Mr. Geerts’ Class, Day Five

by  Sarah Gallant and Monika Wickham

Tuesday July 12, 2011

We started the day as any Irishmen would – in the pub. As a class, we sat in O’Neill’s Pub to read part of our modern play, The Plough and the Stars.  One of the settings of this play is the local pub, so this location enhanced our understanding of what the characters experience.  Also in the pub, we heard Monika’s voices presentation on Sinn Fein, a political party in Ireland.  Since we had a whole room to ourselves, the time we spent in the pub was not just comfortable, but educational.

Our next destination was Trinity College, the most prestigious university in Ireland.  Modelled after Oxford and Cambridge, Trinity is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world.  While at Trinity, we heard Voices presentations from both Jessica and Lauren.  Lauren spoke about Trinity, informing us of the university’s great history.  Jessica told us about the Book of Kells, which is on display in the campus’s own library. It was incredible to have learned on the same grounds as so many Irish literary greats.

After our time in the pub, we made our way to the Shelbourne Hotel.  This hotel was founded in 1824 and is one of the most lavish hotels in the entire country.  Here the class enjoyed a delightful cup of tea and delectable cake. The Shelbourne played a significant role in the founding of the Ireland given that a draft of the Constitution of the Irish Republic was written in room 112 by Michael Collins.  See below a picture of Mr. Geerts and Mr. Mark Burke in the very room and Mr. Geerts is sitting in Michael Collins’s chair!

Some students had the privilege of ending the day with a peak into Irish culture. We were lucky enough to see Riverdance at the Gaiety Theatre. The show was spectacular and it showcased the talent of Irish dancing, music, and singing. We even ended the night with a little singing of our own. On the bus ride to the residence, GHT students took over the bus singing their hearts out to their favourite tunes.

All in all, it was another fantastic day here in the magnificent nation of Ireland.