This past week, I was in Northern Ireland and Ireland as part of the PEGS program at KSU’s Honors College. Over the course of this semester, my classmates and I in our cohort studied the history of conflict in Northern Ireland, focusing on the Troubles. During the trip, we had a chance to see these classroom discussions in action.
We spoke to tour guides, academics, community leaders, and more about the conflict and what it means to them, and heard a wide range of perspectives about Northern Ireland’s past, present, and future. Our group was able to visit historic sites and museums to see where these events actually took place, and had the chance to explore the cities of Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, and Dublin.
This trip connected strongly to my interests in historical memory, and Northern Ireland is an exceptional case study of history’s relevance. In addition, during our free time I was able to explore some of Ireland’s oldest libraries, including the Linen Hall Library in Belfast and Marsh’s Library in Dublin. Our entire group was able to visit the legendary Trinity College library and see the Book of Kells, which was a dream come true.
Overall, this was a very rewarding trip! Below are some photos from across the week. As I continue to sort through my pictures, I hope to post more in the future.
Andrew J. Bramlett 