Ireland – Day 2 – Saddest Letter

We’re 100% as the two remaining students finally made it from Chicago this morning!  As scheduled, we visited Kilmainham Gaol (jail) where the students learned about the Centennial of the Easter Rising.

Attached is a picture of a letter from 18 year-old James Fisher.  He was only a few years younger than some of my students, and I hadn’t read the letter on previous visits.  As you read his letter, you can almost hear the utter desperation (and pride) in his naiveté.

The students reported that a few of them were asked if they were Americans from bouncers at pubs last evening, which is really odd.  One of the female students was denied entry when she was asked and answered, “Yes.  I am American.”  This is very strange, and I suspect these were isolated incidents, and wasn’t the policy of any establishment here in Ireland.

Off to the welcome dinner this evening in Temple Bar, and a full day at Trinity College tomorrow with friends who happen to also be leaders/entrepreneurs and will be our guest speakers!