Some of us were Irish, the rest of us wished we were Irish. Ennis, County Clare, was the home base for the latest UB Alumni Association international adventure, October 1-9. Twenty-six UB alumni stayed in the Old Ground Hotel, right in the middle of town. By week's end, we were very familiar with our neighborhood. Each morning, a local specialist briefed us on what we were to see that day, be it abbey ruins, geological marvels, or the great sites of Irish literature. Each evening, we marveled at a wonderful dinner before moving on to the local pub for music and conversation with our Irish neighbors.

Our tours included the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway City, the Connemara, the Burren, Bunratty Castle, and, of course, a number of stone circles, forts and ruins. Both our local guides and resident professional leaders from Alumni Holidays provided magical accounts at each site. Their enchanting and learned commentary allowed us to appreciate the historical and cultural background of the country throughout our tour, rather than just having us gaze at lovely sites. We also encountered the fabled Irish humor-we were always laughing at a story, joke or song provided by our hosts.

Each year, the Alumni Association offers at least four travel programs organized by professionals specializing in travel for alumni. These programs always feature an academic component-whether it's a faculty member traveling with the group and presenting seminars, or a trained local professional introducing participants to the history and culture of the region. These programs bring together UB alumni and graduates of other prestigious universities for educational‹and enjoyable-travel.

-Judith Van Nostrand, Associate Alumni Director