By Hillary Harder On Sunday, July 26, our students returned to Quito from their service communities and we began our final retreat together! The afternoon was full of joyful reunions as each student arrived at our Quito home, la Casa…
News
Seamus Heaney HomePlace Museum
Jun 08 2026
In the first week of our trip, after a day of orientation and rest, we took our first excursion: a long and bumpy bus ride from Corrymeela to Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy. While the journey there was hot and nausea-inducing for a lot of us, the discomfort was well worth the destination.
It was a beautiful day, so we ate our packed lunches outside, surrounded by the stone walls and high grasses of the farming community that Seamus Heaney grew up in.
Norah eating lunch outside the Seamus Heaney HomePlace Museum (Photo credit: Kenna Rohrer)
We began the experience with a workshop taught by a professor from Ulster University in Coleraine. Our workshop leader gave us a brief overview of the Northern Ireland conflict—“the Troubles”—to provide us with context for some of Heaney’s work. Then, Heaney’s rich, earthy voice narrated his poem “Casualty” as we read along. Our group ranged from those of us with minimal exposure to the world of poetry to poetry enthusiasts, but we were all moved and able to draw different inferences and interpretations from the text.
After the workshop, we were free to walk around the museum and experience more of Heaney’s life and poetry at our own pace.
Norah and Lucca explore the interactive map (Photo credit: Kenna Rohrer)
Javi explores the family section of the museum (Photo credit: Kenna Rohrer)
Isy, Hailey, and Teo learning about Heaney’s life and work (Photo credit: Kenna Rohrer)
Lucca solving a sliding puzzle on the upper level of the museum
Poet facing poet–Kaliah takes in the upper-level exhibit
Mimi being Mimi on the second level (Photo credit: Kenna Rohrer)
Most of us ended up in the coffee shop.
Hayden and Atty at the coffee shop, behind a mobile of some of the local dialect Heaney incorporated into his poems.
What struck many of us was that a poem pertaining to specific people at such a distinct point in history could be so universally applied. Professor and co-leader Kyle Schlabach drew connections to a lot of conflicts taking place in the United States, such as police brutality and gun violence. We talked about Heaney’s refusal to declare a side in the conflict, choosing instead to honor and focus on the individual lives lost. Oftentimes, human nature dictates a desire to place blame and create martyrs. In doing so, individuals lose their personhood. This museum and Heaney’s work proved a powerful reminder to carry back home with us as we navigate these ever-changing times. –Kaliah Lefever
Global EducationFinal retreat in Ecuador
Global EducationLife on the ward
By Dayanara Aguirre-Mulato During my service placement at the municipal Centro Médico in Riobamba, I had the privilege to be able to work alongside other nurses. Day to day each patient comes in to register for their appointment and I…
Global EducationService visits: opportunities for connection in Ecuador’s “provincias”
By Hillary Harder During the Service term, leaders have the privilege of traveling to visit each student at the home and volunteer assignment where they are spending their time during the second half of SST. For us, that meant traveling…