Ireland – Page 6 – DU Abroad

When I was registering for classes at UCC over the summer, I was really intrigued by the possibility of taking an archaeology class. This kind of course is (mostly) not accessible in the U.S and I’ve always been interested in learning about the way people lived hundreds of years ago. The specific class I registered for covers archaeology in the later medieval period of Ireland- it’s a crash-course about both Gaelic and Anglo-Norman ways of life in Ireland from about 1150-1550 AD. As a bonus feature of the course, this past Saturday we went on a field trip to East Cork and Youghal (pronounced “yawl”), where castles and churches from the later medieval period still stand. We had several stops, and there were a few that really left an impression on me.

I. Conna Castle, East Cork

Irish castles are extremely unique because they don’t tend to follow the traditional structure we picture when we think of castles. Instead, they are mostly stone towers that- out of necessity- were primarily defensive in function due to hostilities with England. Many of these castles were strategically built on higher ground with stone quarries (for building) and a water source nearby, like Conna Castle. Unfortunately, a majority of these tower castles around Ireland are considered ruins, primarily because a lot of them do not have ceilings and, in general, they are extremely unstable. Conna Castle is a great representation of the functions of tower castles in the later medieval period, and it was an incredible experience to see it.

III. St. Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal

St. Mary’s Church is a really unique landmark in Youghal, County Cork. It’s almost an amalgamation of different period influences: later medieval, the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the Victorian Era. The most notable of these features is St. Mary’s ceiling: most of the wooden beams are original to the first church, carbon dated back to the 12th century. This is extremely remarkable because it is one of the only- if not the sole- surviving examples of later medieval church roofs. The rest of the church has been restored: the Reformation saw the installation of medieval replica tiles, the Renaissance saw the construction of renaissance-style tombs, and the Victorian Era introduced most of the stained glass throughout the church. While St. Mary’s is not a perfect preservation of the later medieval period, the parts of it that have survived have taught archaeologists a lot about church construction during the period. The church itself is extraordinary.

The Youghal city wall was constructed around the church, some of it original to the later medieval period while other parts are the conservation attempts of the Victorians. While up on the city wall, you can see out over the church grounds and onto the water.

I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to take this archaeology class. Not only am I learning so much about the architecture of later medieval Ireland, I’m also gaining knowledge about the way of life during the period. My overall goal with my courses was to be able to learn as much about Ireland as I can- past and present- and I feel like I’m really connecting to its origins.

At this time last year, I was heavily considering conducting my study abroad experience in Amsterdam. The city has always fascinated me, especially because it is a landmark in terms of art and culture. At the end of the day, I felt I had more of a connection to Ireland, but that decision has never diminished my desire to visit Amsterdam.

Fortunately for me, I had the opportunity to finally cross it off my bucket list last weekend. My friend and I flew out of Cork Airport on a 6 AM flight and landed in Amsterdam just after 10. The transportation system was extremely easy to navigate- we hopped on a train to the city centre and were there in about 10 minutes. From there, we set off to find our hotel so that we could drop our bags off before starting our exploration of the city. “Hotel” is a generous term. We stayed on a boat, which was docked in one of Amsterdam’s numerous canals. While it wasn’t the greatest accommodation, I think it made the experience a little more authentic. It was definitely an adventure within itself.

I will admit our first stop was a bit of a tourist attraction, but it was a very cool experience. We visited one of Amsterdam’s Strooperies, where the famous Stroopwaffles are made right in front of you. If you’ve ever had one of the packaged ones before, nothing compares to the real thing.

We had booked tickets for the Van Gogh museum prior to leaving for Amsterdam, so we explored the city for a while before heading over to the museum district. It was a surreal experience to see such famous works of art up close and in person, when I had only ever seen them in pictures, on screens. I couldn’t believe I was looking at such pivotal moments in art history. It’s difficult for me to articulate the feeling accurately. You learn about these works of art, you see them and study them, but it’s easy to forget that they’re out there in the world, accessible to you. It’s easy to take for granted the experience of seeing them in person, when we can conjure their images with a quick Google search. The museum had an extensive collection of Van Gogh’s work on display, including small features from other pivotal artists of the time. It was such an incredible experience, and ended up being one of my favorite parts of our trip.

The next day we took a tour of Amsterdam’s modern art museum, which featured works from several popular contemporary artists like Andy Warhol. We also searched the city for a chance to try its famous “Holland Fries,” which are regular French fries, but served with a sauce of your choice. Because Amsterdam is a tourist city, there aren’t a lot of traditional Dutch cuisine options, so it was important for us to find at least something that was important to Dutch culture food-wise.

We also went on a canal cruise, which was such a fun experience. It was amazing to see the city from a different perspective. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a few history lessons about some of the famous bridges and landmarks, and of Amsterdam itself. It was really meaningful to me to come away from the experience having learned a lot about the city, its culture, and the people who live there.

We unfortunately did not have time to tour the Anne Frank House, but we made it a point to at least stop by. It looks like an ordinary house upon passing glance, but I could almost feel the gravity of it the longer I looked. I wish we could have spent more than a short weekend in Amsterdam in order to see it properly, but I was glad that I could at least lay eyes on it.

I haven’t been to many places- domestically or abroad- but Amsterdam was definitely near the top of my list. The city was so beautiful- its canals and architecture definitely being the highlights, and I also loved learning about its history and culture in both the past and present. Two days isn’t enough to see how much the city has to offer, but I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to even spend that amount of time in such a lovely place.