On June 18th, we had a site visit to the University College Dublin (UCD) Centre for Disability Studies. We took public transit to get to the university, and it is still so cool to see that Dublin uses double-decker buses as a means of public transportation. Once we arrived to UCD, we received a warm welcome from Dr. Christine Leinham who is the director of the Centre for Disability studies. Christine showed us to the science building where we got to see a beautiful view of the scenery around the university.

After that, we visited the Psychology department and got to see some of the experiments that undergraduate students get to use during their time at the university. I did see some signage while walking around that showed the commitment the university has to creating a safe space for all its students.

We did a fun quiz about Ireland, and then Dr. Leinham told us a bit about disability in Ireland and about the Centre for Disability Studies at UCD. Her presentation was very enlightening and it was an honor to hear from her regarding disability studies at an Irish university. Afterwards, we visited Dublin Castle and had a guided tour through the archeological area as well as the State Apartments. It was absolutely beautiful and I am very grateful to our tour guide for the experience.

We have had to walk over the bridges that cross the river through Dublin many times, and I have noticed that all but one of the bridges are flat, and therefore accessible to those with mobility issues or who may be in a wheelchair. I ended the day by going to the seaside town of Dún Laoghaire with my friends. Overall, it was an amazing day and I am so grateful for the experiences we have been able to have this far.