Submitted by toddbeane on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 09:43.
The study tour group has returned from Ireland. First, I want to apologize for not posting any comments while we were gone overseas. We had extremely limited cell phone service and no internet service until the next to last day. So I am writing to fill everyone in on our experiences and travels.
The northwest country side of Ireland where we spent most of our time is very similar to the beautiful hills of West Virginia. As we look out the windows in West Virginia we see rough hills with rocks lodged on the mountain sides, deep hollows where a little stream might run down, all this rugged terrain that is common of our beloved WV. This is exactly what Ireland’s rugged landscape beauty shows. The northwest country side of Ireland is in fact the “European West Virginia.” Once seeing their landscape, I can understand why every person we met in Ireland knew the John Denver song, “Country Roads” word for word. Their homeland is very similar to our Appalachian Mountains, and they feel a true affinity for our hills and our culture.
In our travels we experienced living history through magnificent cathedrals and castles built hundreds of years ago, to truly ancient burial sites of mysterious stones effortlessly placed in strange formations over 5000 years BC. We met with locals operating Ireland’s first Organic Center, visited a community center built and owned by the town’s people, and experienced first hand how the Greenbox is changing Ireland’s tourism industry and saving the environment at the same time.
The fantastic educational trip ended back in Dublin for the world famous St. Patty’s Day Festival parade on March 17. The Irish truly celebrate their holiday starting a few days before and finishing a few days after. The parade was easily comparable to our own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Bands from all over the world intermingled with huge robotic creatures and costumed groups of performers as they strutted, pranced, and rolled down City Center Dublin to commemorate Patty’s Day 2008.
With tourism being one of the largest economic sectors in terms of earnings and number of people employed, the European Union has focused significant resources on the development of sustainable ecotourism programs and practices. WVSU Extension, with financial support from the USDA through is Rural Business Services program, is working with representatives from the European Union and Ireland to explore ways West Virginia can emulate their success.
During the trip to Ireland, our WV team met with representatives from higher education, the tourism ministry, regional economic development leaders, business owners, and entrepreneurs to study and learn from their successful practices. The exchange of information between us and our Irish hosts will be used to develop and then deliver instruction on sustainable ecotourism methods. This instruction will be at a variety of levels including college-level courses offered at WVSU as well as extension courses taught to local businesses.
Todd Beane
Back from Ireland
The study tour group has returned from Ireland. First, I want to apologize for not posting any comments while we were gone overseas. We had extremely limited cell phone service and no internet service until the next to last day. So I am writing to fill everyone in on our experiences and travels.
The northwest country side of Ireland where we spent most of our time is very similar to the beautiful hills of West Virginia. As we look out the windows in West Virginia we see rough hills with rocks lodged on the mountain sides, deep hollows where a little stream might run down, all this rugged terrain that is common of our beloved WV. This is exactly what Ireland’s rugged landscape beauty shows. The northwest country side of Ireland is in fact the “European West Virginia.” Once seeing their landscape, I can understand why every person we met in Ireland knew the John Denver song, “Country Roads” word for word. Their homeland is very similar to our Appalachian Mountains, and they feel a true affinity for our hills and our culture.
In our travels we experienced living history through magnificent cathedrals and castles built hundreds of years ago, to truly ancient burial sites of mysterious stones effortlessly placed in strange formations over 5000 years BC. We met with locals operating Ireland’s first Organic Center, visited a community center built and owned by the town’s people, and experienced first hand how the Greenbox is changing Ireland’s tourism industry and saving the environment at the same time.
The fantastic educational trip ended back in Dublin for the world famous St. Patty’s Day Festival parade on March 17. The Irish truly celebrate their holiday starting a few days before and finishing a few days after. The parade was easily comparable to our own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Bands from all over the world intermingled with huge robotic creatures and costumed groups of performers as they strutted, pranced, and rolled down City Center Dublin to commemorate Patty’s Day 2008.
With tourism being one of the largest economic sectors in terms of earnings and number of people employed, the European Union has focused significant resources on the development of sustainable ecotourism programs and practices. WVSU Extension, with financial support from the USDA through is Rural Business Services program, is working with representatives from the European Union and Ireland to explore ways West Virginia can emulate their success.
During the trip to Ireland, our WV team met with representatives from higher education, the tourism ministry, regional economic development leaders, business owners, and entrepreneurs to study and learn from their successful practices. The exchange of information between us and our Irish hosts will be used to develop and then deliver instruction on sustainable ecotourism methods. This instruction will be at a variety of levels including college-level courses offered at WVSU as well as extension courses taught to local businesses.
Todd Beane