Claire McKenney '04

During her 2007 spring semester at The Catholic University of America, senior Claire McKenney studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland. The experience brought her many opportunities, including travel, cultural immersion, education, and most importantly an internship in the House of the Oireachtas, the Republic of Ireland's parliamentary body.

During her stay, she lived with a host family just north of Dublin, commuting into the city for classes at the Institute of Public Administration and her internship at the Parliament. Claire studied Irish politics, literature, and history, which covered an array of topics including Ireland's War of Independence, Irish economics, the European Union, and the writings of James Joyce. She gained a broad cultural and political understanding of the country useful for her work in the parliament.

As a parliamentary intern, she worked for Senators John Paul Phelan and Sheila Terry, both of the Fine Gael party. Her duties included administrative activities, constituent correspondence, and particularly, preparations and campaigning for the May general election. She was able to attend sessions of the Senate and the Dail (Congress), including important debates and votes on issues of healthcare, education, and immigration by representatives, ministers, and Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

The experience of studying abroad also afforded her the valuable opportunity to travel, not just around the Republic of Ireland, but to other countries throughout Europe, including Northern Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and the Canary Islands.

Claire also interned this past semester at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute in the Catalogue of American Portraiture/Center for Electronic Research and Outreach Services. She also had the opportunity to meet Bono during a recent reception for the One Campaign in Washington, D.C.

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