Studies in Local and International Culture

Yesterday, our group spent almost all of our day touring two historical sites in Northern Ireland: the Stonewall Jackson ancestral home place and the Ulster-American Folk Park.

The home place was really a very short visit; we went and saw the remains of Stonewall Jackson's (of the American Civil War) ancestors' home, as well as a remake of their barn. We were greeted by a hearty man dressed in Civil War garb, and then a kindly couple invited our large group of 19 into their modest home for tea. It was a short experience, but still quite enjoyable.

Following that visit, we spent the bulk of our day at the Ulster-American Folk Park, which, like the name suggests, explores and presents the connections between the Ulster-Scots of Northern Ireland and the Scotch-Irish of America and the Appalachian region. We spent a lot of time there, looking at both indoor and outdoor exhibits and learning about two main subjects: what life was like for the Ulster-Scots and the nature of their transition to America.

As far as the Ulster-Scots are concerned, we learned that their people lived in a rather rigid class system. The poorest people were modest farmers who lived in one-room, thatched homes; the basically middle class people lived in slightly more upscale homes; and the richer people would have lived in perhaps two-story homes and practiced more advanced trades like weaving. Once an individual was born into a class, it was very unlikely that he or she would escape it; social mobility was a slow, and often very difficult, process for the early Ulster-Scots.

Many of the rich and poor alike, though, eventually ventured to the United States in the quest for social mobility, whether due to trade opportunities or the hope of escape from the Irish famine. Ships that brought cargo to the Old World from the New would pick up such individuals on the journey back; the rich and healthy would usually survive, but the starved and poor often perished on the journey. Nonetheless, individuals from both groups ventured to the New World, many of whom eventually moved into the southern Appalachians. They thus brought not only their practical farming practices with them; they also transplanted many cultural elements into our region. From music to dance to storytelling, the Celtic influence on our region is notably strong.

Finally, our group balanced the historical focus of the day with a gathering at a local football club, in which we were able to meet a few of our Ulster-Scots peers. I had some really interesting conversations with a nice girl named Sharon, a geography major who recently graduated from her university. We discussed lighthearted topics like music and movies, but also more serious ones, such as the ongoing conflict between the Northern Irish and the Irish. In summation, the conflict is as follows: the Northern Irish are Unionists who support the British presence in Ireland, whereas the Irish are Nationalists--or, in their more aggressive form, Republicans--who see Ireland as a separate country from Britain. Much of the violence from 20 or 30 years ago is no longer explicitly visible in cities like Belfast, but Sharon let us know that it still goes on. I am interested to see whether we will see the Irish side of the story during our short stay in Dublin before we return home.

All in all, yesterday was a very interesting day in terms of local and international culture. We learned quite a bit about both the Ulster-Scots and Scotch-Irish, especially about the connections between them.

Today, we spent time on more scenic pursuits; to put it simply, they were breathtaking. But I will let Elizabeth share that with you a little later on. In the meantime, we have to eat dinner and get ready to hit one of the most highly rated clubs in Belfast; wish us luck!