Mitchell scholars visit Iveragh Peninsula

THE latest group of George Mitchell Scholars have finished their year of graduate studies with a trip to south Iveragh.

The Scholarship program is the flagship project of the US-Ireland Alliance, a non-partisan, non-profit organisation founded by Trina Vargo 20 years ago.

Coincidentally Vargo also created the annual Oscar Wilde Awards, which are held at JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot production company in California. It was Vargo who introduced Abrams to Ireland and encouraged him to film large parts of the new Star Wars trilogy in Ireland.

Each year over 300 young Americans apply for one of 12 prestigious George J Mitchell Scholarships that were created to introduce future leaders to Ireland.

The trip to Iveragh was suggested by Jean Byrne, a resident of Derrynane Cross and Dublin. Byrne is an entrepreneur, educator, environmentalist and founder of Design21C, a non profit organisation which pioneered the teaching of Design Thinking skill sets over a decade ago.

She has helped set up community-driven initiatives which led to UCD/SMARTlab’s establishment of a satellite in the region and of UCC’s establishment (in conjunction with Kerry County Council and South Kerry Development Partnership) of a research centre in Cahersiveen.

The Scholars arrived on Friday night to the Sea Lodge Hotel in Waterville, and dinner that evening included a tale from storyteller Sean Ó Laoghaire.

On Saturday, Byrne and her husband, Breffni, led the group on a Kerry Way hike to Daniel O’Connell’s home at Derrynane.

The group were joined on the walk by local farmer, Michael O’Connor. Anne Marie Moran gave the Mitchells a tour of Derrynane House. Local nature photographer, filmmaker, artist and wildlife expert Vinny Hyland explained his interesting work using augmented reality.

On Sunday, the scholars enjoyed the day travelling the Skellig Ring. Dessie Cronin took the group on the Skellig Monks Trail hike before a visit to Cill Rialaig Arts Centre with its owner Dr Noelle Campbell Sharpe

“The group had a magical visit to a place of learning and natural, outstanding beauty. And those local to the area could not have been more generous with their time,” said Trina Vargo.

Photo Michael Donnelly Trina Vargo, Pete Kiernan, Anne Marie Moran of Derrynane House, Donovan Hicks, Ellie Sell, Meghan HInd, Theodore Caputi, Lacey Smith, Tyler Swafford, May Treuhaft-Ali, Kathleen White, Joel Arnold, Miranda Klugeherz, Jean Byrne during the Mitchell...