A Quiet Day in Dublin

Today was one of our few low-key days on this trip. Our first scheduled activity wasn't until 2 p.m., so I did some work on my project this morning and walked around a bit.

In the afternoon, we went back to Dublin City University for another lecture with Dr. Roddy Flynn, this time on the impact of the internet in Irish media. Turns out, that impact isn't much. Many households still have dialup service due to the infrastructure in the country, therefore discouraging people to use the internet and discouraging companies from putting the extra effort into websites. Most Irish media websites don't even have video or audio, and very few links.

After DCU, we went to Photocall, a photography agency that shoots photos for newspapers and public relations agencies. It was pretty interesting. The group had started out with covering the conflict in the north, and continued from there. I really enjoyed looking at the different photos they had from different periods in Ireland's recent history.

Tomorrow's our long day in Belfast, but I can't wait! I've always wanted to go there, so I've really been looking forward to this part of the trip, even though it means I have to get up at 5:30 a.m.!

A Visit with the Ambassador

Today was pretty busy. To start off the morning, we had breakfast with Rosita Boland, a features reporter with the Irish TImes. It was interesting to hear about the differences between American and Irish journalism, and about her strategies and methods for interviews.

After breakfast we met with Ambassador Rooney and his press staff. It was really great to have such a unique opportunity! He came down and talked to us for a few moments, and let us have our picture taken with him (although we could only bring in one camera, so unfortunately I don't have a copy yet). We also talked to his staff about what they do and about the duties and responsibilities of the ambassador. I was really impressed with his press assistant, though - he was only 23! At the end of our visit Rooney also gave us pins with the American and Irish flag, which was pretty cool too.

In the afternoon, we went back to Dublin City University to listen to Dr. Helena Sheehan about Irish television drama. She made some really interesting points about how television can reflect a country's culture and ideas.

Tomorrow's a lighter day, with another lecture at DCU and then a photography visit. Hopefully the weather will be nice for our free time - today it hailed before our DCU visit!

Ad and PR Day!

Today we started off with a lecture from the chief executive of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, Gerry Davis. We discussed the history of PR in Ireland, the background of PRII and the challenges in the industry today. It was really interesting and he was a good speaker. I'm lucky that I got his presentation to cover for our web project.

Afterward, we visited Ogilvy and Mather, an international advertising agency that is based in Dublin. We met with a strategic planner and digital media expert from the agency, and learned about several of their campaigns such as Health Service Executive's young adult mental health campaign. Although it was nice of them to donate their time, they seemed mildly bored with their own presentation and I didn't really learn anything new.

In the afternoon, we went back to Grafton Street to do some tourist-y shopping. Along the way, we went through Temple Bar and stopped at this amazing little bakery for lunch. It was so good! During our shopping, we also took some time to take pictures in Saint Stephen's Green, which turned out really great. However, just as we were about to leave, it began to pour. Within minutes we were soaked! I really found out what Irish rain can be like today. But after a while, it cleared cleared up and was dry again.

For dinner, Maggie, Ryan and I went to The Bull and Castle for our first official fish and chips. It was so good! Even though I'm not really a fish person, I really enjoyed it. It may have even been my favorite meal so far.

Tomorrow should be pretty exciting as well - we're going to the embassy to meet Ambassador Rooney!

Exploring Dublin

Our second day in Ireland was great. We started off with a lecture from Dr. Roddy Flynn, a professor at Dublin City University. It was really interesting to learn about the history of Irish print and broadcast media. I also enjoyed watching him use one of those slide projectors that I haven't seen since middle school.

In the afternoon we went on a "hop-on, hop-off" bus tour of Dublin. It was great to catch a glimpse of a lot of the famous sites in the city, although it did get pretty cold and windy at the end. We got to see a lot of sights in a short time, such as the Dublin Zoo, the Guinness factory, and several parks and municipal buildings. Some of us also got off at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, which was absolutely beautiful. It is also the largest church in Ireland, which I didn't realize.

At night we were a part of the live audience for "The Frontline," a current affairs program on RTE. Although it was pretty interesting to watch how they produced a show, it was a little too in-depth for me to keep up with at times. I'm not very familiar with all of the details of the Irish economic crisis.

I can't wait for tomorrow - "Ad and PR Day!"

Our First Day in Ireland!

Our first day in Ireland was amazing!

First, we explored Grafton Street, which is the main tourist area of Dublin. Maggie, Ryan and I started off by visiting Bewley's Cafe for some caffeine to wake us up after a long flight (I love their tea). We also checked out Saint Stephen's Green, which is basically the Central Park of Dublin.

Afterward, we visisted the Book of Kells in Trinity College's library, which I found pretty impressive. My favorite part was learning about the scribes and what the artists used to make their vibrant paint. We also got to see the Long Room, which is a two-story library filled floor-to-ceiling with thousands of old books. I'm an avid reader, and I absolutely loved that room.

We also visited Dublin Castle, which was the home of the English viceroy when the English used to rule Ireland. Currently it's used for political events, such as the inauguration of Ireland's presidents.

To wrap up our day, we ate dinner at the Brazen Head Pub, the oldest pub in Dublin. It was so amazing to eat in a pub that had been around for over 800 years.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us!

A Journey to the Emerald Isle

"Don't tell me how educated you are,
tell me how much you have travelled." -Mohammed

Hi! I'm Meagan, a student at Point Park University, and this May I will be spending two weeks in Ireland as part of my Exploring Irish Media and Professions class. We'll be visiting Dublin, Belfast, Cobh, Killarney and Shannon. Not only will we have the chance to talk to Irish media professionals and expand our knowledge of the industry, but we'll also have the opportunity to visit numerous historical and cultural sites such as the Blarney Stone, the Ring of Kerry, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Cliffs of Moher and much more! Check back in May to read more about my daily adventures in the Emerald Isle!