing), with (l to r) Michael Killeen, Champlain College faculty member Lucy Masterson, and Kingsley Aikins.

Hireland launched officially on January 16, and in 10 short days they already have pledges from companies planning to create 1409 jobs in Ireland.

For more information please visit http://www.hireland.ie/ or read the articles linked below.


http://www.independent.ie/national-news/new-website-aims-to-have-5000-job-pledges-by-june-2990213.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0117/1224310362750.html


- Stephen Robinson, Director Champlain College Dublin