I have been fortunate
and privileged as an educator to have the opportunity to travel with students
on GLO trips to Ireland. As these trips aren’t tied to a specific academic
program, it allows for students of all majors a chance to explore and immerse themselves
in new experiences. While we still have coursework, and educational components
tied to specific site visits and activities, what the students get out of it
and choose to submit is up to them. I’ve found this openness allows for some
fantastic and organic growth and learning from everyone involved.
It’s rewarding to me to see when
students understand and embrace that openness. For some, it’s almost instant,
and you can see the spark even in the airport. For others, it might take a day
or two. Regardless, I’ve found it is usually expressed the same way; excitedly
telling me or the group what they found and enjoyed. Sometimes, it’s resonating
with something on the set itinerary. Maybe a fact that stood out to them about
a location, a local guide with a funny story, or a picture of a well known view
they are particularly proud of. Other times, it’s something they found
exploring on their own. A new food they tried at a local restaurant, the
perfect souvenir for someone back home, or stumbling upon a pub that shares
their family name.
In my first trip to Ireland in 2024, timing allowed our final day to be in Dublin, on Saint Patrick’s Day. The holiday is celebrated a little differently there, and it wasn’t an experience to miss. While it’s still a party atmosphere, it’s much more focused on the community and real Irish culture. Every town has parades and events, sharing their local pride with each other and tourists. Getting to be in the heart of the largest city during all of this was the experience of a lifetime. Everyone had a fun and safe time, and the students happily told me what they had seen and done either that evening at the hotel, or the next morning in the airport, fully embracing the spirit of the trip.
When
I returned to Ireland in 2026, timing and logistics meant we wouldn’t be in a
major city during the holiday. Instead, we would be staying in the town of
Gort, about an hour away from the city of Galway, with a population of ~2500.
At first, I was worried that the group might be disappointed to not get to see
the holiday at its height. A few students explored the town in the evening
before, as I had a restless night wondering how to make amends for some
scheduling outside of my control. Imagine my surprise when at breakfast on
Saint Patrick’s Day, they excitedly told me they had something to show me in
town that evening.
After
a full and rainy day taking in the Cliffs of Moher and Aran Islands, which are
highlights in their own right, we returned to Gort with plenty of time to
experience the holiday itself. A group of students asked me to go with them to
a local pub, because they found something unique. Even small towns in Ireland
usually have a pub or two, and Gort was no exception. What the students had
found was Harte’s Pub, a small and unassuming local place with a twist I had
missed when researching the trip. All throughout the pub, alongside the usual
pictures of the region, regular patrons, and Irish athletes, were Terrible
Towels and other Pittsburgh memorabilia.
Our small group got some interesting looks from the locals, who were happily chatting away about their parade earlier in the day. We were clearly from out of town, but we were not the only ones. The owner and namesake of the pub, Karen Harte, isn’t a local at all though, she’s from my hometown of Pittsburgh. In chatting with her, I picked up on the still barely present yinzer accent, and asked what neighborhood she was from. It turns out she grew up just a block away from where I had lived for years. As we swapped stories of distant home, she let our group flip through a photo album of the pub and town. Months prior, the Steelers had learned of her connection, and visited her prior to their game in Dublin. As we talked, more locals joined the conversation, and more of our group came in to spend the evening.
It
turns out, my fears about experiencing Saint Patrick’s Day in such a small town
were unfounded. I’m happy to say Harte’s Pub now hangs a blue and gold “Let’s
Go” flag from our group. A small and unlikely connection a world away helped
open the door for everyone to have a truly local and unique holiday and
cultural experience. Many listed the small town of Gort, and the evening they
had with the locals there, as their highlight of the trip. But even if I hadn’t
shared that connection with Karen, it was clear the students would’ve made the
most of any situation. They embraced the openness of traveling, and were
willing to go out and explore, and share what they had found. For me, to see
the students grow and experience something like that was the highlight of the
trip, why I hope to continue to travel like this, and hope others do as well.