Colin Caricato, Ireland week 6: Games and Good Eats « Management in a Global, Societal and Cultural Context

Week six brings another exciting week here in Dublin, and I have so much that I need to unpack as we are nearing the back half of the trip.

First things first, we went to see the Irish House Party perform traditional Irish music and tap dance. The music felt like something straight out of an 18th-century Irish pub and it almost made me feel like I was a fully Irish person myself. In addition to the house party, this weekend we had the pleasure of going to the Experience Gaelic games event. It was a really fun time and we got to try out three different Gaelic Games: Gaelic Football, Handball, and Hurling. We learned about the rules of each, did different drills, and eventually went to have a short scrimmage where we split up into teams. I found hurling the most enjoyable out of the three. It was a lot less technical than Gaelic Football and much more action-packed than Handball. It was also a full-circle moment for me because I used to play Gaelic football at my old sleep away camp. Two Irish counselors, who were brother and sister, would run a Gaelic football clinic almost every week. I remember taking this clinic either my second or third year of camp and I found it to be very enjoyable. Who knew that I would be playing it again in Dublin almost six years later! The only thing I don’t like about Gaelic football is soloing, which is a technique where you have to bounce the ball off your foot to keep possession. Nonetheless, getting to experience the Gaelic games was incredibly fun for everyone, and as someone who is half Irish, I was especially glad to take part. Shortly after the games ended, I grabbed ice cream from a truck parked right next to the Gaelic football field. For the first time in my life, I tried a Biscoff sundae–and it was amazing. Now I’m just upset they don’t have them back in America.

One of the coolest things I did this past week wasn’t necessarily tied to Irish culture, but it still expanded my palate–I tried Filipino food for the first time. I went to a place called Filipino Bakery and Café with two of my Filipino classmates, Nathaniel and Riley. I ordered the Pork Adobo, and when I say it was delicious, I really mean it! After that, we explored Dublin for a bit and stumbled upon a mall with Acai Bowls, Auntie Anne’s, and a bunch of other cool spots. Another place I went to this past week was Bambino’s, a popular pizzeria in the heart of downtown Dublin. Just two slices filled me up, and the hot pepperoni slice was mouthwatering. I’ll definitely be going back soon!

This week was also our time for the judging justice course that I had to take while at UCD. We wrapped it up by discussing the following two cases: Bostock and Nagle school. I found it interesting to see how the job market has become even more controversial over time. These days, it can feel like almost anything is linked to workplace discrimination. Platforms like Indeed and other job search sites have even faced criticism for their AI software, which has allegedly filtered out applicants based on factors like race and sexual orientation. I am really looking forward to doing the final project where we can choose our own hypothetical case, and I can’t wait to see what creative ideas everyone will come up with. After class, we took a tour of Kilmainham Gaol. It was fascinating to learn about the prison’s history and see it up close.

Overall, last week and week 6 have made me realize how much I need to cherish my time in Dublin, as we will soon be going home. I need to be present and enjoy it while I can, and that includes a free weekend as well as more nights out in the city centre. For my free weekend next week, I plan to go to Edinburgh with Nathaniel, and hopefully, we will get to see places like the Edinburgh Castle and enjoy what the city has to offer.