Today we started off the day by visiting the production site of a local newspaper, the Tyrconnell Tribune. The representative explained their process of creating each newspaper every week and what they focus on. He emphasized how they focus on the local community to draw people into the newspaper and make it more relevant to…

The Haller Global Honors Fellowship program has finally come to an end, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. Our group worked with Carrigart to explore ways of attracting more foot traffic and tourists to the small town. Although they have an active tourism industry during the summer, they face challenges during the rest of…

Today we had an interesting day that started off with a kayaking trip in Downings Bay. We had a great time and also had an interesting conversation with the founder of the company. He explained how he started the business, how it has grown over the years, how he opened numerous new locations, and how…

Weather in the business sector is an unpredictable yet vitally important factor. Extreme weather can impact local and even large businesses on a heavy scale, either boosting or negatively impacting business and foot traffic. Of course, extreme weather like thunderstorms or even hurricanes can be detrimental to local businesses. On the other hand, the circumstances…

Today we visited the site of our project, Carrigart. A lot stood out to me, but most of all, the community presence and connection were impressive, especially how everybody worked together. Specifically, two of the sites, G-teic and the gift shop, showcased this extensively. First of all, the gift shop was a nice place that…

Today we made our way from Belfast to our resting area for the rest of the trip, Milford. On the way, we visited many different tourist destinations, and it was an incredible experience seeing the rural countryside of the Republic of Ireland. We stopped at the famous Game of Thrones filming site, the Dark Hedges,…

We’ve finally begun our 10 days in Ireland as part of the Haller Program, and it’s been an amazing experience so far. It’s difficult to describe everything we’ve seen so far, but it’s been completely different from what I initially expected, in surprising ways. Spending our first two days in Belfast, the nature, the city,…

Our time in Pittsburgh for the Haller Program has come to an end, and we are preparing for the trip to Ireland now. Visiting the various communities within Pittsburgh and businesses showed me many different cultures, neighborhoods, and perspectives. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of adaptability. Touring and visiting historic…

Today we visited the Irish Design Center, run by Tom and Maura. They were incredibly kind and welcoming, taking their time to show us around their shop and share more about Irish culture and Maura’s Irish heritage. Looking at the different artifacts and items they had gave me a deeper understanding of Irish lifestyle and…