I am officially 5 weeks into the Bucknell in Dublin program, and I’ve finally had the opportunity to experience the thing I’ve been looking forward to since applying- holding a baby sheep! As usual, it has been a whirlwind of exciting experiences, both through my internship and while exploring Ireland.
A couple weeks ago, my internship supervisor, the Senior Economist at TASC, launched the Ireland 2025 Inequality Report. The launch featured a lecture summarizing the report’s findings, followed by a panel of experts who discussed the report in relation to their individual fields of work. Everyone from economists and policy experts to advocates for social change attended the launch. I was asked to write a summary of the event, which TASC then published on their website. It was incredibly rewarding to see my writing featured by a public policy think tank and to know that I am making a real impact through my internship. You can read my event overview here: Inequality in Focus: Highlights from The State We Are In Launch .
Outside of work, I had an amazing time visiting Northern Ireland. We drove up to Belfast on Saturday morning, and it was fascinating to see the differences between the Republic of Ireland (part of the EU) and Northern Ireland (part of the UK). Our first stop was the Titanic Museum, which I really enjoyed for its interactive exhibits. I even learned that Mrs. Emma Eliza Bucknell, wife of Bucknell’s founder, survived the Titanic!
After the Titanic Museum, we took a black Taxi tour around Belfast to learn about the tensions between Catholics and Protestants. It was especially cool for me because I had read Northern Spy, a novel set in Belfast that centers on the IRA. My impression of Belfast was based purely off of the book, so it was exciting to see that Belfast looks exactly like what I had pictured in my mind. After checking in at the Holiday Inn, my friends and I rested up, grabbed dinner at a steakhouse, and explored Belfast’s nightlife. It wasn’t quite as lively as Galway- but still fun!
On Sunday morning, we visited the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, which offered stunning views and a thrilling walk over the rope bridge. Next, we had a guided tour of Giant’s Causeway- another breathtaking site. Our tour guide, who was born and raised there, clearly had great pride in the area, and it made the tour feel even more special.
The final stop of the day was easily my favorite: the sheep farm. We learned how the dogs herd the sheep and got to watch them in action. Then came the moment I had been waiting for. We went into a barn and held baby sheep. Anyone who knows me knows that this was the one thing I wanted to do in Ireland. I was overjoyed, and once the sheep was in my arms, I did not let it go until we were forced to leave. My arms were very sore the next day, but it was totally worth it! My lamb was only 12 days old, and it was very sweet and calm. It was all cuddled up in my arms, resting its head on my shoulder, and it kept licking my face. I miss my lamb dearly, and I have been obsessively looking at the photos ever since.
After such a long but amazing day, we arrived in Derry and got a quick dinner. Then Rayna and I crashed in the Holiday Inn and watched reality TV, which was much needed. The next morning, I was in a very chipper mood after my full night of sleep. We took a guided walking tour of Derry and visited the Museum of Free Derry. It was very saddening to learn about Bloody Sunday and the historical conflict in Derry.
After a packed weekend exploring Northern Ireland, we headed back to Dublin. As fun as the trip was, it was nice to be back in Dublin and reset after the long weekend.
