MIC Service Learning Experience Ireland, Summer 2017 Céad MÍle Fáilte! (One Hundred Thousand Welcomes!) Service Learning Ireland July 2017 Contents Trip Essentials ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 Some interesting facts on Shannon ........................................................................................................................... 5 Some interesting facts on Limerick ........................................................................................................................... 5 Some interesting facts on the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin and the Burren ..................................................................... 6 Some interesting facts on Kilkenny ........................................................................................................................... 7 Some interesting facts on Killaloe ............................................................................................................................. 8 Some interesting facts on Belfast .............................................................................................................................. 9 Accommodation and Nearby Facilities ................................................................................................................................ 9 Currency: Euro ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Meals ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Shopping and Socializing ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Security ...................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Time Difference............................................................................................................................................................ 11 The Irish Language ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 Police Clearance, Professionalism and Child Protection ........................................................................................................ 12 2 Service Learning Ireland July 2017 Trip Essentials This list is not exhaustive! Please think about your own needs and plan accordingly. Passport University Student ID This may be needed as proof that you are a student when purchasing tickets at tourist attractions. US‐UK Voltage/Power Adaptor The United Kingdom and Ireland use the same electronic plugs. Mains electricity in Ireland runs at a different voltage to the US. An adaptor should look something like this: Professional clothing Laundry facilities are available at Courtbrack Weather‐proof clothing Even though you are visiting in the summer, weather in Ireland can be changeable and unpredictable. The following are some suggestions: umbrella, a water‐proof jacket/coat, a sweater. Walking shoes/runners Your visit will involve a certain amount of walking, so comfortable shoes are advised. Towels Some towels will be available in your accommodation, but it would be good to bring one or two of your own. Credit Card Visa or Mastercard is recommended – both are widely used. Cash in Euros You can get this at the airport in Shannon if you do not wish to do so before leaving home. You can also access cash from ATMs, which are widely available. Technology iPad/ Camera etc. Free Wi‐Fi will be provided at your accommodation. Medication If you require any tablets or allergy medicines, it would be wise to bring those with you. 3 Service Learning Ireland July 2017 USA ATLANTIC OCEAN NORTHERN IRELAND IRISH SEA UNITED KINGDOM Cork City 4 Service Learning Ireland July 2017 Some interesting facts on Shannon You will fly into Shannon airport, one of Ireland’s three main airports, the others being Dublin and Cork. Shannon airport was conceived in 1936 to be the country’s first transatlantic airport and was completed in 1942. It boasts the longest runway in Ireland. Following WWII, the airport received many new commercial airlines from Europe and North America, and in September 1945 the first transatlantic flight, a Pan Am DC‐4, landed at Shannon from New York City! In 1947 the "Customs Free Airport Act" established Shannon as the world's first duty‐free airport, with Shannon becoming a model for other duty‐free facilities worldwide! Shannon itself is a new town, built in the 1960s on reclaimed marshland beside the airport. Shannon Free Zone industrial estate was also built at this time and the residential areas were intended as a home for the thousands of workers at the airport, surrounding industries and support services, many of whom moved to Ireland from Northern Ireland during “the Troubles”. Initially, population growth was not as fast as planned throughout the first few decades of the town's existence, which was partly due to the proximity of more established communities in which to live, such as Ennis town and Limerick city, or even the nearby village of Newmarket‐on‐Fergus. Some interesting facts on Limerick The city dates from 812 AD which is the earliest provable settlement; however, history suggests the presence of earlier settlements in the area surrounding King's Island, the island at the historical city centre. Antiquity's map‐maker, Ptolemy, produced the earliest map of Ireland in 150 AD, showing a place called "Regia" at the same site as King's Island. King John’s Castle is a 13th century Castle on ‘King’s Island’ in the heart of medieval Limerick City. The Castle overlooks the majestic River Shannon offering wonderful views of Limerick City. Limerick is known as the Treaty City. The Treaty Stone represents the location were the Treaty of Limerick was signed by the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange on the 3rd of October 1691. The Treaty Stone is an irregular block of limestone which once served as a mounting block for horses. Thomond Park is the spiritual home of the Munster Rugby team and rugby has a history going back 70 years in this location, including a legendry defeat of the New Zealand All Blacks team in 1978! At least 189,000 Limerick people emigrated from Ireland between 1851‐1911, many of whom left for America, Australia and England. The novelist Jane Austen had a brief romance with Limerick man Tom Lefroy! 5 Service Learning Ireland July 2017 Some interesting facts on the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin and the Burren Standing 214m (702 feet) at their highest point the cliffs stretch for 8 kilometres (5 miles) along the Atlantic coast of County Clare in the west of Ireland. From the Cliffs of Moher on a clear day one can see the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, as well as the Twelve Pins and the Maum Turk mountains in Connemara, Loop Head to the south and the Dingle Peninsula and Blasket Islands in Kerry. O’Brien’s Tower stands near the highest point and has served as a viewing point for visitors for hundreds of years! Traditionally a fishing village, Doolin is now renowned world‐wide as the traditional music capital of Ireland. Home to thousands of international visitors each year, Doolin is many things to many people. For some it is a place to experience rousing music sessions nightly in the pub and for others it is a place of solitude and tranquillity where one can refresh their spirits away from the everyday hustle and bustle of life. One of Doolin's most famous sons was Micho Russell, a world‐renowned whistle player. His contribution to Irish music is celebrated with a weekend of traditional music held in Doolin on the last weekend in February each year. The Burren, close to Doolin County Clare has been welcoming visitors for many years and some of the more popular activities are, visiting the numerous archaeological sites. There are more than 90 megalithic tombs in the area, portal dolmens (including Poulnabrone dolmen), a Celtic high cross in the village of Kilfenora, and a number of ring forts ‐ among them the triple ring fort Cahercommaun on the edge of an inland cliff, and the exceptionally well‐preserved Caherconnell Stone Fort. Corcomroe Abbey is one of the area's main scenic attractions. The area is alive with rare flora and fauna. Three quarters of Ireland's species of flowers are found in the Burren. The grikes (crevices) provide moist shelter, supporting a wide range of plants including dwarf shrubs. Where the surface of the pavement is shattered into gravel, many of the hardier Arctic or Alpine plants can be found, when the limestone pavement is covered by a thin layer of soil, patches of grass are seen, interspersed with herbaceous plants. Among the flowers recorded from the Burren is the spring gentian, an alpine plant with bright blue flowers that are used as a symbol for the area by the tourist board. The Irish orchid (Neotinea intacta) and bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) also occur there. Doolin Cave (Pol an Ionain) is one of the major tourist attractions. Spring gentian Bloody cranesbill 6 Service Learning Ireland July 2017 Some interesting facts on Kilkenny The town was surrounded by walls