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Kinvarra, a seaport village in southwest Ireland

The Cliffs of Moher on the West Clare coast

Glendalough monastic site

Corofin

Kirsten Weeks, a recent graduate who majored in modern languages and cultural studies with a minor in international studies, decided that studying abroad for a summer would nicely complement her degree. Kirsten was already quite well travelled; she had lived in Mexico for a number of years and had visited much of Europe.

Since French was the focus of her degree, she decided to do a short stint in Lille, France for the first half of the summer. Kirsten’s desire to visit the land of her ancestors had her spending the remainder of her summer at Maynooth University in Ireland. Her great-grandmother grew up in Ireland and her grandmother would often retell the stories of her childhood.

“I felt a big connection there and every image I've ever seen just looked absolutely stunning and beautiful. I wanted to give it a try.”

She could truly appreciate the struggles of the Irish and their resilience, and not just because of her personal connection to the country. The cultural focus of Kirsten’s degree helped her connect more profoundly to the history and culture of Ireland. It didn’t hurt that the courses she took there really emphasized experiential learning. Kirsten’s art history class took frequent field trips around Maynooth. 

“We would go to a museum or historic home and study the architecture or go to a very old church and look at the windows there and discuss the art and history behind that.”

Kirsten’s favourite memory was of a similar visit to Glendalough, a medieval monastic site in eastern Ireland. Even though a significant part of the site was in ruin, she could still see the impression of life that was left behind; the hollow that housed a fireplace, the outline of a doorway. Kirsten even climbed a set of thousand-year-old stairs to get to an abbey just as old. She could really see the mark that people left behind; despite years of wear and tear, their memory perseveres. 

As the appreciation for her Irish heritage grew, so did her recognition of Canadian history. Both regions have a history of colonization, with Ireland being the first British colony. For over 900 years, their land was controlled by outsiders, something that is often overlooked by visitors. The nuances of settler colonialism in both countries gave Kirsten a better understanding of their history, something very relevant to her interest in the sphere of international studies. 

The more she felt at home, the more Kirsten found herself blending in quite effortlessly. “One of my fellow Canadians from the East Coast whom I met there was always asked, ‘Where are you from around here? I can't quite recognize your accent?’ The locals all thought she was from Ireland. I even found my Canadian accent coming through a bit more while I was there, just because it is quite similar. I can really see how Irish immigration has influenced Canadian culture.”

Kirsten found comfort in the land of her ancestors, as well as an unexpected connection between Ireland and Canada, deepening her sense of belonging in the place she calls home.