Achill Cleveland Roots Festival

Please check back for updates! The final entries are in the process of being posted.

Facebook & Friendship

Brendan Keaney’s thoughts on the AchillCleveland student exchange:

“Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them.”
~Francesco Guicciardini

I chose this particular quote because nothing on Achill has been more important than the friends that we have made on this trip to Ireland. As he says, friends are the most important thing in life. The students from St. Ignatius and Walsh Jesuit did not let the opportunity pass to make new friends. We made friends with all of the students from Achill, and are going to stay in touch with each other on Facebook. Our new friends in Achill made us feel very welcome on their island. All of the events that we have done on the island, such as surfing and cycling, the trip to Clare Island, etc., would not have been the same without them. They made the trip down to the Republic of Ireland marvelous and full of entertainment. I look forward to the Achill students coming over to Cleveland sometime in the future.

The Pirate Queen, Pefect Storm, & Pictures

Our correspondent today is Brendan Keaney:

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came.
~ John F. Kennedy

Today was yet another day of adventure for the Irish Studies students and our hosts from Achill Island. This morning, we all got on a bus and went down to a dock, where we got on a ferry boat. Our destination today was Clare Island. It was about a half hour journey through the choppy coastal waters of Clew Bay to Clare Island. Clare Island is a remote and scarcely populated with only 100 residents. It is famous for the being the home of Grace O’Malley and its untamed natural beauty.

After we all got off of the ferry, we were met by two guides who showed us the way to a fortified tower that served as a looking post for the legendary Grace O’Malley. Grace O’Malley was an Irish pirate in the 16th century. Her father was a sea captain, and as a child, Grace always wanted to be one as well. However, because of her gender, she was discouraged by almost everybody. Legend has it that when Grace’s father refused to take her on a sailing trip to Spain, she cut off all of her hair to look like a boy and forced her father to take her. Later on in her life, Grace became a bold and courageous leader both on the sea and on the land. She even had a face to face encounter with Queen Elizabeth I and won her respect.

After the tower, the guides took us on a two-mile walk to the Cistercian Abbey on Clare Island. Grace O’Malley is allegedly buried in the abbey wall. She is remembered today by the title of “Pirate Queen of Ireland.” After looking around at the Cistercian Abbey, we trekked back across the island to have lunch. Our lunch consisted of soup and sandwiches along with tea and cheesecake. It was in a hotel and the room was lit by candlelight. After we finished lunch, we had time to kill, so a couple of different people played music on a piano that they had found in an adjoining room in the hotel where we ate lunch.

Although the ferry on the way from Achill Island to Clare Island was not exactly smooth, the ferry on the way back from Clare Island was very rough. The weather today was wet and cool and conditions deteriorated significantly while we were on the island. A couple of the students from the Irish Studies group, including myself, thought it would be a fun idea to stay on the main part of the ferry on watch the huge waves fly over us. It was as if we stepped into a scene in the move the Perfect Storm. After a couple of large waves crashed over the main deck, the crew told us we had to go inside or on to the top deck. It was a lot of fun even though we all got soaking wet. There were several people who succumbed to sea sickness. Everybody was relieved when we arrived back ashore on Achill Island. Many jokes were made about our harrowing boat ride through the “Perfect Storm.” We took a bus back to Achill Lodge and Inis Aoibhinn. We had time to shower and change, as well as, hang out for a little while before going out for dinner.

It was hard to believe but it was our last night on Achill. We had a delicious dinner at Masterson’s Golden Strand. During the dinner we found out why so many pictures had been taken throughout our days on Achill. Damien, a teacher from Achill, had put together a memory video and we viewed it during dinner. Mr. Bizga was also presented with formal group picture, on behalf of the entire group, and given individual copies to pass out when we arrived back in Cleveland. After dinner we made our way back to our B&Bs for our final night on Achill Island.

Tour de Achill & St. Swithin

It’s like the Tour de France without Lance. ~ Mark McKinnon

This quote describes our “scenic” bike ride perfectly. Today was an intense day. We all work up, had great Irish breakfasts, and got ready for our “scenic” bike ride. We had no idea that we were actually in what we have dubbed the “Tour de Achill.” We all we collected by bus from our B&Bs and taken to a bicycle rental pick-up. We were all given a bike, helmet, and safety vest. Little did we know we were testing out the new Mayo Green Way. The Mayo Green Way is sure to become popular with cross country biking enthusiasts and a shock to people expecting a pleasant bike ride through the countryside. The Mayo Green Way is due to officially open in several weeks.

Over the mountain, past the lake, through the woods, and approximately 20 kilometers later we made it to our lunch destination! It was a difficult journey for many; due in part to bicycle equipment failure. Several people had “popped” chains and I lost my handlebars and guided myself in the last two kilometers by shifting body weight. We are starting to wonder if we are secretly trying out for Survivor Ireland. The scenery was amazingly beautiful and on par it was worth it! At lunch we all shared our “war stories” from the trek. The journey really did help people to bond and much laughter was shared. This afternoon we returned, by coach, back to our B&Bs for needed rest and relaxation.

For dinner, the Achill and Cleveland students went to Féile Bia Na Mara, a seafood festival held every year on Achill Island. The festival was a lot of fun, the food was fantastic, and the students from both countries told stories and conversed with one another. The majority of both groups’ favorite part of the night was the dancing after dinner. The music that was played was from a variety of different genres. For the most part, everybody’s favorite dance was Cillian’s request for “Rock the Boat”. Everybody sat down in unison on the floor and essentially pretended that they were rocking a boat. It was a big hit.

Some of you are probably wondering about the weather. Most of our time in Belfast, the weather was warm and sunny; in no way did it match people’s preconceived notions of Irish weather. For our first day on Achill the trend continued and it was bright and sunny. Yesterday it was more overcast, but there were what the Irish call “bright and sunny spells.” But today is the day it can all change for the worse and according to legend it probably will. Today is St. Swithin’s Day and everyone has been attributing the change in weather to him. You are probably wondering why and I must admit I was curious as well.

So just who is St. Swithin and why does he have such an effect on the weather? From what I have gathered from people on Achill, St. Swithin is a medieval English bishop whose burial wishes were not honored. According to legend, he requested to be buried outside where he could still enjoy the seasons and have people walk over his grave. Some years after his death, his fellow monks disinterred him and moved him into an ornate shrine; probably due to his new status as a saint. When this occurred a terrible storm broke and the curse began: whatever the weather is like on his feast day, the 15^th of July, will continue for forty days and forty nights. It rained today; so if the legend is correct that means our remaining time in Ireland is going to be wet. I guess that is why Ireland is known for having forty shades of green.

Here is an Elizabethan rhyme I came across that succinctly explains the significance of this day:

“St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St. Swithin's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.”

~ Taken from projectbritain.com

Souperism, Surfing, and Song

Our morning correspondent today Clark Andrews:


Today was great! After waking from a great sleep, on a real bed, Catherine prepared a very generous breakfast consisting of waffles, real maple syrup, juice, cereal, toast, and tea. She was just one of the many people we met who welcomed us the warmest hospitality I have ever experienced. The people of Achill Island have a very different way of life from the Irish in Belfast. The police station on Achill Island is no barracks. It is merely a small building with one or two cars and officers who do not carry firearms. This service is even less than many small neighborhood police forces in the United States. This is drastically different from the heavily armed police officers and land rovers of the PSNI. The Irish identity of the people of Achill is very distinct from the Irish identity of the northern Irish. They are not caught up in the struggle between British and Irish identity. Irish identity here is uncontested. There is no tension between the people of Achill like there is in Belfast; they are one community. It was a great shock to see the differences between these two different parts of Ireland. The Irishness of the people of Achill fulfilled the much more romantic view I had of Ireland. This may be in part because of the strong connection between Achill and Cleveland. The generosity of the people of Achill was in part from their gratefulness towards the city of Cleveland. They were proud of our twinned cities and the generations of Achill decedents in Cleveland. Achill was my home away from home and the people on the island treated me as if I lived there.

The first part of the day was a bus tour throughout the island of Achill. This tour consisted of the historical sites on the Island. Much of the history on Achill has to do with a Protestant missionary named Edward Nangael. He learned Gaelic so that he would be able to communicate with the people in their own language. He then began to establish schools and bring in large land-owning farmers to create jobs for the local people. Nangeal himself eventually bought two-thirds of the island. During the Potato Famine, Edward Nangeal imported food from Canada to feed the people of Achill with one catch: conversion. The people had to convert to Protestantism to be able to eat at his soup kitchens. This form of bribing people to join the Protestant faith became known as “souperism.” It makes me think of a quote from Dorothy Day, “Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.” One cannot buy religious allegiance. He also began Trinity College to which Protestant boys could gain entrance if they were training to become missionaries. Nangeal also brought the first printing press to Achill and printed the Achill Herald, which was aimed at people outside of Achill Island. This was to send news to people who may potentially settle on the island. He also began the first hotel and is credited with bringing tourism to Achill. The Archbishop at the time bought land to counteract Nangeal’s mission. He created a Franciscan Monastery and started schools for the local people. The people began to flock to these schools. Many of the sites we saw had to do with Edward Nangeal’s effect on Achill’s history.

Another stop was a Napoleonic Tower. These were used by the British to warn of a French invasion of Ireland. The towers were set up in 1806 after the French helped the United Irishmen in the failed attempt to become an independent Republic. The towers were abandoned in 1811 after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo. The tower on Achill is one of the best kept in all of Ireland.

Another major point that was presented to us on the bus tour was that Achill never had a stable economy. It was never great for planting potatoes so farmers use to travel to Scotland for work. They would be gone from June to November, taking cargo boats known as Hookers to Newport where steam ships would take them to Scotland. One-third of the population left during these months, approximately 2100 people. There was a prophecy that a fire coach would bring the dead to Achill on its first and last voyages. The first part was realized when a Hooker capsized and thirty-two men died and were brought back to Achill on the first train to reach the island. Eventually the economy improved when people bought the 300 acres from the Monastery. More land was won in the Land Wars, in which the major landowners were forced to give up their land after the Land Commission.

Our final stop was the Life Boat station. This is the equivalent of the Coast Guard in the United States. It was enjoyable to talk to the volunteers at the Life Boat station who rush at any call of emergency. They were very humble but proud of their different boats. The bus tour was very important to become immersed in Achill life. I learned so much about the people and culture of Achill. It was a very rewarding experience and I am excited for the rest of our cultural exchange.

Our afternoon correspondent is Brian Clark:

This afternoon we went to The Bay Side Bistro where we had the choice of assorted sandwiches, which were very tasty, drinks, and ice cream. The actual building itself looked fantastic; the interior reminded me of a Victorian style house. Not only was the food great, and everyone happy about his or her choices, the people at The Bay Side Bistro were very hospitable and friendly which made the overall experience that much better.

From The Bay Side Bistro we traveled a ways across Achill to Keel beach where we went surfing! Surfing was fantastic. Everyone who went out into the water enjoyed himself or herself a great deal. We got to put on wetsuits that warmed us up a pretty good amount. We got brief lessons from a surfing teacher on the beach. It was really cool, and I feel like his tips really helped. He made us run into the water like a Braveheart scene because he made us put up fake swords, yell, and charge into the water. Then we got our surfboards and went back into the water. The water was pretty cold, it was about 15°C, or about 60°F. But once we engulfed ourselves in the water, we were quick to forget about how cold the water was; we were all just having fun. Surfing was great because we all got to try and stand up on some waves, and a bunch people did! After about two hours of indulging in “water sports” we got some time to rest before we went to dinner.

Both of the groups went back to their Bed and Breakfasts, but my group in particular mainly got ready for the dinner. We had tea and cookies, talked to Kathryn who is the owner of the B&B that we are staying at, and took showers to get off all of the ocean on us.

Then we headed to Gielty’s to have dinner with everyone. Dinner was amazing. We had choice between fish and chips, or hamburger and chips. I personally chose the hamburger and chips, and it was great, one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. For desert we had a slice of apple pie, which was also really good. But before desert, we played this icebreaker type game where we went around with a piece of paper with a bunch of questions on them where we had to ask people from the other side of the trip (i.e. Only Cleveland students could ask Achill students, and vise versa). There were also stakes for winning the contest (filling out the paper first); the one who won would get 30 Euros. Alice ended up winning the grand prize. Drew won a consolation prize for being the first American to turn it in. Then after dinner, we went to the other side of the pub to listen to some traditional, “trad” in Mr. Bizga terms, Irish music. It was pretty cool because we got to hear some songs sung in Irish, and listening to the small group of people play was really interesting as well. From there we ended up outside where we sang different songs for about an hour.

From all the fun today being with the Achill students, and engaging in their culture, it reminded me a quote by Mahatma Gandhi that states, “No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.” This quote was one I feel fits the twinning of Cleveland and Achill perfectly. So many people from Achill Island moved to Cleveland, and now many of the people from Cleveland have roots from Achill. So now being able to indulge in the warm hospitality and culture, we get to experience something new, and so do the people of Achill Island as well, and we will learn a bunch about each other in the few days we have here. Even though it may seem like a short time being together, it will create long-term friendships, and life long memories.

Arrival on Achill

Our correspondent today is Bill Malley:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.” ~ Mark Twain

Greetings from Achill Island, Co. Mayo, Ireland!

It is hard to believe but our time in Belfast had come to an end. After Geraldine, our helper in Belfast, along with everyone else finished packing up our dorm kitchen at Queens Elms, we said our goodbyes to Raymond and boarded a private coach to depart for Achill. After the five hour bus ride, we finally arrived. We were greeted by Achill locals’ right before we crossed over the bridge onto the island. I immediately felt like a celebrity by the VIP their reception; it was hard to believe that that they were waiting for us to arrive on the island. During our time on Achill we were constantly photographed and videotaped like reality TV show stars.

Our group was too large to accommodate together on Achill; hence were split into two groups and placed at two different Bed & Breakfast Inns (B&Bs). Our group was split between the stylish Achill Lodge and the beautiful Innis Aoibhinn. I stayed at the Achill Lodge which is run by Kenny Deery. My room at the Achill Lodge is awesome and Kenny is making sure that made we were all well taken care of. After settling in for a few hours, we went to be officially welcomed to Achill at the Aras Forbairt Acla.

Our official greeting on the island was quite a large ordeal. It was attended by local government officials, VIPs and church dignitaries. Our greeting was nothing less than spectacular and extended my feeling of being a reality TV show star. We were given the full honor of a Civic Reception at the Aras Forbairt Acla. At the Aras we met all of those who set up this trip, and they spoke to us about the opportunity that we now have. Terence Dever, who was one of the driving forces behind this program, spoke first and introduced everyone else. Along with Mr. Dever, the First Citizen of Achill, Kenny Deery, Mr. Bizga, and a few other officials spoke to us. They all welcomed us with open arms and told us how happy they are that we were here, they were all clearly very excited that we came. The more I listened to them speak, the more I felt like a student ambassador for my country. We often felt like this in Belfast and the feeling has continued here on Achill. After the formalities had passed we were ushered outside for a performance by an Dookinella Pipe Band. Cian, one of the Achill students that we would be getting to know over the next few days, plays the snare drum in the pipe band that played for us.

At the Cliff House we began talking to all of the students from Achill. I sat next to Maureen and Alice, we began to talk and I realized how alike we all were. Before meeting everyone I, along with all the others, were a little nervous because we didn’t know what to expect of the kids. I wasn’t sure if we would get along well, but we did end up getting along quite well. We had a delicious dinner; I got the lamb and some spuds, or potatoes. We even had the additional treat of vocal performance by Kevin Gibbons! On our way back to the B&B, crossing over winding roads across peat bogs hedged by mountains, I could not help but to reflect on how different Belfast and Achill feel. Achill was more in line with my romantic, stereotypical idea of Ireland. There is lots of green space, it is very rural, and it is ruggedly beautiful. While talking to Maebh, I was a little shocked because she told me that people still collect the turf from the bog and use it for heating their homes. This just made it seem even more rural than before; it is the bogs of Heaney’s imagination. After seeing how and where they lived and even just meeting the kids shattered everything I thought about the people from Ireland, in all reality they are just like us. Finally we made it back to our B&B, we were all exhausted from the bus ride so we fell asleep immediately. With only a few more days left in Ireland I am very excited for the fun we will have in Achill and the friendships that have already began to form. It was an amazing night in which the rich ties of friendship between the people of Cleveland and Achill were strengthened.