BC Takes on Ireland Next May
Next spring, May 21-28, Bluefield College students and faculty will venture all the way to Ireland.
On the first day, students and faculty members will depart from the United States on their transatlantic flight to Dublin, Ireland, where they will be met by a local guide to tour Dublin city centre and to see the main sites of this historical city.
One of the first pieces of architecture the BC group will visit will be the St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Founded in 1191, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the tallest church in Ireland. BC students will also get the chance to visit Trinity College, which is considered to be among the most elite universities in Europe, and the National Library before heading to the Academy Plaza Hotel for an overnight stay.
Throughout the next day of touring, the BC students and faculty will visit the James Joyce Cultural Centre, the Dublin Writers’ Museum, and the Kilmainham Gaol. What used to be a prison, Kilmainham Gaol is now a museum on the history of Irish nationalism. This art gallery exhibits paintings, sculptures, and more of prisoners incarcerated all over contemporary Ireland. The BC group will also enjoy a play at a local theatre at the end of this day.
On day four, the group will take a drive to Glendalough where they will visit sites just like William Butler Yeats, an Irish poet, once did. Yeats said that “the world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” The group will be able to do just that on this trip. Not only will they get to see caving systems in a unique environment, but they will also be treated to viewing The Cliffs of Moher, which run for about nine miles and reach heights of 702 feet.
On the last day of the trip, the group will round up all their items and new memories to venture back home to Bluefield.
“A visit to Ireland can be a life-changing opportunity that provides travelers a chance to experience the history of our own history and immerse themselves in the culture of the ‘Emerald Isle,’ a culture that has had a great impact on the history of our own country,” said Wendy Beavers, assistant professor and chair of the Department of History at BC. “The experience for future teachers, business leaders, and others to encounter and interact with another area of the globe is invaluable for the type of interconnected world that we live in.”
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are invited to join those who have already signed up for the trip. The price of the eight-day tour is $3,499 per person. The last day to register will be Tuesday, February 11, 2020. The final payment for the trip is due March 27, 2020. Payment can be made by cash, check, or credit card. See the story sidebar for a break down of payments.
For more information about the trip or payments, please contact Beavers by phone at 276.326.4228 or by email at wbeavers@bluefield.edu.