Sacred Heart students sorry to part from ‘home from home’
SACRED Heart University Students left from Shannon Airport on Tuesday, their semester study in Dingle cut short by the outbreak of coronavirus. Their experience in Dingle has left a deep impression on them, which was reflected in a letter written by a parent of one of the students to SHU President Dr John Petillo.
Cheryl Murphy was effusive in her gratitude to SHU for the experience gained by her son, Aidan, who has attended a spring semester course in Marine Biology in Dingle. She said her son’s experience of Dingle was life changing in terms of both his personal growth and his academic experience with excellent lecturers, including Dingle woman Grace Flannery.
“Last week when we spoke, he was so excited to tell me about the research that he has been doing with seahorses and proudly raved on about his marine classes and the professors who teach them,” she said.
“Each time we speak, Aidan tells me about Dingle, it’s residents, the brogues, the pubs, the food, the landscape, the beauty, the refreshing rain, the cold wind, the long walks, the countryside, the animals, his friendships and the life-changing experiences. It all sounds so amazing,” she added.
Following the announcement of school closures in Ireland last Thursday, SHU decided to bring students home to the USA and on Tuesday they left from Shannon Airport.
Seán Pól O’Connor, Director of Sacred Heart University’s Dingle Campus. said that “the health and safety of the students is our primary concern and the University had no choice but to recall the students last Thursday and the events since then has only confirmed that this was the correct decision.”
“I was devastated for the students; they were so disappointed that they had to leave Dingle eight weeks early… They were an amazing group of students who had fallen in love with Dingle and the people who live here. We will miss them,” he said.
The students were equally sorry that their stay in Dingle ended so abrubtly. “I am eternally grateful that I got the opportunity to come here, even for a short period of time. Ireland truly is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been to and I am praying that I get the chance to come back to Dingle. Thank you for everything you have done for us and working so hard to make sure this trip was very memorable even though it was cut so short,” said student Genevieve Nitzsche
“Though I’m very sad to be leaving, I’m thankful for the time I had here. Dingle has become a home away from home,” added Abbie Reina.
The next group of students are scheduled to arrive in May but Seán Pól said the University will monitor the situation and make a decision at the end of this month.