Lasell Students Explore Sports, Culture, and Peace Building on Annual Belfast Trip

Seventeen undergraduate students and two graduate students spent nine days in Northern Ireland and Ireland this November as part of Lasell University’s fourth academic trip to Belfast and Dublin—an experience that continues to grow in popularity among students. This year’s course, IDS 306: Global Engagement Through Sport, Health, and Fitness - which was filled to capacity and had a waitlist - attracted students from all different majors including sport management, exercise science, business, and communications.

The course, taught by Assistant Professor Ron Laham, focuses on the history of Northern Ireland, the decades-long conflict known as “The Troubles,” and the unique role sports have played in fostering community. The class also examines Lasell’s ongoing partnership with the Belfast Giants, a professional hockey team founded in 2000 as a symbol of unity for the city.

During the week of Thanksgiving, the nine-day cultural, historical, and sport-centered experience included many highlights including:

• Black Taxi Tour of Belfast, exploring political murals and the city’s complex history
• Visit to a Belfast Giants practice, including a conversation with the team’s president
• Meeting Lasell graduate students who currently play in Belfast for the Giants  
• A trip to the Titanic Belfast Museum, located where the ship was built
• A full-day trip to Giant’s Causeway, a United Nations designated World Heritage site
• Two days in Dublin, including a tour of the Guinness factory and exploration of the city 

The trip was centered around the Friendship Four, an international NCAA hockey tournament that brings American college teams to Belfast. This year’s tournament included Union, RIT, Sacred Heart, and Miami of Ohio. Lasell students helped facilitate the fan experience throughout the two day tournament.

“This is the fourth year we’ve offered this class, and it’s been amazing to watch the group of students get more and more diverse in their majors and interests,” Professor Laham said. “They’re eager to immerse themselves in a new culture and see firsthand how an international NCAA event comes together. Learning about life in Northern Ireland really matters to them.”