Getting the Dirt on Irish History

Kelley Glasgow

Education Abroad

For my education abroad, I traveled during the summer of 2018 to Trim, Ireland, a small town about an hour outside Dublin. In this town, a group of OSU students and I participated in an archaeological dig of a thirteenth century monastery, called the Blackfriary. We dug for artifacts, categorized these artifacts, and went on educational field trips in order to learn more about monastic life in Ireland during this time.
This trip did not exactly correspond with my career goals, but was undertaken more out of curiosity than anything else. I am a history major specializing in early American themes, and so I had little to no idea what this historical era contained in terms of events and people. One change that took place over the course of this project is that I grew to understand infinitely more about this period of history and its modern ramifications than I had previously. Another, less intellectual change occurred in my respect for the science of archaeology, which seemed to present new exciting challenges every day. Having been focused on reading and writing for most of my college career, being able to work with my hands and to tactilely experience the objects that pervaded daily life in that period was refreshing. I found stained glass, pottery, and even the bones of thirteenth century monks, and all of these items brought about new insights and even more questions.
In addition to my work at the Blackfriary, I traveled with a small group around Ireland in order to fully submerge myself in its people and culture. We backpacked from Dublin to Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway, and Killarney all in a relatively short period of time. Not only was I able to view some of the most beautiful natural wonders I had ever seen, but I feel more confident in my ability to navigate the world independently. Free from any supervision, I felt completely in control of myself and capable of exploring the world dependent on no one but myself. For example, I led my group in navigating Belfast very successfully, as well as in reaching the Giant’s Causeway on the tip of Ireland. This feeling has carried over into my daily life, where I feel more confident in myself on the whole.
My peers from OSU, as well as my host parents with whom I stayed in Trim, all contributed to these newfound feelings of intellectual and social independence. My peers contributed enormous amounts of knowledge both at the Blackfriary and stemming from their own specializations. My host parents, who were born and raised in Trim, educated me about their country and how it has changed over their lifetimes, which in turn informed my historical analyses.
Participating in this trip transformed me both as a student and as an individual. Under the tutelage of Professor Beach and the staff of the Blackfriary Field School, I gained new insights into this historical period as well as into methods of studying history in general. I also became a more independent person, with skills that are transferable to my life outside of school as well. STEP funding allowed me to explore a new country with exciting people and fascinating work. I will use my newfound skills to improve my academic abilities and to explore even more of the world in the future, which I now possess the confidence to do.