What better way to experience Dublin’s bustling Temple Bar–on an extra-bustling Saturday, no less–than by perusing the Temple Bar food market? We’re continually amazed by Dublin’s commitment to locally-minded food sourcing practices, that in turn result in cheeses, seafood, meats, and pastries that simply couldn’t…
We set out this morning in search of good characters. We ended up at one of the best spots in the city to find them–the beautiful and historic Trinity College Campus. Writers split into groups of three, found a “mark,” and tracked their characters. They recorded…
This afternoon, we delved deep into the basement of the Irish Rock N’ Roll Museum, to a neon red-lit room whose sound-proofing could not contain the hysterical laughter that ensues when 16 women take on an hour of Irish step dancing. Our wonderful teacher, Mary…
Here’s an example of one of our bricolage poems by Arden Schraff. 1. My mom, an art history major and lover of museums, walks through the halls, pointing and singing love songs for the paintings she meets. 2. Sunlight seeps through the skylights overhead and…
We’re so happy to temporarily call Dublin’s northside our home, and this morning, we spent our first hours exploring some of what this neighborhood has to offer. First, students warmed up their writing muscles by composing definitions of noun and verb versions of their first…
Tonight was date night in Dublin City. We went out on the town for dinner and a movie. Our first stop was the fabulous Irish Film Institute–a hub of independent, Irish and international cinema. We saw the very sweet, but not uncomplicated Mom & Me….
“I am not thinking of Death, but Death is thinking of me.” So begins Mark Strand’s poem “2002,” which our students read this morning in preparation for an imitation exercise at Glasnevin Cemetery, Ireland’s first non-denominational cemetery, and the forever home of such Irish heroes…
Listen: the only antidote for an all night Transatlantic flight is not a pleasant one. The quick cure is to put aside your fatigue, your frazzle, your exhaustion and stay up another whole day. Our Xavier group took to the task with aplomb! First, we hit…
Our final reading will be held Saturday, July 30, from 4–6 PM at the Teachers Club, Parnell Square, Dublin. The address is 36, Parnell Square West, Dublin 1. We look forward to seeing you there!
We’ve received word from the leaders that the group has arrived in Ireland.