The University of Pittsburgh’s College of General Studies is on an amazing trip to Northern Ireland.

This study abroad opportunity was designed for nontraditional students, a population typically underrepresented in study abroad programs.

Students will visit Dublin, Belfast and Derry over a two-week period.

During that time, the students will post a daily blog along with pictures taken by CGS student government vice president Ric Fera.

Be sure to check back to follow them on what should be an exciting journey!

Check Out The Blog, Pictures

TRIP ITINERARY:

Sunday May 4:
1.Arrive in Belfast. The afternoon is free and we will take you up the road to the shops to stock up your rooms and the refrigerator.
2.Dinner and then, Kelly Morris, (Pittsburgher who has lived in Belfast 13 years), Lauren Dumm (Pitt Grad doing Masters in Belfast), and Margaret Hagan (Pittsburgher doing Ph.D. in Belfast) will come to meet with you and discuss their experiences in Northern Ireland.
3.Eamon Phoenix, Historian at Stranmillis, will meet and talk with you about the Conflict and Northern Ireland History.
4.Free time

Monday May 5:
1.Breakfast
2.Meet at the Albert Clock with Henry Bell, local Historian for 2 hour walking tour on the history of Belfast.
3.Lunch
4.Meet with Sean Brennan at Intercomm in North Belfast for orientation of the Conflict and walking tour in North Belfast.
5.Dinner
6.Meet with Barney Rowan, journalist and author of 4 books on the conflict.

Tuesday May 6:
1.Breakfast
2.Meet with Coiste on Lower Falls Road at Divis Flats to begin walking tour of the Falls Road.
3.Along the way, we will stop at the Cultural Center for lunch.
4.We will continue to Milltown Cemetery and visit the Felons Club.
5.We will also visit the Ballymurphy Women’s Center with Deborah Devenny
6.Dinner will be at Pub at the top of the Falls.
7.Meet with Roy Garland, former member of Tara, author of book on Gusty Spence and Columnist for the Irish News, in the evening.

Wednesday May 7:
1.Breakfast
2.Meet with EPIC Representative for walking Tour of the Shankill Road.
3.We will have lunch at a Community Center where we will meet with ex-Combatants and Prisoners for round table discussion.
4.Sean Brennan will meet us on the Shankill and walk us to Intercomm where we will have discussion with Liam Maskey, Sean Brennan and John Loughran deconstructing Monday and Tuesday.
5.Dinner
6.Meet with Graham Walker of Queen’s University of Belfast for discussion of current politics and the significance of May 8, 2007.

Thursday May 8:
1.Breakfast
2.Tour and lunch at Stormont
3.Take taxis to Orange Order for meeting at their headquarters in East Belfast.
4.After meeting with Orange Order, take City Bus to the Raven Social Club to meet Mark and Jeannette Ervine to go into the Club to see David Ervine’s Mural and also chat with Jeannette and Mark.
5.Dinner – We may eat at “For Cod and Ulster”
6.Free Evening.

Friday May 9:
1.Breakfast
2.Take bus up to Mt. Vernon Community Center to meet with Billy Hutchinson and spend the day in Mt. Vernon.
3.Meet with William Mitchell in the afternoon at Restorative Justice Center.
4.Tentative- Go up to Upper Ardoyne to meet with Community Workers in the Ardoyne and tour the area.
5.Meet with Harry Donaghy at the Job Centre next to John Hewitt, a “social enterprise” Pub and Restaurant
6.Go over to John Hewitt after meeting.
7.Return to Stranmillis
8.Dinner at Parador Hotel on the Ormeau Road- Meet with Patsy Hennessey
9.Free Evening

Saturday May 10:
1.Free Morning
2.Leave for The Somme Heritage Centre in Bangor.
3.Tour at The Somme Heritage Centre
4.Return to Belfast
5.Cathedral Quarter Festival is on and students are free to choose activities.
6.Optional - Social Evening with Janice Vance’s class at Stranmillis

Sunday May 11:
1.Leave for Derry early in the morning
2.Stop at Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge on the way to Derry.
3.I will meet the group at the Hostel and do an "Induction Session" with the Group. This will give them an idea of what they have let themselves in for. I will also give them some Public Safety information (which I will expect them to take seriously) and a guide to some of the local entertainment venues.
4.Free Evening

Monday May 12:
1.Tour of the City Walls covering the such diverse topics as the foundation of the City, The Plantation, The Siege of Derry, The Apprentice Boys, Industrial Growth, Partition, Gerrymandering, Discrimination, The Birth of the Civil Rights Movement, The 5th of October and the start of the most recent phase of our long and painful Conflict. The exodus of the Protestant population from the West Bank of City. The Interface (Peace Wall). The Protestant "Fountain Estate" The "Catholic "Bogside". The Community Impact of the Conflict. The Battle of the Bogside and the Free Derry Era.
2.Lunch
3.Then down into the Bogsde to view the Peoples Gallery (The Murals of the Bogside Artists)
4.Then Bloody Sunday “A Personal Perspective.”
5.Finishing with a visit to the Bloody Sunday Centre/ John Kelly Museum of Free Derry, and a discussion with John Kelly whose Brother Michael was the youngest person murdered on Bloody Sunday.

Tuesday May 13:
1.Visit to the PSNI at Waterside Police Station, Chance to view some of the equipment close up and discuss the recent reforms and their impact with a serving officer
2.A meeting with The Mayor of the City Cllr. Drew Thompson, D.U.P.
3.Lunch
4.Meeting with the fountain Community / Cathedral Youth Club on The Theme "Living Behind The Wire."

Wednesday May 14:
1.A meeting at the apprentice Boys Memorial Hall with the Current Governor Billy Moore. Discuss its history, culture and ethos. Discuss the history of Parades in the City and the normalizing of the Parades issue in the city.
2.A meeting at the Pat Finucane Centre, meeting with Director Paul O Connor,The Victims Commisioners report, Its implications and the establishment of the Historical Enquiries Team.(The Cold Case Squad)
3.Lunch
4.I am hopeful of putting together a panel of Loyalist speakers for a forum Discussion with a Q+A session at the end. (I also have a standby plan in place here.
5.Then If there is time I will explain the long Personal journey For me from "There To Here"
6.Barbecue at Martina McComish’s House, an old friend, in Gleneagles, Derry

Thursday May 15:
1.Breakfast
2.Take Ulsterbus back to Belfast
3.Lunch
4.Go into Belfast to meet with British Council to talk about the work they do
5.Rest of afternoon is free.
6.Dinner
7.Meeting with Monica McWilliams, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commissioner at Stranmillis.

Friday May 16:
1.Breakfast
2.Arrive at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in South Belfast
3.Noon – lunch
4.Take shuttle to Ashfield Boy’s and Girl’s school in East Belfast
5.After school trips the evening is free

Saturday May 17:
1.Free to go home or day of shopping, sight seeing or sleeping.

Sunday May 18:
1.Trip officially ends