After visiting Fanad, I realized how important Carrigart is to the people who live throughout the peninsula. While Fanad is a beautiful and peaceful rural area, rural communities cannot function without some connection to a nearby town. Carrigart serves as that connection. It is more than just a main street with businesses; it is a…

Throughout this week, I noticed that Donegal’s attractions draw a wide variety of visitors. At events like the Downings Festival, there was a mix of local families, teenagers, day-trippers from other parts of Ireland, and tourists from farther away. Along the Wild Atlantic Way and at places like Murder Hole Beach, many visitors appeared to…

One thing I have noticed while visiting places like Glenveagh, Doe Castle, Horn Head, and Sliabh Liag is that the weather has a huge impact on how each location feels. At first, I thought the rain, fog, and strong winds would take away from the experience, but I actually found that they added to it….

During our initial visit to Carrigart, two places stood out to me because they represented very different parts of the community: Gteic and the local gift shop. Before arriving, I expected Gteic to be a much smaller and less developed coworking space. Instead, I found that it was surprisingly modern and well-equipped. While there is…

One thing that has stood out to me throughout our trip is that every place we have visited is special for a different reason. Natural landmarks like Giant’s Causeway are breathtaking because of their incredible scenery, but they are also unique because of the stories and culture connected to them. Historical sites like the Peace…

My first two days in Northern Ireland were very different from what I expected. Before arriving, I assumed the conflict here would be similar to modern politics in the United States. I expected there to be disagreements and some resentment between groups, but I thought it would mostly exist in people’s opinions rather than in…

As the Pittsburgh portion of this program comes to an end, I have had the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally in ways I did not expect. Personally, one of my biggest takeaways has been becoming more open to trying new things. Before coming to Pittsburgh, I tended to stay within my comfort zone,…

After listening to the Riverhounds Director of Promotions and Entertainment, I learned that a sports organization can be much more than just a team. One of the biggest reasons for the Riverhounds’ success is how versatile their stadium is. It is not used only for soccer games; it also hosts kid-friendly public events, community gatherings,…

One thing that makes the Irish Design Center unique is the welcoming and straightforward approach that Tom Petrone and Maura Krushinski bring to the store. Unlike many gift shops that simply display products for sale, they take the time to connect with customers and share the stories behind the items they carry. Their friendly attitude…