St Patrick Centre Ambassador’s trip from New York to Downpatrick

17 July 2019

GAINING new perspectives in life is something that is always invaluable. My two-week trip to Downpatrick from Albany, New York, has been an experience I will always remember.

Through the Friends of Saint Patrick Centre Young Ambassador Program, I’ve been given this amazing opportunity to come to Downpatrick to learn about the work of the Saint Patrick Centre and the culture of the people.

In such a short amount of time I’ve been fortunate enough to visit historic and sacred sights around Ireland and Northern Ireland, interact and learn from the local people, as well as gain insight into my field of interest abroad.

I didn’t really know how to prepare myself for life in Northern Ireland. I watched a little of Derry Girls, which is a great show, but other than that I came here with very little knowledge about the political and religious history of the area.

During my stay here, everyone I’ve met has been incredibly kind. People always say “hi” to you on the street and are quick to strike up a conversation with you in the supermarket. The thing I will take away the most from this trip will be how nice the people are in this small town and everywhere I’ve visited.

One major goal of the Young Ambassador Program is to strengthen ties between the young people of North America and Northern Ireland. A big part of that is learning about the history of each place.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit towns across the whole of County Down, County Armagh, Belfast, and Dublin. I’ve seen the holy water at Struell Wells, one of the oldest golf clubs in the world at Ardglass, the grave of Saint Patrick, the remains of Inch Abbey, the first Christian church at Saul, the Titanic Museum in Belfast, fought with the Magnus Vikings, visited Iveagh and Leinster house in Dublin, and Castle Ward — to just to name a few.

I’ve learned more about history in Northern Ireland these two weeks than I have in a few years at school. Everywhere you go, there is an immense amount of history. Every building, stone wall, or street, has a past to learn about. In America, the farthest back any building goes is a couple hundred years. Here, almost every building is older than America itself, and could date back thousands of years.

I had the chance to visit the Down County Museum as well, which gave me an amazing look into the past of this county and Northern Ireland. I was able to see how life operated hundreds of years ago; how they farmed, what they wore, religious relics, children’s toys and much more. Visiting the museum was a great way to get a complete background and history of Northern Ireland.

As an Ambassador for the Saint Patrick Centre visiting Northern Ireland, we are all placed into individual work placements for the time we are here, depending on our own interests. This experience allows us to observe and learn in a different environment than what we are used to. I was placed at the Down News for a week, where I was able to attend PR events, meet many interesting people, and learn a little bit about running an online newspaper.

Reflecting on my journey, I am so grateful and happy to have had this opportunity. Without the Saint Patrick Centre, none of this would have been possible. With the help of the Chapters throughout North America, each year young adults have the chance to travel abroad, study, learn, and make unforgettable memories.

I’ve made new friends, networked with people in my field, and had so much fun exploring Northern Ireland.

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