This trip to Iceland and Ireland marks the 10th time Helen Fallon, a professor in the School of Communication,

has traveled with students overseas. She and Jan Getz, a retired faculty member, started these trips in 2008 to enable students to experience traveling abroad.

She also helps students afford these travels through the John E. Fallon Jr. Travel Fund, which she and her children, Amy and Stephen, started when her husband died suddenly in 2008. Her husband had traveled three times to Europe and visited 48 states with his family. He was set to join her and their children on the first Point Park trip to London to celebrate their 25^th wedding anniversary.

Helen Fallon has served as the Honors Program director at Point Park University since 2009. Prior to that she helped create and found its School of Communication, serving as acting dean in its initial year of operation, 2008-2009. Before assuming that position, Fallon was chair of the university’s Journalism and Mass Communication Department for nine years.  She started teaching full time at the private liberal arts college in 1986 after working for 11 years in the field as a reporter, copy editor and editor for three Western Pennsylvania newspapers and a brief stint in health-care public relations.

In addition to her teaching, Fallon works as a part-time copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a position she has held in addition to teaching since 1987.

She’ll blog along with her students as she has found it the best way to remember these trips and all that the group will learn and experience. Fallon occasionally writes as well as edits for the Post-Gazette and loves having the time and opportunity to write on this trip.

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May 3, 2017

I have finally finished grading the papers for my Feature Writing class and can breathe … just a bit.  As the instructor for this course, the last details and work falls to me. I am fortunate to have my graduate assistant, Tyler Dague, and Pitt graduate intern, Parker Werns, helping me here as I get ready. At some point, I will start to think about what I need to bring and pack.  Still wondering whether I should bring that old winter jacket that might live out its useful days in Iceland after we leave there ….

Whenever I tell anyone we are heading to Iceland, I hear that it is just a wonderful and beautiful place to visit.  I wish we had more time there to explore, but alas, we cannot do more than three days to keep the price at an appropriate level for the students.  And truth be told, not as much media there to visit.

We last visited Ireland in 2010.  We had a great trip there, and one of the highlights was visiting the U.S. embassy in Dublin and meeting then ambassador Dan Rooney. Memories of that are bittersweet following his death last month.  He was genuinely happy to see us and gave each of us a U.S.-Ireland flag pin as a memento. It will be a different trip as well for another reason: This trip we are spending more time in Belfast and heading north en route to Galways and the Cliffs of Mohr. Another beautiful country!  Can’t wait to share it with this group of students.

Day one: Welcome to Iceland

We made it to Reykjavik early this morning after some snafus with Delta airlines on boarding pass and luggage.  Despite being assured that all of our luggage left Pittsburgh after a snag or two and checked through to our final destination, three of the bags didn’t make. In fact two of them never left Pittsburgh. We are hoping for an expedited delivery tomorrow morning.

Such a beautiful and distinct country!  The airport itself reminded me of an Ikea store with its Danish modern motif, and the bus ride narrated by Helga our tour guide brought this geological marvel we’ve been talking about all semester to life. We made a few stops at the president’s house and a spectacular Lutheran church (mostly now used for concerts) and a great statue of Leif Erikson near it.  The baggage delay and a bus malfunction stopped us from a few stops, which we hope to make up tomorrow.

Our hotel is comfortable and situated right in the center of town – close to shopping, museums, a massive flea market, and tons of restaurants and bars.  We had lunch at a funky Laundromat café, where we learned that the wait staff earns $20 per hour and tipping is not matter of course as a result.  Prices are high – a hamburger was 20 krona, and exchange rate right now is 105 krona to our $1.  I am considering buying myself an Icelandic sweater, but I want to shop around a bit first.  Lava jewelry, too, is a lure for me.  And yes, Janet Evans, I already bought at least one magnet for you.  And  Icelandic chocolate so far for my Honors Program office workers.

Bob, Jan and I walked around to orient ourselves then we all took a short power nap to get us through the rest of the day.  Great dinner from cauliflower soup to a main pork dish and an amazing chocolate lava and a whipped dessert with pop rocks that we a loved. We found the photography museum we want to visit and a Viking museum that follows that part of Icelandic history.  We’ll squeeze those in tomorrow or Tuesday, as our time here is short.

It’s still very light here at nearly 10 p.m. We won’t see the Northern Lights on this trip most likely, but we can indeed enjoy this extended daylight.  Average darkness this time of year – between four and five hours.

The best way to end this first day is to sit in the cozy lobby of our hotel with Nicole, Maggie, Cait and Kristin, writing our blogs together before a fire and chatting about all types of things. So looking forward to our Gold Circle tour tomorrow!

Day Two: A geological marvel

Full day today as we left Reykjavik for the Golden Circle tour led by or guide Helga.  We started off with a walking tour of the downtown area to get a direct sense of Icelandic history, much of which we touched on in class but now had the opportunity to see and learn about first hand.

We saw evidence of the first settlement in the city, circled back to the water tower Perlan that had been closed Sunday when we arrived, and took in the vista and expanse of this city, which is surrounded by glaciers, mountains and a craggy environment that has to be seen to grasp its sheer beauty. We saw rainbows from our bus windows on a remarkably clear day. Blue skies set off the snow and ice topped mountains and volcanoes that ring the city. I cannot wait to see the students’ photographs.  And how I wish I had kept up with my own love of photography.  I have to relive it all through their work, and that is really not a bad thing!

Or first stop was the Thingvellir National Park, where we walked between the tectonic plates that separate our Earth, touching the rock that heaved up so many centuries ago.
Breathtaking.  We saw the Icelandic president’s version of Camp David. I would spend tons of time there. And it’s fitting that this is here because it is the site of Iceland’s first parliament, where leaders dev- eloped laws and a style of government that assured no kings and rulers. “Thing,” which I cannot type with the proper Icelandic alphabet letter, means parliament, Helga told us.  We joined a small group listening to a woman standing on a riser underneath an Icelandic flag and singing the country’s national anthem in a beautiful operatic voice. 

Next stop was the Geysir geothermal area, and we watched the the geysirs spout high into the air from the 100 centigrade hot water pools underneath the Earth.  I had to take a photograph of one of the clear, brilliantly blue pool sof water that from the activity near one of them to remember it.  Jan and I stayed a respectful distance away from the hot water and with good reason! You can see the hot steam rising all through the area. Iceland has harnessed that power to its advantage in its HVAC systems throughout the country.

It was a short ride up to the final destination, the Gullfoss Waterfall, that we could hear before we saw it.  Such a roar! And incredibly windy!  Visitors descend a steep staircase or walk along a slippery trail to get a better view. I managed to get down to the first landing of one of the staircases and captured what I could.  I took a photo of grad assistant Laura Quinn holding a Terrible Towel, and a couple stopped to ask us if we were Steelers fans.  They came here from Johnstown. Always a connection on these trips to our home!

Shopping and food played a role in our day, too, of course.  We stopped at a farm that has a creamery. Great ice cream, and through windows we could watch the cows that provided us with the delicious treat.  Jan, Rachel, Bob and I savored the delicious lamb soup at the Gullfoss Café.  Rosie Medvec raved about her sandwich from there, too.  The best part – free soup refills if we wanted it.  But we demurred as we had a great dinner ahead of us at a restaurant near the Harpa overlooking the bay and that gorgeous vista again  The delicious and elegant chicken dinner had a special guest – our photography professor April Friges’ niece, Cayla Jean, who lives here.  She gave us some great advice on our visit, and we so enjoyed her company.

Day Three: We just got here, and it’s our last day!

It’s down to business today with our Iceland media visits to Promote Iceland and The Grapevine. The day started off with a twist – Our host, Sveinn Birkir Bjornsson had been a Grapevine editor before moving over to the tourism agency. Kind of like Pittsburgh, where everyone seems to know everyone and the media and journalistic world is a small one.

I had looked through this site many times as I was preparing for this course and again in the early part of the semester. What is amazing is how much the private-public partnership has done on a small budget but with a large helping of creativity.

It’s been seven years since that volcano that almost stopped our first trip to Ireland occurred and halted traffic all over Europe.  As Sveinn told us, this near tragedy raised the name recognition of Iceland, and it helped push the country to the forefront. The country had been struggling since the worldwide economic crisis, and tourism seemed to be the answer. But how to do it?

What has been done is remarkable. Dedicated to an authentic, accurate portrayal of Iceland and its citizens, Sveinn said the agency and his group decided not to focus on nature but rather the quirkiness of Icelanders.  The country was divided into regions, and the first effort and push had Icelanders – people from the president to Reykjavik’s mayor to regular citizens – inviting visitors to come along on mussels harvesting, relaxing in hot tubs and and warm pools, and sampling some of the country’s music and food. The message  — We’re open for business, and it worked, spectacularly well.

The message as well, Sveinn emphasized, was that this country is not for the conservative traveler.  And the demographics are high – in income, education level, and travel experience and experimentation.   As we learned, this is not an inexpensive city.

With the website in full operation, the campaigns have moved on to responsible travel. And Promote Iceland wants people visiting more than Reykjavik and the Golden Circle.  Sveinn said the marketing and strategic planning became more focused, more professional and more cohesive (monthly meetings with all partner organizations, for example0, resulting in a bottoms up approach. The efforts have paid off with #askgudmunder (hilarious) and the world’s first human search engine) and the Iceland Academy. All of it just a huge success, moving Iceland way up among its main competitor countries  — Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

It’s all so good that both Google and You Tube have used  Promote Iceland as a case study.

One of my biggest takeaways from this came when Sveinn said: “It’s not just about selling. It’s about communicating.” The success comes from communicating first internally, then with the creative teams involved, and then to the outside world.

Sveinn’s story was amazing, too. He came from a city of 400 on the east coast of Iceland, then moved to “sin city” Reykjavik in 1997 to study philosophy. Two masters degrees later – one in journalism – he started his work for the Grapevine, left right as the economic crisis hit and then moved to Sweden.  He came back in 2011 and started working as a website content editor for Promote Iceland.  His department of four people works with the Tourism Division and has helped lead all these efforts.  Iceland’s lucky to have him back here.

Second visit – The Grapevine . We squeezed through some construction mayhem to reach the side steps and climbed the three stairs to a small office that Emily Bennett aptly said reminded her of The Globe.  It was that small and hot. But such fun and such great people!

Publisher Hilmar Steinn Gretarsson and his staff told us the 25,000 circulation weekly (and a special quarterly publication) saw a void in media coverage – culture and the arts – and decided to fill it. It’s been in business for 14 years, and the staff writes for two audiences: the residents who rely on it for the cultural news and visitors.  Several of the people who talked to us laughed about bus tour ads amid listings the locals count on. And understand much better than we visitors.

The paper has no real competition, managing editor John Rogers (who came here from England) , but it also adds in some political commentary and opinion to keep things lively and edgy.

And there is a lot to keep up with, Valur Orettisson , the editor in chief said, because Reykjavik has exploded with restaurants and music venues the past five years.

Their goal: “We don’t want to be boring,” he said.”It has to be strong. We have a very independent voice. To do less would devalue the paper. It’s a good harmony.”

Sveinbjorn Palsson, the art director, creates amazing covers and handles all the layout, according to all who spoke to us. His take: “The magazine is an absolute freak. The tourists are a target audience, but you don’t cater to them. You invite them into the international conversation.”

To that end, he said the staff is mostly Icelanders, but it also includes an Englishman, a Polish native and interns from America. It creates good chemistry, he said. And the non-natives “give us an outsiders’ view of what is going on here.

The official part of the day ended with all the students and faculty sharing their impressions and takeaways from the visits before we went out separate ways on this last day in Iceland. Loved hearing it all – the insight, the interest and more.  We’re having a wonderful time. So sorry it has to end here so soon,

Students split up to head to their respective destinations, while we adults checked out the Settlement Museum and had another wonderful dinner.  We came out of the restaurant to brilliant blue skies and warmer temperatures.  I am going to have to come back here someday.

Day four  Hello, Dublin!

Waking up at 2 a.m. is something morning TV anchors and reporters do.  But we all did just that on Wednesday as we moved on from Iceland to Ireland on WOW airlines. Our 6 a.m. flight to Dublin caused that early wake up call, and naturally, the flight ended up being delayed 45 minutes. But our bus was waiting, so we loaded up and headed for the 45-minute ride to the airport to have enough time the passport check in process.

We all proceeded through all that with a few snafus (including a mix-up on a ticket for Nikki Pollo that kept her in Iceland one more day although there were plenty of seats on the plane)  and just waited as patiently as possible for the flight.  For some reason – maybe the early hour? – the gate was closed and we had to wait nearby until it opened.  We boarded a bus and walked on the tarmac (something I have not done for a very long time) up the staircase to the pink trimmed jet (yes, everything about WOW airlines is in that perky color).

WOW airlines is indeed different, from that signature pink motif to its charges for everything (I think even the air you breathe on those planes) beyond their low, low basic prices,to the young flight attendants who basically leave you alone once you are seated and buckled in.  I thought I’d sleep on the plane, but a prolific snorer – think of someone emitting sounds like a chainsaw or jackhammer – right next to Jan and two seats away from me. I finally did doze off in exhaustion but not until near the end of the flight.

It felt so good to get off that plane! And this time, all our luggage was there.

We caught up with Joe Darcy, who had been our tour guide during our first trip to Ireland in 2010 and sped off for a tour of the city. Our flight delays caused the planned stop at the Book of Kells to be rescheduled for this Friday, so after a quick walk we arrived for a tour of Ireland’s Parliament, where we met Senator Diarmuid Wilson, Fianna Fail chief whip and the speaker. We sat in on some testimony about what the discovery of children’s remains at a home for unwed mothers, concerns about tapping into members’ cell phones, and more. Television reporters gathered outside as they all awaited a news conference from Taoseich Enda Kenny, the leader, who resigned his post later that day.

Great tour, great orientation and a great start to our time in this gorgeous city.  We finished it off with a great dinner at the Brazen Head Pub, the oldest pub in Ireland. Established in 1198  Excellent dinner made even more enjoyable with the addition of former Point Park advertising professor Kathleen Donnelly and her husband Tony Dixon. Kathleen who left Point Park to teach first in Florida and then England, completed her PhD at Dublin City University, our first stop on Thursday.  She tries to meet us on as many of our trips as possible. We love seeing her.

Finally, back to our apartments for some much-needed sleep. I think I fell asleep as soon as my head landed on that pillow.

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Day Five Irish culture and the media

Every year when we take these trips we learn as much as we can about the countries we will be visiting and their media. Long ago we realized nothing substitutes for being there and hearing from experts.

Dr. Eileen Culloty, a post doctoral researcher at Dublin City University’s Institute for Future Media and Journalism, did just that in our opening lecture. She explained to us that 20^th century Ireland is deeply nationalistic and conservative. Its economic protectionism, chronic problem of unemployment and mass emigration frames its culture. One example: Its politics are rooted in a constitution that includes the “role of women in the home” and a “special place for the Catholic Church.”

Her fascinating lecture took us from Ireland’s War for Independence in the early 20^th Century, reinforcing that the Irish would do anything not to be British. Irish is the official language, Eileen said, although 90 percent of the population cannot speak it. (It is taught early in schools and anything official is written both in English and Gaelic.) She said there is “absolute deference” to the Catholic Church and Catholicism.

She related her own career, coached by professors to leave Ireland after graduation from university to find work. When Eileen studied abroad and students from all nations discussed world affairs, she told them immigration wasn’t the issue in Ireland. It was emigration. Ireland was losing all its young people simply because they could not find solid professional work.

Because of the church’s influence, censorship prevailed in all forms – books, films, media. Sexual references were deleted, from the most benign to the most important to plots (think of the film “The Graduate” with no reference to the affair) to the point of ridiculousness.

Female journalists in the 1970s fought for change, she said, prominently the need for legal contraception. Women had battled back against their three job choices – teacher, nurse or nun – to raise their standing from her mother’s time. Family sizes started dropping from nine or 10 children to three or four.

The 1990s saw rapid social and economic change. The first female president was elected in 1990, homosexuality was decriminalized in 1993 and divorce was legalized in 1994 (and gay marriage is now legal).Unemployment fell below 4 percent in the 2000s, and the country finally achieved net immigration in that same decade. The second diaspora slowed down, she said.

But that doesn’t mean thing are easy, Eileen said. Divorce still takes four or five years, for example, “enough to make two people who hate each other hate each other more.”

As for the Catholic Church, the sex abuse scandals of the 1990s hurt it, but many still follow the church and obtain all the sacraments.

The Irish media have always included a large number of newspapers and magazines. Television modeled itself on the BBC model – license fees and government subsidized programming. But the RTE also includes advertising to meet costs. In a small country, Eileen said, that means challenges, and programming quality series and documentaries is difficult, especially when citizens can early watch BBC Channels.

Because of that license fee, she said, young people are not watching over-the-air television, using online instead.

But the Irish are high news consumers, according to an Oxford Reuters digital news report in 2016. It is just not always Irish-based media (UK newspapers and magazines are popular, she said). The Irish also trust the news media, 46 percent in the survey, and they find much of their information online. The top three in that survey: RTE news, the Irish Independent/Herald online and The Journal, a new online site. The Journal reports well and offers short, concise stories – well told – that consumers seem to like, Eileen said. And they are much more inclined to read about news and sports rather than lifestyle, arts and culture.

An issue for online journalism is the fact that broadband service is good in Dublin but weak elsewhere. Ad blocking is also high, 30 percent according to the survey.

Radio remains incredibly popular, Eileen said, something we remember from our 2010 visit. Thirty percent of those surveyed said their first contact with local and national news each morning is via radio. Podcasting is growing, too.

In social media, Facebook and YouTube rank high. Twitter gets lots of attention, Eileen said, but it’s not that appealing to many. It’s just that if you’re on Twitter, she said, it seems that lots of people are on it. And that’s just not the case.

The challenge ahead for the Irish media include demographics, with a young growing digital natives population ; economic, advertising and revenue concerns; and technological woes, meaning keeping up with new upgrades and fighting illegal downloading.

Many new media ventures and analysis is occurring, and that includes the institute Eileen works for at DCU. With grants and partnerships with media like the BBC, the institute is studying bypassing the media, digital literacy and misinformation, online hate speech, nonlinear TV viewing, consumption and readers, media pluralism, media populism, and more. Launched in 2015, the institute also is working on projects with RTE and the European Journalism Centre.

As for arts and culture, Ireland hopes to keep its artists by excepting artistic earnings from taxes. The tradition of the Irish and theater is still strong, she said, and the industry has a strong animation sector, Film production is almost non-existent because of costs. Ireland tried tax cuts in the 1990s, but Belfast stole the idea, she said, “and that is why ‘Games of Thrones’ is filmed there.”

What was interesting to me is that the media still follow strict equal time laws on coverage of issues and politics. Broadcasters are limited in their coverage of issues right before elections, too. All something the U.S. media had followed to some extent before the Reagan years and FCC deregulation.

Ireland is a mix for progressives and conservatives, in the middle, perhaps, more than left or right, Eileen said. With a proliferation of political parties, though, it has great promise.

Next up – a visit to Harmonia, Ireland’s largest magazine publisher. We drove for what seemed hours through Dublin’s torn-up streets (for improvements to its elevated rail system) and traffic to its offices. CEO Ciaran Casey welcomed us warmly at the door, and he personally greeted each student and faculty member.

We split up into two groups, mainly because of the size of the office versus our groups, one for business and one for creative. We heard from Sinead Behan, circulation director; Rachel Supple, commerce director; Miriam Atkins, editor of Food and Wine; Karl O’Toole, senior designer of Women’s Way and art director of Ireland of the Welcomes; and Rebecca McKnight, senior editor of Harmonia Creative.

Ciaran said right now the business side of the company needs to be creative. In Ireland, magazines are sold at newsstands, not much by subscription as there is no provision as in the U.S. for lower mailing rates. As the largest magazine publisher in Ireland, selling more than 5 million through its various titles, Harmonia needs to engage and inspire readers and deliver for advertisers, he said.

Its biggest seller is Tattler, aimed at professional women followed by Women’s Way, aimed at the stay at home mom or older woman. It just launched Tattler Man, which is published four times a year right now. Harmonia offers advertisers packages and placements across titles.

The consumer audience is key, but the company also publishes business, customized, specialist and employee magazines. It offers events and programs – 30 under 30, Spa Awards, for example – much like U.S. magazines do. Ciaran and the others said this helps both the magazines and advertisers promote themselves.

Some of the magazines have a long history – Tattler was created in 1890 and Women’s Way in 1967. One interesting magazine, Irish of the Welcomes, is mailed to the diaspora who left their home country but keep a connection to it.

Ciaran said, “The number one goal is to have people take your content and buy your content.”

Integrity and good work is key, though, he stressed.

Selling them through that news stand takes effort. Rachel said the winning concept for Harmonia has been a single good image on the cover, key words (win, sex and free work, and that order of words is important!), sign posting, and primary colors on the cover. Numbers on that cover work, too, she said.

Other sales features include advertorials, sponsorships, ad sponsorships, product placement in copy, brand articles and partner promotions.

Harmonia has strict contracts with rules to adhere to, she said, and the brands have rules, too, such as no placement against or near a competitor’s advertisement.

One of the best parts of the events, they all stressed, was that it offers a chance for them to talk to their readers and get feedback on their work.

Harmonia has found success with PR campaigns and uses a 360 approach with its brands. That means they work on it through editorial, social media and across all other possible channels.

One way to raise revenue is a program called the Disruptor. Harmonia offer advertisers front cover name placement, brand references, product placement in editorial pages, catalog inserts and digital coverage. For example, 5,000 euro can result in your product being placed on an editorial page. For 20,000 euro, you can have cover placement and many of the other offers alone for one issue.

Rebecca and Miriam explained how the four key titles for Harmonia – Food and Wine, U (geared to that younger audience), Tattler and Women’s Way – appeal to different audiences and the content and copy follows. Rebecca echoed Eileen’s comments that they face intense competition from UK magazines.

Their work crosses all the titles and efforts because brands just don’t want to purchase an ad, They want reader engagement. So that is a concern in the article selection, events planned and social media pushes for each magazine and their work.

Karl made a brief appearance as he was waiting to approve a final version of one magazine for a printer. He said in his work he needs communication between editorial and design. Production plans for each magazine include first, second and third checks. Irish of the Welcomes has two versions – one for Ireland and Europe and the other for the U.S. That means coordinating time and effort.

Magazines can’t be boring, Miriam and Rebecca stressed to us. Both write as much as they can to keep their skills up. With a small staff, everyone does double duty. They use freelance writers and keep people who are good and work on deadline.

For example, Food and Win has three writers and editors and a design staff member dedicated to it. Tattler has a staff twice that size. Photography might mean stock or hand-out art. Photographers are hired according to available budget, Miriam said.

They do work with advertisers on content lists and themes. “You have to have vision and ethics, but you also have to be realistic,” Miriam said. “You have to face reality. It’s a business and you need to know this.”

Digital has exploded for them the past five years. Clients today, Rebecca said, expect that mix. The challenge for print is how to work those together for good content, and although the web work can be fixed immediately, your work is still out there forever. She has worked hard on learning content management system, photo selection and editing, and understanding web analytics.

“It’s evolving and will only get better,” she said. “Plus it digital] will get us out there via social media. It helps your reach.”

Regardless, both urged students to make sure they work on their writing skills, meet deadlines, cultivate their integrity and ethics, and strive to be accurate, always. Admit mistakes and learn from them, but work hard on those basic skills. That will get you work.

We ended the day, weary but elated to have met these wonderful people. Jan, Darlene, Bob and I had dinner at the Millstone on Dame Street. A great meal to end a great day!

Day Six Last media visits in Dublin

Jan’s phone rang early as we were getting ready today. It was Nigel Heneghan himself, calling to make sure all was OK as we headed over to meet him and his staff. How lovely, as the Irish say! He didn’t ask a staff member to call. He did it himself. Wonderful!

We had such fun with this name before we left – I told our president, Paul Hennigan, we must be visiting his relatives. And Paul, if you’re reading this, I have a note pad from the agency for you.

We stopped at Nigel’s office at his recommendation to take a photograph there. The office is in a pretty building on Pembroke Road, not far from the U.S. Embassy where we met the late Dan Rooney, then ambassador to Ireland, on our last visit. Lovely, I might say again. We were welcome warmly once again, looked around (loved the PR signs in the entry!) took that photograph, and then we walked together in the bright Irish sunshine to the hotel.

Nigel is the managing director of the corporate public relations firm his father founded in 1990. He had been working in Saudi Arabia at the time, but the invasion of Kuwait made him decide to return home and work with his father. The firm is top heavy in corporate consulting, which is deliberate, and it just opened a second office in Cork. That city was selected, Nigel said, because it is growing.

Nigel walked us through the agency’s HPR 360, a strategic approach to PR campaign development and management. The agency’s clients are a wide range from multiple sectors, many health organizations and companies to the Independent News group. It also represents some NGOs and some corporate clients, including Henkel, based in Germany.

He introduced Eoghan O’Neachtain, the firm’s director of public affairs. We had actually spotted him several times the day prior as we toured Ireland’s Parliament. He stood out not only as a very tall man but also as the gentleman we overheard speaking Gaelic into a cell phone.

Eoghan (our Ian) had served in the Irish Army for just about 20 years, where he helped the military recover from a scandal involving hearing loss in soldiers. In college he had been on the debate team, and when Eoghan left the military he headed public affairs for the Electric Supply Board. So his message to the students: People in this business come from a variety of backgrounds with a variety of skills. In his last job he had to lobby the government for funds and be a spokesman for his organization. Then he spent a year as a spokesman for another Parliament member and had the opportunity to travel to the U.S. and speak before Congress. He endured Ireland’s 2008 economic crash, worked for Enda Kenny, the Taoiseich who resigned this week.

“The firm needs people like me who know the people in charge,” he told us.

Two delightful young women also talked to us – Mariah Hoffman, a rising senior at the College of Charleston, who has just one week left on her internship with Heneghan. She obtained the position after cold emailing PR firms in London and Dublin when she knew she’d be studying abroad this semester. As a student, she would have the necessary visa.

Her work for the agency involved a great deal of research, writing news releases and diary note (media notifications) and photo calls. Mariah had experience coming into this – She had interned at a PR startup in Charleston, mainly researching prospective clients and writing a user manual for it. Once she heads back to the U.S. she will start a PR internship in New York City.

Eve Noone, an account director, is also heading to the U.S. as her husband has started work there for Farmers Insurance. She explained all the work she had done for the agency, for the past seven years many involving special events for the students. Eve had been an intern as well, and Nigel hired her as the timing was right and she had the right skills and work ethic.

Eve said the work was intense but good, as clients call and need attention right away. Learning to work on deadline and responding quickly is important to success.

In the Q&A session, Nigel explained his approach to crisis communication with clients. First of all, he said, you have to help them decide if it is a crisis or an issue. Most concerns are the latter, he said, and involve internal audiences rather than external. With health organizations in particular, it is important to have a plan in place to respond to crises and practice it. Then debrief and review lessons learned.

(I remember the importance of that from my five short years in hospital PR. In both places I worked – a university and a community hospital – internal communication was the key to success or embarrassment. I saw both.)

Because the work is nearly all corporate, the social media approach is different. Linked In is the appropriate vehicle, he said, not Facebook and Twitter as much. And he turns down clients for a number of reasons but mostly two – they are not ready yet for a PR campaign and they don’t have the necessary funds for one to be successful. But Nigel said the firm will get involved in positioning for an entrepreneur.

He has worked with products, including Miller beer and Motorola phones. Most notable product client: The agency helped launch Starbucks in Ireland.

Nigel acknowledged that he has to walk a careful line with his Independent News client, but he said that there are clear lines of delineation. “Ireland is a small media market,” he said.

One new part of that business is a newspaper distribution technology company, which he believes has great promise.

We asked about his father’s work, and he explained that he had parlayed working for a big tobacco company into managing major Ireland sports events – golf, horse racing, Gaelic games and auto racing.

Of course the questions turned to how do you hire. Nigel said he looks at the cover letter more so than a person’s CV. He encouraged students to write cover letters “like a feature.” He hires, he said, “based on character, their street smarts and common sense.” If they can handle tough questions, Nigel said, they can handle the media and our clients. “For me, how genuine a person is, how much they want the position, is important.

“You want them to be safe,” he added. “Reputations are very important in this business.”

A final note from him: Working in an agency like his doesn’t mean you have to be boring. “Even in corporate PR we need creativity,” he said. “When the light turns green, do you put your foot on the accelerator?”

For himself, he likes the fact that he will know about 60 percent of what will happen during a normal work day, and he will have no clue what will happen with the other 40 percent. “The unknown, where the client will need you, that’s what gets me up in the morning,” he said. “You do realize that clients are relying on you.”

Nigel’s definition of genuine couldn’t be more appropriate for our final visit with Michael Chester, president of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland. He is the genuine article as my late mother used to see. Dynamic, funny, passionate and so incredibly entertaining … we’ll never forget him.

Chester, as he says everyone calls him, didn’t come to photography in any planned, or for that matter, educated manner. He wanted to play rugby in college, but that never happened, so he spent seven years at sea delivering goods all over the world until that industry collapsed. All along he took lots of photographs and continued that hobby as a salesman first for Lock Tight, a super glue company, and then later Waterford.

But he loved motor cross, and he wanted to photograph it. He said he nagged and badgered his way into shooting for newspapers and magazines and then became a steady correspondent for Motor News.

Chester said he was the first Irish photographer to shoot Formula One, too.

His persistence paid off, too, in shooting musicians and concerts. “I forced myself on Bono,” he told us. “I do lots of travel with him.

Finally, after lots of travel he quit his day sales job, “met a German girl,” and started his own photography firm. His brand ID? Chester, with a Grand Prix logo.

He worked as a photography correspondent for one of the Irish newspapers, putting in the required two years to become a member of the PPAI, and 10 years later he leads the organization. The nonprofit , all volunteer organization is comprised of the best photographers in the country, established and up-and-coming talent. It promotes its members work and the photography profession with major annual awards (held at the same hotel we were in that day), and each week displays its members’ work on its website.

“We have great access,” he said, telling us the taoseich’s phone number is in his phone. He ticked off all the superstar musicians he has shot – Elton John, Paul McCartney, Katy Perry (although he didn’t know who she was …), Brittany Spears and more. He shoots the Irish Oscars, he said, and works for MTV on a regular basis.

As for the awards, he told us that World Press Photo (which we visited last year in Amsterdam) is No. 1, “and we’re number two.”

The average number of entries for the contest is 2,000, and this year 212 photographers competed in nine categories. A premier panel of judges selects winners over a weekend. A tough job, he said, to select those winners. Gerry Mooney, an Independent News photographer, was this year’s Photographer of the Year. A family vacation prevented him from joining us.

This year the contest included multimedia. Chester believes photographers can’t shoot stills and video, but they do what they need to do. And the association works on helping members improve both skills, offering 15 master classes this past year at 20 venues across the country.

This year as always, the winners go on a popular “Late Late Show” on Irish television to share their work. The group also projected winners’ photos on buildings in Dublin

He loves his Nikons and long lenses and film, but he shoots digital although it’s “for the birds.”

The association doesn’t have a major sponsor right now, so it has curtailed a conference it used to hold each year for photographers. But what they do is archive photographs through Dublin City University, which pleases him. “We capture history,” Chester said.

He ran us through some incredible numbers – 880 billion photographs are taken every year, 2 billion each day. Facebook users upload 3,500 photos every second.

Chester believes photography communicates, creates connections, shares stories of our lives and makes memories.

Colorful, irreverent and just hilarious, we had a great time with Chester. And a lot of how we reached him can be traced to Chloe Jakiela. She researched the organization and wrote a paper for a pre-trip assignment. They talked by telephone as well.

I can save the best for almost last here: He offered to take a group of our students out the next day in Dublin, as long as he didn’t have an assignment. Read Chloe’s blog for the full story.

—

We headed out on our next-to-last night in Dublin with Kathleen Donnelly and her husband Tony Dixon for a literary pub crawl. We did that in 2010 and it was hilarious. Actors Finbar and Kevin acted out scenes from James Joyce, told us more than we wanted to know about Irish authors Brendan Behan, C.S. Lewis, Samuel Beckett (The scene from “Waiting for Godot” was too much.) and more.  Laura Quinn, Quinn Baumeister, Jacqueline Roberts-Kpan and Rosie Medvec joined us. And Rosie won the post-pub visits quiz, claiming a T-shirt. The students enjoyed talking to Finbar and Kevin, two great young men, afterward as we had a few final drinks with Kathleen and Tony who had to head back to England the next morning. We’ll meet again, dear friends. So wonderful to see you again!

Day Seven Exploring Dublin

And on the seventh day, we did not rest.  Well, we did sleep in a bit, on the advice of expert traveler Jan Getz. Then Bob, Darlene and Jan and I set off to explore Dublin late in the morning with two specific first stops in mind – Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Both churches are a contrast to the Icelandic cathedrals we had visited early in this journey, with their stark, Nordic look. They are not early as ornate as what we have seen in other countries, but both have incredibly high ceilings, gorgeous stained glass windows, and ornate wood sections for choir and city notables. Crypts, tombs, statues, too … all worth exploring.

Christ Church has been a house of worship for 1,000 years. An Anglican/Episcopalian church, reflecting the British dominance for centuries here, the beautiful structure stretches across a wide area. We marveled at the tile floors, the beautiful stained glass windows.  It blends 12^th and 13^th century architecture with updates made in the 1870s, according to its posted information. We wanted to tour the belfry, but the tour timing prevented that.

Our tour guide Joe Darcy had explained to us that St. Patrick’s is in the shadow of Christ Church. And it is indeed.  It’s a short walk away from Christ Church, and it is its own imposing structure. It is the national cathedral for this country, built on the site where experts believe St. Patrick baptized believers 1,500 years ago.  The beautiful park to its side marks the area.

It was busy but not hectic inside, and we could walk easily around the cathedral. In one corner a stark tree of remembrance encouraged people to write a short note about family members and friends who had served in the military. Displays marking the 2016 anniversary of the Great War explained how Ireland had lost as so many men who had been forced to join British forces. Knights’ helmets were hung above special seats near the altar across from the choir section. Renowned author Jonathan Swift had served as a dean of the cathedral, and a display of some of his books and a death mask was well worth a look.

On one of our prior trips around the city en route to a media visit we had spotted a John Fallon pub. It was actually right down a small street from St. Patrick’s, so Jan and I walked down there to check it out before we settled on a place for lunch.  The bartender said little food was being served at that time of the day, so he directed us to the Cathedral Café just up the street. So we took a quick photograph to remember it and send back to my family, which surprised and pleased them. We found seats in the small restaurant that had statues of the Virgin Mary in its front window with a neon Karma sign. A cozy place (with more Virgin Mary statues, all facing the cathedral), it had a two-person staff who served us a delicious lunch.  The breads, all homemade, melted in our mouths.

Next stop, Dublin Castle, a place we had visited on our 2010 trip, but we thought Darlene should see it. The beautiful building, constructed in the 1200s by King John of England, served as a fortification and was the seat of military and political power. The castle was handed over to Michael Collins after the Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence, and since 1922 it has been the setting for important events – including the inauguration of the Irish president every seven years. I love the Wedgewood Room, the Throne Room and the State Corridor – beautifully decorated and appointed rooms that make me wonder just how anyone could create something so elegant.  The portraits of the brave men who had signed the 1916 Proclamation of Independence and the James Connolly Room bear witness to their place in history and their sacrifice for their country.

Brief rain didn’t stop us from moving on to some shopping on Grafton Street (Bob is such a trooper!) as we looked for mementos and treasures to take home. We ended our day with yet another delicious meal at The Bank, a beautiful restaurant on Dame Street recommended by Joe Darcy. It did not disappoint, and we enjoyed the service of a wonderful waitress, Nadia, from France.

We walked back to the apartments to pack and prepare for our train ride to Belfast. I know I’ll return to Dublin someday.  And it won’t be soon enough.

Day Eight Bound for Belfast

We left Dublin behind today for Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland.  A smooth two-hour train ride whisked us there and to a city tour to orient us to the city that is much changed since our 2010 visit.

Laura Spence, a former BBC multimedia employee, kept up a running commentary for us on the city that has enjoyed an economic resurgence since the economic crash of 2008 in its city center. It’s nothing new for this city that had been bombed terribly the Nazis in World War II and endured the violence and destruction of The Troubles from the 1960s up until 1998 and the Good Friday peace agreement brokered by former Sen. George Mitchell.

I remember being stunned by the hateful murals and the peace walls and gates separating Falls and Shankhill roads – the Catholic and Protestant sectors on our first visit. When I prepared the information for the students before we left, I know some of it has been removed or will be removed. But it’s still there, as much as I can recall. As people this week told us, old divisions take time to heal, and younger people forming paramilitary units are a growing problem for the Northern Ireland police.

Our tour took us past the Harland and Wolff Shipyards and the Titanic quarter, where its two immense cranes, Samson and Goliath still stand. Shipbuilding was a major industry, and it made Belfast grow and become an important shipyard and port. The tragic story of the Titanic, built here as the world’s largest sailing vessel, attracts visitors far and wide.  A museum is there now, which we did not have time to visit, and in the shipyard’s place is a technology and science center, as well as Titanic Studios, where some of “Games of Thrones” is filmed.

We journeyed up to Stormont, the seat of Northern Ireland’s Parliament.  The government is shut down because of a power struggle in its Cabinet.  The third election this year will be held in June to rectify this, hopefully, so it wasn’t just that the halls were empty because it was Sunday.  The view from its hilltop perch across the bay is breathtaking.

Sunshine peaked in and out as we boarded the bus again and set off for Belfast Castle, which is now a special events center.  We looked for the nine cats in its courtyard (I came up with seven) and watched a family celebrating a sweet young girl’s First Holy Communion.

We learned that linen mills and tobacco companies served as the other major employers in Belfast before they closed, and large sections of the cities were tenements and slums that families jammed into. Those are long gone, Laura said, but the city is dotted with poor neighborhoods, a fact confirmed in the next day’s media visit to the Irish News.

She pointed out a mountain range and asked us to visualize the profile of a giant there.  It was that same visualization that sparked Jonathan Swift to write “Gulliver’s Travels,” she said. And she told us the legend of Finn McCool, too, who battled a Scottish giant in a fight that created the Giant’s Causeway.

As we traveled through three major sections of Belfast, we saw a park dedicated to native author C.S. Lewis, drove past some impressive churches, both Anglican and Catholic, and caught glimpses of those murals in the Protestant section and in the Catholic area. (There had been a Jewish section, too, Laura said.  But that area had been obliterated during the World War II bombings, a sad irony.)

The bus took us through the Catholic section along Falls Road, where houses sit in the shadow of a major stretch of a peace wall. Many of the houses had their own fences, some very ornate, as well. Officials kept adding to the walls three times to stop the petrol bombs from reaching those houses, Laura said. We saw the mural dedicated to hunger striker Bobby Sands on the side of the Sinn Fein office, and a gate was closed despite the early hour. We passed through another checkpoint onto Shankhill Road, the Protestant side. Just past that were murals lauding the Ulster Defense Force and memorials to murdered residents, some still looking for killers to solve deaths dating back to the 1970s. So sad. So upsetting. So troubling. Memories that are slowly fading, Laura said, as people try to heal and bring their communities together. Divisions remain, and we heard that message throughout our time there.

We stopped at a Peace Wall at the end of what she called the worse section of the city to live in during The Troubles. We signed our names and wrote messages of peace, a sobering but uplifting exercise.

The bus headed to our hotel and we saw sold signs on old bank buildings and gorgeous buildings that need rehabilitation and much work. Laura said some of those structures will become boutique hotels.  At one point, she said, Belfast was lucky to have a few cruise ships stop.  She said the city has seen 90 so far this year.  The downtown area, anchored by its gorgeous City Hall, has several shopping malls and new restaurants opening to meet an increased need. I sincerely hope it keeps growing.

We checked in and then walked to our group dinner in a very nice restaurant to end the travel day and reflect on what we had seen.  We were lucky to have Steve Wilson join us, who had been instrumental in arranging our visit to the Parliament in Dublin (his cousin is the MP we met). He had spent time in Pittsburgh, and we gave him an update since he last lived and worked there.

I always love these dinners and try to sit with different students each time.  At this one, Chloe Jakiela and Emily Bennett gave me a detailed account of their Dublin photographic tour with Michael Chester. I am so very proud of Chloe, who made that happen with her pre-trip emails and calls to him for a paper she wrote on his association. It makes all the work – and there is indeed lots of it – for this course and the accompanying trips worth it.

Day Nine  Passionate journalists in Belfast

Belfast has changed a great deal since we saw it last. But one thing that hasn’t changed since our visit in 2010 is the passion and zeal journalists here have for their work. Some of that is rooted in their journalistic principles and tradition, but these professionals – especially those who covered The Troubles under incredibly difficult and frightening circumstances – impress me immensely.

We started the day at BBC, welcomed by reporter Dan Stanton and Kathleen Carragher, head of news for all three components – television, radio and digital.  She’s worked for 30 years for the BBC, spending time in Derry, London and Manchester before returning to Ireland and working in Belfast.

“It’s a huge privilege. The BBC is one of the oldest broadcasting services in the world. The best, in my opinion.”

I have to agree.  I listen to it often, and the seriousness and completeness of the BBC, and CBC, as well as the variety of programs it offers reminds me of what our network broadcast stations used to do here. The best thing for the BBC, Kathleen said, is that the 147 pound ($150) annual TV license fee that the United Kingdom levies ensures a revenue stream, but the government does not dictate any content.  “It gives us a lot of freedom to report,” she told us. And in these days of “alternative facts,” what listeners and viewers “see and hear is true.”

Kathleen explained to the students the various components of the BBC operations in the Britain, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  In addition to the national radio and TV stations, it also operates 39 regional channels and 12 local TV channels, ensuring a broad reach and a network of information unsurpassed by any other news operation.

In Belfast, the 150 people employed in its headquarters produce six hours of radio; morning, lunchtime and evening news programming; and business and politics weekly programs. BBC NI covers only Northern Ireland local news, as the international news is produced elsewhere.  But if international news involves Northern Ireland, they share responsibility for that coverage.

And residents appreciate it, she said.  Despite the growth of cable and Sky TV, BBC has held its own in ratings and shares of audience. “We’re a British institution, and even the government has to realize that,” Kathleen added.

What also remains a constant, she said, is the fact that despite progress, Northern Ireland is still a divided society. It used to be 60 percent Protestant and 40 percent Catholic; it’s now 49 percent Protestant and 45 percent Catholic. Economics is an issue as well, with income and employment gaps.

BBC has changed with Northern Ireland.  Kathleen said “30 or 40 years ago I wouldn’t be in this role.” It also realizes that Northern Ireland needs a shared society.  Fair employment and housing, voting rights and women’s rights were introduced and fought for in the 1970s.  She said great strides have been made in those areas. Voting was related to owning property, but now she said it is “one man one vote.”

“This society is unrecognizable for what we had 30 yrs ago,” she said. “But if you scratch the surface of any conflict, any troubled region, it’s never black and white. There’s lots of complexities in Northern Ireland. There’s been a lot of reflecting and healing as well. [Covering] that’s been a huge challenge for BBC.”

During The troubles, particularly in the 1970s, she said, BBC as a government-funded operation came under a lot of pressure in it coverage of the ongoing conflict.  The principles it stood for – independent and impartial – hadn’t been challenged until then, Kathleen said. And in turn, the current staff has learned from the journalists who worked through those years.   She said that although the news her staff covers today “has no comparison” to the news decisions that had to be made back then, she believes the Belfast newsroom is the strongest in the BBC outside of London.

Now the political turmoil and uncertainty following the Brexit vote plays a large role in the news planning process.  One fact Kathleen said that stands out is there has not been a surge in people who want a united Ireland as a result of that vote, according to surveys.  And the fact is that “We rely on Westminster to keep us [Northern Ireland] afloat. We know the Republic [of Ireland] doesn’t have that kind of money.”

Although Belfast has lots of news buildings, progress is being made toward reconciliation since the Good Friday agreement, many issues remain.  The government is in a shambles right now, with leaders of the main party not agreeing on a cabinet to steer the government as dictated by an agreement reached by the late Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley.  A third election to straighten this out is set for June 8.

But this adds up to people “being news hungry,” Kathleen said. And it’s been good for ratings.

The Brexit vote to quit the European Union has raised concerns about a border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, currency, and importing and exporting goods. “We’re covering all the speculation of how this – and more – will work.  We won’t know what the truth is until the deal is done,” Kathleen said.

One positive note in her work she said has been the Rory McIlroy effect. The champion Northern Ireland golfer, a product of a “mixed” marriage, has brought positive attention to the country and news coverage opportunities to the BBC.

Another has been the small but important uptick (1 to 2 percent) in the immigration population in the country of 1.8 million people.  It’s still a very white, very Irish country, she said, but tolerance for gay people is growing, too, although same sex marriage is still not legal.  Kathleen sees all of this as positive changes. She compared Northern Ireland to the Bible Belt in the United States, with people tied to their churches and religions.

Although Northern Ireland is “a small country,” a term we heard everywhere we visited, Kathleen noted that is has been visited by U.S. presidents, prime ministers and other officials. She said few other small nations have attracted such international attention.

One sad note about journalism in Northern Ireland from Kathleen: The only job growth has been in public relations.  “I find that very depressing,” she said, “particularly at Stormont.  We can’t speak directly to any source up there; they’re all tied to a PR agent or firm.  As much as we can, we want to go to the primary source.”

We ended our visit with a guided tour by Dan through the facility, visiting the radio station as a live talk show ended (the host was great as were the producers), the news room and the TV studio. Very busy, very modern, very active – just what anyone would expect.

Dan told us we would enjoy our time at the Irish News.  And he should know. He worked there for a year before returning to a broadcasting career that has included work for ITN as well as the BBC and stints in London.

And he was right. Such a warm welcome from Yvonne O’Rourke, assistant managing editor, and Noel Doran, editor! We have felt at home at every visit, thanks in large part to the excellent preparation and planning from Jan Getz and also the contact staff members at every turn who work on the details and ensure we meet the objectives of our course.  As the students have said countless times during our reflection sessions, you can read and research all you want. Being on site and hearing from these professionals tell the entire story.

The paper was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Fitzpatrick family for the past 30 years, Yvonne told us.  It is completely independent, and its 50 editorial staff members – half the size of the Belfast Telegraph – plus a small group of freelancers and columnists work hard to cover the Belfast area.  The staff includes two photographers, something we have found unusual in our journeys.  Much of that photography work has been left to freelancers and agencies. The staffs at both and the third-ranked Ulster Newsletter have been reduced, he noted, and some Belfast newspapers have closed, including two newer efforts.

It’s a morning paper, publishing Monday through Saturday, and editor Noel made sure we knew this is a serious journalistic effort.  While the Belfast Telegraph, which has a tabloid format, includes a great deal of entertainment and celebrity news, his staff focuses on local news of importance to its readers.

“We’re a small city, but we have a lot going on,” he said. “Our newspaper born in a time of turmoil has been covering turmoil for years.”

In 1979 he said people were killed near the building and buildings around the newspaper were blown up. Fortunately, Noel said, the staff has been able to cover it and the progress in the near 20 years since the peace agreement was signed. In fact it joined with the Ulster Newsletter to review and cover the progress made.

“If we have needed to change anything here [in Belfast] it had to be the policing,” Noel said. “It’s been a difficult process for the paper. We don’t have a perfect police force.”

What has become more transparent is the political process and governance, which he said was in large part the result of the dedicated Belfast journalists and media. They have uncovered scandals and shady business deals, including a secret visit by former U.S. vice president Dan Quayle, and bank collapses.

Just like Kathleen, he bemoaned the advent of PR agents blocking access to Stormont politicians. “Officials will take all day to get back to you,”  Noel said.  It has caused some difficulties, he continued, but not hindered coverage.

The result? The highest levels of newspaper sales for the past few months that the Irish News has seen in six years.  “We do very good stuff, “ Noel said, and he said this is from his staff’s solid news agenda. “We take on issues and deal with challenges. We’ll be in business for some years to come. “

And John Brolly, in charge of marketing for the paper and the weeklies that it owns, showed us what he has helped create to ensure that success. He said his marketing team complements the strong editorial staff and it realized the key to success was to leverage sports to the paper’s advantage.

Gaelic football is important in Belfast (something that would thrill my daughter, Amy, a member of our Banshees team!), as well as other sports, so John and his team helped editorial launch a championship section and pages.  I picked up a copy of the section to bring home. Lots of ads amid that copy and great photographs, and his team has also created a yearly good-looking calendar focusing on sports.

“We’re consistently the go-to source for GAA,” he said.

It doesn’t stop at coverage. The paper sponsors GAA coaching days for five primary schools, partnering with O’Neills, a sports equipment company similar to Adidas or Nike; St. Mary’s University College in Belfast, the site of these efforts; and Strathroy, a Northern Ireland dairy company. Schools compete for the slots, and all the schools get training bids and the teachers get a free copy of the GAA calendar.

Another project: The Irish News Young News Readers, a critical media literacy project co-sponsored again with St. Mary’s but also the Confederation of Businesses in Ireland. St. Mary’s created the curriculum and a booklet for teachers,  and the initiative aims to get young people reading and understanding how the newspaper in all its forms covers the news. The eight-week project is designed for pupils 8-12 with activities that offer a different way to challenge the knowledge and understanding of young readers, according to its promotional materials.

Award programs include the Workplace and Employment Awards, a special event held annually at the Titanic Belfast. The recognition of companies and business owners who “thrive, grow and succeed” will be held on June 8.  The paper added two new categories for the 11^th competition.

John delighted in telling us that he had spent time studying in the U.S. and visited and worked in Ocean City, Md., Virginia Beach and Texas. Just a smart, intelligent young man!

Equally engaging and interesting was Sinead Cavanaugh, in charge of the advertising staff. She’s been with the paper for 18 years and had worked at other papers before. She acknowledged her work is not an easy job and it challenges her and her staff to bring in the needed revenue.

But Sinead said after the advertising revenue ran flat for a number of years it was 1 percent up in revenue this past year, compared to the minus 10 and 15 percent other papers have experienced.

And that’s gratifying to her. “We’ve been an underdog for some time here,” she said.  “So we’ve had to work harder and smarter to get our piece of the pie, and we’ve kept it.”

Sinead said sometimes that takes persistence. Five years ago she lost an account that spent 100,000 pounds per year. The client didn’t like a story the editorial staff covered about it and pulled its ads. She just got that back.

She said she likes to be alerted by the editorial staff about a “bad news story,” and her method is to urge the staff to “be moderate and appropriate.”

Government advertising has stopped, she said, but recruitment (our classified) ad revenue is still high. Obituary notices still bring in a lot of revenue, and Sinead has a team of six people working on those.

Sinead offers regular training for her staff of 30 (which includes four support staff), and she looks for people who have drive and ambition. “I can teach them the basics, but I can’t teach them how to get through the bad days,” she said.

She believes the training should never stop. “Things are changing in this industry,” Sinead said.

Sinead also applies that philosophy to herself. She recently earned an MBA.

One very new aspect to the paper’s operation is its digital side, and Susan Thompson has just been in charge of it for over a year. She moved to Belfast with her family from London, where she worked at The Times.

The Irish Times requests people pay for its online news, first giving away five articles before readers are asked to subscribe.  Her job? “We need to make the content good enough that they’ll want to pay, she said.”Journalism costs, so we need your money,” Susan said.

What she learned at The Times is that it is important to know all you can about your readers to make the digital product better. “We knew their habits and styles,” she explained.  “And it also helped with the advertising.”

Benefits at the Irish Times for digital readers include already good content. Susan is also a big advocate of using video on the site. Right now, however, the person in charge of digital video left the paper and the position is not filled. The paper is using hand-out video from PR people right now, but she hopes as soon as the budget permits she can replace him.

Susan is also very much a proponent of native advertising. “If you do it well,” she said, “it benefits readers.”

A large part of her job right now is in social media and marketing the paper. “Making sure the big stories are up as quickly as possible,” she explained, “and embedding videos and photographs. I am just trying to keep the momentum going.”

John Manley has one of the toughest jobs in my opinion – writing about the dysfunctional Northern Ireland Parliament and political arena. The upcoming June 8 elections and the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit vote keep him incredibly busy, he said.

One thing that is different from U.S. political coverage – the limits to his on-site Parliament coverage.  Stormont rules keep journalists way up high away from the MPs, he said.  They can’t use their cell phones there, and they are not permitted to lean forward to see or hear better. So most often he stays in the office watching it on television or live streaming it.

And the action has been, well, nonexistent. “We haven’t had a lot of legislation in the past 10 years,” John said. “We have stability but not a lot of progress.”

He’s covered politics for the Irish News for 4½ years, and in 2016 he was selected by the U.S. government to be part of a team of foreign journalists covering the presidential elections.  He was in Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va., and spent election night in Detroit.

“I was as surprised as much as anyone,” John said. “We were pretty much in a Democratic bubble.”

Another surprising fact to me – He doesn’t cover City Hall. He said city government “has devolved” and officials don’t do much except issue forms of all types and “they pick up garbage, bury the dead and empty the bins.” All in all, they officials do a bit of urban planning, “But Westminster and Stormont rule and govern.”

Our last speaker, Will Scholes, splits his work between covering religion and the car industry. Every week he drives home in a new car.  “The neighbors can’t figure out if I’m a journalist or a drug dealer,” he said, especially when he pulls up in a new BMW.

He’s just back from two things: Being on loan to help restructure the editorial section of a series of weekly newspaper the Irish News company has purchased and a trip to Bosnia.

He’s the first religion writer from a “mixed background” to cover that area. He believes that background enables him to cover both the Catholic and Protestant churches and hierarchy in an independent manner. “We take things seriously here,” Will said. And he appreciates the fact that the editor has the confidence in him to cover this important area.

So to do just that he has developed a network of source and a solid knowledge base to do his reporting work.  “I use the same reporting tool kit. It’s all about the reporting,” Will said.

His trip to Bosnia with several other reporters comes ahead of the 20-year anniversary of the genocide in that country. “There’s echoes for all involved in Northern Ireland’s conflict,” he said, in response to questions about the trip. “We [both countries] also have governments that do nothing.”

He’s written one column already but is saving more of the information he collected – in the company of a BBC colleague and another commercial TV reporter – for this summer.

After meeting him and his staff, I will be sure to watch for it.  Such an impressive young man and so kind to us! He led us through the newsroom to end out visit, and the room so reminded me of the old Post-Gazette newsroom. I miss that atmosphere as opposed to our bright and shiny new North Shore facilities.

Both places treated us – the BBC to lunch and drinks and delicious cookies at the Irish Times. We have been welcomed as good friends. I hope I can return again.

We rested for a bit and then headed to dinner before packing.  It’s bittersweet. Our time in Belfast has come to an end. We head for Galway tomorrow.

Day 10 On the bus to Galway

We left Belfast behind and boarded a bus for our stay in Galway, the beautiful city by the bay on the other side of Ireland.  We took a few last looks at the capital of Northern Ireland – including a sphere-like art sculpture that reminded me of Disney’s Epcot – and emerged in a short while into the countryside.

One thing that we keep hearing at every visit is what a small country this is, or we’re just a small island.  And it seemed true this time.  We kept to some winding, intriguing roads to see the rest of the country, which seems worlds apart from the big cities we have visited. The farms and fields of sheep and cows kept us intrigued and the photographer busy. (And we never did spot a fairy tree with the leprechauns and that pot of gold …. Another one of those Irish stories!)  Joe gave us some history lessons as some of our travelers fought sleep.  We seemed to get to our first destination, Kells, quicker than I had ever thought we would.  I had brought a good stash of magazines to read, and I barely got through a few of them before we landed there.

We climbed a hill up to what remained of the tower there, finding Kells to be a quaint place to poke around for about 45 minutes to an hour. This is where the Book of Kells , a richly decorated book of the four Gospels written in about 800 that we saw at Trinity College in Dublin, were housed for centuries.

En route to the tower and cemetery Bob, Jan, Darlene and I stopped right at a Montessori School. A teacher noticed Darlene reading the sign and information as Jan took her photograph, and she invited us inside. We watched a delightful group of 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds sit in a circle with their teachers. They had been putting on their hats and getting ready to play outside when we arrived. The teacher asked them to sing a song for us, and then each one stood up and told us their names, just as they had been practicing in a lesson on confidence. First and last names and their age, something I can’t always get my college students to do. Sophie, a sweet girl first gave Darlene a hug and then when we realized we had birthdays one day apart this month – May 29 and May 30 – I got a high five from her.

It was typical of what we have found here.  Gracious, inviting people, many of whom welcomed us, talked to us and shared experiences. (Not much political talk … what a reprieve from Trump coverage!)  We weren’t permitted to take photographs, although I so wished I could have, and the teacher – the founder of the school – told us to come back any time we visited Ireland again.

The students had found an intriguing café, the Book Market, so we stopped for a quick cup of coffee. Again, such graciousness! The owner had been very interested when the students found it, and she wanted to know why and how we developed the course and the trips.  The café had shelves of books you could buy or borrow as you sipped a drink. The desserts and more looked oh so good. Come back another time, the owner told us.  Oh, I hope I do get to return.

We continued our journey, stopping for lunch in yet another sweet Irish town, and then pulled into Galway to quickly check in at our hotel and then go on a quick orientation walk with our guide Joe Darcy before dispersing for some shopping and dinner.  (A common theme: I have shopped and eaten more than I can remember …..) We had a brisk 20-minute walk to the center of town, but we had picked this hotel for its proximity to our last media visit. Another aside – Traffic is fierce here! Drivers speed through roundabouts that made us very wary.

The shops, the restaurants, and the history here – It is all amazing.  We toured Ireland in a different way in 2010, traveling to Cobh, where the Titanic sailed from and where citizens came to the aid of the Lusitania and its passengers when it was sunk by a German submarine in 1915, then around the Ring of Kerry to Killarney.  Galway is where the claddagh ring was created, and I could see my avid shoppers who had researched its history checking out shops to find the best price for one as a gift or for themselves.  One glitch for the evening: Most of the shops closed at 6 or 7 p.m. Lot of restaurants and good Irish music – including some amazing street buskers that we enjoyed – remained open to fill out the rest of the evening.

I found some Fallon inscribed items for my family that I could not find in Dublin or Belfast.  And we scouted out some sweaters, scarves and other items that Jan, Darlene and I wanted to think about before purchasing the next day.  We stopped for a drink and then headed to McSwiggans for a great dinner before returning to our hotel. We had seafood again, so fresh it is just amazing. But I swear I am not eating any more potatoes this trip.  I have had enough in fact not to eat them for a month!  And that includes french fries, which I rarely eat but you cannot avoid here as a side. I have to admit, though, that they have been marvelous. But I will never, ever eat mushy peas. You can count on that!

Caught up on some blogs and then went to bed.  Final media visit tomorrow. It hardly seems possible!

Day 11 FM Radio and Our Last Day in Galway

Before I begin, let me just say this: I love radio.  I listen to the radio all the time.  Yes, it’s mostly National Public Radio or music, but radio holds a special place in my heart.  I remember it as a young girl listening with my dad to Bob Prince calling the plays for Pirates games.  Then AM radio took over as we swam in Clairton pool, listening to Jim Quinn on KQV Radio as Rush Limbaugh was known way back then. (When he was fired, we all called the station, started a petition, but all for naught. And now, I can barely stand to listen to him. More so because of how self-righteous and pompous he has become. But I digress.) We took the short walk to Galway Bay FM.

According to its information, Galway Bay FM brings its listeners the best in current affairs, music and arts programs live from Galway City. Keith Finnegan, 55, is its CEO and remains a radio broadcaster on the station that was founded in 1989.  One of his two daughters, Katie, works alongside him as the producer of “The Keith Finnegan Show,” which airs weekdays from 9 a.m. until noon.

The station broadcasts Employment Services Job Spot, the Garda Slot, business and finance issues and a farmer’s slot, as well as other public affairs programs featuring locals.  And of course there is sports and music – even country music to appeal to a segment of the station’s audience.

After meeting Shannon, a delightful intern working in promotion, we split into two groups to get a tour of the building and to take turns watching Kevin in his show.  In the newsroom Lindsey and Antoinette stopped to tell us about their daily work. They, along with David, focus on reporting local news. They get tips from locals, seek out stories everywhere, and get leads from the PR agents and agencies that work for local businesses and governmental bodies. All three did master’s work at the National University of Ireland at Galway, then learning on the job. Antoinette said the Galway media market is very competitive, with several local newspapers.

Sports, of course, is important to listeners, too. That group of reporters split time between covering games and representing the station at various events. (And the ladies told us they get to ride around in a Jeep branded with the station name. The news reporters use their own cars to get to assignments.

Promotions and contests are important to market the station, and Keith told us later that the station partners with many groups. “There’s a festival every weekend, I think,” he said.  In return for advertising, the station gets out into the community.

Right now Shannon told us the department is finalizing plans for a wedding package competition. (In fact, she was heading out later to try on some wedding dresses to wear to the first community event to introduce it, and she was thrilled. She was just delightful. Such energy, which has led the station to keep her after her internship is over!  I’d love to bottle it and take it back.) Couples can register online to vie for 10,000 euros in flowers, a band, taxis and cars, gowns and more.  It will come down to four finalists who will compete in a Mr. and Mrs. Contest.

We entered the studio where Keith was wrapping up his final half hour, using a software program that he and his staff created. The guest we heard was Ronan Carr, manager of a division of Flynn’s of Lackagh, a shopping complex that includes an agricultural supply company as well as a Super Valu food store, a Topline home and hardware store among other companies. He explained how his company serves small and large farms in the region, helping with seasonal fertilizing and the care and feeding of cattle. The company tries to help those who work full time elsewhere and farm part time, he said, and managing that takes careful balance and a great deal of hard work.

Keith asked him if he was worries about the fallout from the Brexit vote, and Ronan said right now he’s looking at it the same as what was predicted during the Y2K computer bug concerns. He knows there is a market for good beef around the world, and he believes it will all work out. But he is a bit concerned that governments might institute a cheap food policy that would undermine the industry.

Flynns, however, has been growing and looks to continue growing, he said.  He’s been with the company for 20 years.  It still has promotions as well, and a big barbecue is planned for the coming weekend.

Keith has guests like this on his show to help his community but also help those businesses, he told us a bit later. He segued effortlessly into commercials, lead ins and lead outs, including throwing it to his daughter who came in with a business report at the end of his broadcast. He didn’t miss a beat, and that included when Siri decided to ask me if I needed something when I was moving my phone to my pocket after taking several photographs. Nor did he flinch when one of our students fainted in that warm studio (she was fine, thank goodness.) What a pro.

He had only time for one caller at the end as well.  We got a big kick out of a list of people who are not permitted to call in and talk live on the show.  I had talked to some of the BBC Northern Ireland Radio producers about screening callers when we watched a live call in show in Belfast. (No seven-second delay there for bad words ….  Just apologies for it, one told me.) It happens in Pittsburgh, too.

Keith is very proud of his station, the only independent radio station in Galway.  He borrowed money, lots of it, to buy it in 1989 when it became insolvent in 1990-91.  He started off by firing 11 people who didn’t know what they were doing, Keith said, and he’s worked hard at it ever since. Keith is very proud of its No. 1 status. “People trust us,” he emphasized.

His routine is the same – up by 5:45 a.m. and staying there until 7:30 p.m., starting off much of the day with his own show – but no one day is the same, he said, because of the nature of radio work and news coverage.  And that is just fine with him.  The station is a 2.6 million euro operation, the amount he needs to cover salary and costs.

The search for accuracy and truth is his guiding principle, even though it means he has few close friends in Galway and some people and politicians who don’t talk to him.

Several consultants helped him find a successful formula and format to make the station the market leader. “We’re taking in 48 percent of the population in the morning,” Keith said. “We can tell businesses that this is where you advertise to reach the Galway market.”

His role as CEO and a program host is unique in Ireland (and it would be in much of the U.S. as well), but it keeps him in touch with operations. And he likes to be in complete control.

It lets him see the employees up close and personal, too. He fired an engineer for looking at Facebook when he should have been working. And a reporter was let go as well when he was looking for stories on Facebook and Instagram instead of searching for them in the community. “You have to be full beans when you are here,” Keith said.

The Q&A session was rapid fire with him.  And it’s his way. He laughed when he told us he does some work for NPR, and when he does, they tell him to slow it down. “It’s like going to a funeral,” he joked.

One change that is ahead is that his daughter will soon leave her position.  Keith’s theory is that it is good for people at the station to change jobs every five to seven years.  She will most likely head to the U.S., probably Chicago, and he assumes she will do well.

He loves to travel to the U.S. himself.  Keith has gone to the Milwaukee Irish Fest for 25 years (where he hears Irish music most often as opposed to Galway, he said), and he travels to New York, Boston and D.C. about every six weeks. That helps bring groups to visit Galway, he said, something that I assume helps his station with its advertisers.

It all adds up to a big operation for Galway FM. The radio station employs 28 full-time staffers, supplemented by 32 part time presenters and freelancers. Keith also has two people in Dublin and two in London, and the station makes use of News Talk, a broadcast information service for national and international news for its programs.

The regulation for the radio station is more than what is required in the U.S. he said. License renewal is every two years, but the station is monitored twice a year.  That is down from the prior once a month monitoring, he said, which was oppressive.

When he does hire someone to replace Katie or for any other position at the station, Keith said he’s looking for “someone who’s switched on, someone who knows what is going on [nationally and internationally]”

Keith got into radio through his father, who was an electrician but who also worked as a radio station engineer. His father helped him build a transmitter, and at a young age Keith became involved in pirate radio. Then in 1978 he worked for RTE, got involved in community radio and again in pirate radio before heading to college and studying business.  Keith said he came from a working-class background, and he emphasized that he is very competitive and works himself as hard as he works his employees.

But it all pays off for them, he said. “Once you work here, it’s a passport to work anywhere else,” Keith said.

We headed back into Galway once we left the radio station to soak up all we could in the time we had left here.  We kept passing students as we walked the streets and visited St. Nicholas Church, a beautiful space in the middle of the town. In the midst of that beautiful church was a quilting contest of a group of extremely talented women there. We were to vote for our favorite, and I lamented to one of the organizers that I didn’t know which one to pick.  “Do as the Irish do,” she said. “Vote early and vote often.” In the end, I did pick just one.

We saw Emily Bennett sing with two brothers busking on the street. Nikki Pollo found a great buy on her claddagh ring. I found a good price on a claddagh necklace and earrings. As Bob bought his wife Sally a beautiful bracelet, Jan found by chance some pretty earrings and a matching bracelet as he did.  Darlene bought that sweater she spotted yesterday.  Everywhere we found our students, they were enjoying the atmosphere, chatting with people and finishing their respective assignments for our class website. You make me very proud!

And the sun broke through the clouds in earnest as we wandered down to the bay area, where a festival of boats (Vikings versus the brave Galway seamen!), including those pretty hooker boats with their sails was setting up. A wonderful teacher talked to Jan for quite some time, extolling the virtues of Galway and pointing out her condo on the waterfront in a pretty yellow building. Such a glorious day.

We made a final loop, stopping at yet another gorgeous Catholic church with a grotto dedicated to the Virgin Mary. I lit a candle for John as Jan admired the stained glass windows. It all just felt so right on this final day in this so pretty and charming town.

We a final dinner together at the Brasserie –wonderful seafood again! – and gave a final toast to our travels, comparing notes on what we had discovered that day.

I have been logging in our steps and miles traveled each day, and most days we have made that 10,000 step threshold recommended by health experts, which computes to just under 5 miles. I’m feeling those miles as I finish this tonight. One more full day left. So it’s time for some much-needed sleep.

Day 12 Going out in royal fashion

We started our last day in Galway and ended it at a hotel near Shannon Airport to be as close as possible to the airport for our departure tomorrow. The day included the planned lovely (a word I have heard a thousand times the past week!) drive along Ireland’s countryside and a surprise at the final group dinner at Bunratty Castle. We’re all weary from our adventure but energized because of all we’ve accomplished the past nearly two weeks.

Our bus chugged along the traffic, set off course several times by diversions (a much nicer Irish term for detour) and countless roundabouts. We stopped at Poulnabrone, a portal tomb amid a limestone plateau that was created more than 5,000 years ago. Our guide Joe Darcy thought it was a must-see for us as we journeyed to the wonderful Cliffs of Moher. Archeologists have found the bones of at least 30 people at the ancient site.

We carefully walked amid the limestone clints and grikes – crevasses in the limestone. Joe had cautioned us not to step back as we took photographs – an ankle or leg could easily be broken.  The tomb itself reminded me of Stonehenge, which we were lucky enough to see and get oh so close to on our first overseas trip in 2008.  Wildflowers were scattered among these crevasses, pink and yellow and white.

The area was packed. School groups, ranging in age from wee (and adjective put before almost every noun here) children to a huge group of high school students.  The little ones asked interesting questions of their teachers while the high school kids trudged out to the tomb, posed for a photograph and then quickly got back on the bus and left.

Joe got the biggest kick out of the small children, as did I. So sweet, all in their uniforms and wearing hats to shield them from the sun.  One teacher asked the students why some of the areas were roped off.  One young girl told her teacher “to keep us safe.” A small boy said “because it’s not our business.”

As usual we stopped at a small town with an unpronounceable name (to me, at least), where Darlene and I shared a pot of tea and a delicious scone (although not as good as the one we had at Dublin City University). We got stuck in a huge line of traffic heading to the cliffs.  It is amazing to watch these bus drivers make impossible turns on small bridges and tight roadways. Parked cars lined roadways, risking getting smashed by the constant stream of tourist buses.

I loved the Cliffs of Moher the first time I saw them, and we wanted to make sure the students this year saw these feature of Ireland’s coastland.  We climbed all over the hills and trails to get the best vantage point, a wonderful setting that you have see to experience.  The wind whipped around us, but the contrast of the gorgeous blue sky and the ant-like trail of people swarming up and down this wonderful natural attraction just is a marvel. Many sources call this Ireland’s most visited attraction. I wouldn’t argue with that.

We’ve been lucky with the weather both times we’ve traveled to the cliffs, as the atmosphere here is sublime.  Jan and I just missed the harpist playing wonderful and fitting Irish music this time, although she found her two new CDs in the gift shop. Several people played accordions, too. And the people visiting the site are friendly and generous, offering to take group photographs and pointing out the best spots to capture the vista.

It was a short drive to our hotel and then another quick trip to Bunratty Castle. We did this last time as well, enjoying a good dinner with some traditional Irish entertainment. What was different this time was that Rachel Bourn and Jan had conspired to have Bob and I selected as the lord and lady of the castle to preside over the evening’s festivities. We were crowned, served first, and sat in splendor – although Bob got to sit on a throne and I didn’t.  The leader told us that the women in medieval times didn’t eat with the men. They sat upstairs darning and sewing. So much for being the lady of the castle!

I know some people disdain this type of entertainment as a tourist trap. But the meal is great, you get to eat with a “dagger” only, the food is good, and the singers and musicians are excellent. Besides, when do you get to see Bob send someone to the dungeon? He played his role to the hilt, to the students’ and others’ delight. We had a great time. A special thanks to the real lord and lady – the Viscount  and Viscountess Gort who rescued this castle from ruin.  With some help from the government, the Gorts rehabbed it and gave it to Ireland.  It reopened in 1960 and has been a major attraction and a boon to this area of the country.

The students presented Bob and I with some very nice thank you cards on the short trip back to the hotel. They’re all in their rooms right now, trying to squeeze everything into their suitcases. I know how they feel.  I will have to sit on mine tomorrow to get is closed and get ready for all the airport checks and then the seven-hour flight.

 

 

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