The opportunity to work for peace at an Irish retreat center dedicated to conflict resolution seemed like a perfect opportunity to combine a long time desire to see Ireland with the opportunity to be involved with a peace organization. That’s why I jumped at the chance to join a Global Volunteers service program in Ireland, where volunteer teams tackle light labor projects at the innovative Glencree Centre for Reconciliation.
Founded in 1974 in the Wicklow Mountains, just outside of Dublin, Glencree Centre addresses the age-old Irish “Troubles” – and conflict in general – by bringing together citizens of diverse viewpoints for intensive dialogue and workshops. The goal is to build greater understanding and, it is hoped, a new tolerance.
The idea of being involved – even in a small way – in something that promotes peace really appealed to me – so with no hesitation, I signed up for the June 2005 team. Having previously served with Global Volunteers in West Virginia, Italy and Tanzania, I knew this would be a quality program. The description and photos on the organization’s website won me over.
In the end, the experience exceeded my expectations. It was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more! The countryside was breathtaking, the people were genuinely friendly and the staff at Glencree treated us like family. They were incredibly grateful for everything we did and made us feel truly valued.
Here are a few “snapshots” from my scrapbook:
Green hills and misty mornings…
Ireland is truly as green and as beautiful as they say! Our first morning there, as we walked to the office building for breakfast, we were treated to the image of a bunch of sheep who had wandered onto the grounds and were contentedly munching on the lawn!
Breakfast itself was a treat. I usually don’t get to eat breakfast with 10 young people from all over the world – including Hungary, Poland, Philippines, South Africa. They were all devoting a year of their lives to further the cause of peace by working at Glencree.
During free time, we did a lot of walking on nearby mountain paths, especially after dinner as it is light until 10 p.m. Occasionally, it rained on us, but not for long. It seemed magical at times, especially when Pat, the head of maintenance, would tell us stories about leprechauns and the "Ghost of Glencree" complete with his Irish lilt. It’s such a beautiful area….I always slept well there. It was so quiet and dark without the glare of city lights and the air was clean and crisp. The rain is what the Irish call "soft" rain – but you still get wet. However, there were many times during the day that the rain would stop for hours and a few days it did not rain at all.
A fresh coat of paint, a new outlook…
I painted the guest rooms where visitors and students stay on retreats. I also did some cleaning and yard work, like mowing the front lawn. It sounds trivial, but our contributions truly help the center staff. As the director says, “By bringing ourselves (the Global Volunteers) into the community, we added energy and encouragement to the staff and validation to the Glencree mission.” And by making the place more attractive, we contributed to the sense of comfort and security of those who came to Glencree struggling with a variety of issues.
Throughout our stay at Glencree, the professional staff always made time to sit down with us and share details about their jobs, their challenges and just have fun with us. We even learned a few words of Gaelic as several of the staff speak the language.
Scenic highlights…
There is an old chapel on Glencree grounds that is charming to walk through and still holds services for the local residents on Sundays. Wicklow County is home to the sixth-century monastery tower of St. Kevin of Glendalough. It’s only a short drive away and it’s steeped in history. This was the home of the monks who wrote illuminated manuscripts.
On our second evening, after dinner, we were taken to a local pub, Johnny Fox’s, one of the oldest of such establishments in Ireland. It was absolutely so authentic and full of atmosphere. The locals hang out there and everybody is so friendly. We all joined in singing. It was a true taste of Ireland.
We also got the cook's tour of Dublin – an historic but upbeat modern city – all the way from Trinity College to Starbuck's.
Weekend in Belfast
On the weekend, we had the option of taking an escorted tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland. What an eye-opening, stimulating and overall very rewarding journey! I saw firsthand the results of decades of violence and separation of the people of Ireland. We gained a real feel for the complexity of the problem.
Before this, I had no idea how long-term and involved “the Troubles” were. It was interesting, but sad and disturbing and it made me feel privileged to be part of an organization actively working on the peace process. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.
The same could be said for the entire time I was in Ireland. I was honored to be among people who are so committed to the peace process. They are a great bunch of people working on the most noble cause there is.
(For information on joining a Global Volunteers service program in Ireland or 19 other countries, call 800-487-1074 or via email: email@globalvolunteers.org.)
