A Day of PR and IN-NOLA Business (with link to radio show podcast!)

Thursday, July 18, 2013

This was the second time we were pulled out of normal program scheduling for weird IN-NOLA things.

First thing in the morning, we had warp ten breakfast thinking we'd leave to meet the Tanaiste  (position is kind of like Irish version of vice president) again and tour Leinster House. We were so wrong.

Turns out there was an entire day of PR in store for us, escorted about and accompanied by Enda Carroll of UCD, Dermot Moloney, and his son Devon again. 

First, we went to city center to Kildare Street to meet Jimmy Deenihan, the Irish Minister for the Arts, Heritage, and Gaeltacht. The meeting was brief, mainly to introduce us to one of the people whose help allowed our scholarship and passage into Ireland. He seemed very curious about us and what sort of people we were to earn such an honor, but he didn't have much time. He gave us each a gift of a book of Irish poetry too.

Second, we did go to Leinster House (home of the Irish government) and got a tour of the place, but we did not get to shake hands again with the Tanaiste. That's okay though, because we got to watch people ask him political questions and him answer awkwardly. Irish politicians are hilariously blunt ("I was relieved when you got removed from your position of power as blah blah blah..."). We sat up on a balcony type thing 

Third, we came back to UCD to eat lunch and meet Gill (pronounced like Jill) from Education in Ireland, another person and organization which allowed us to get into this program. She was actually ecstatic to meet us, and we talked to her about our experiences here and thanked their for all her behind the scenes help.

Last, we went back into Dublin City for a radio interview recording at local Dublin station Newstalk 106-108FM. The podcast is available to listen to online at any time right here:

          http://www.newstalk.ie/player/podcasts/Global_Village/Global_Village_Highlights/27785/1/2007gv_nolan_kids_education_program_exchange_ucd

That night we got back tired and excited because we'd been recorded for our surprise radio debut! 

One heck of a résumé item if you ask me.