Derry native Eimear Doherty experienced her first U.S. Thanksgiving this past November, complete with the big parade on TV, board games with friends, and a traditional meal with all the trimmings.

“I got to try cranberry sauce for the first time.  Didn’t go over all that well,” Doherty said with a laugh.

Overall, though, the 21-year-old University of Ulster student says her time in the U.S. thus far has been “amazing.”

Doherty is one of eight Irish students spending 12 months working in the U.S. and learning about the travel and tourism industry through a program run by CIE Tours.

“Almost every weekend they’re traveling somewhere,” said Lea Walsh, who has coordinated the internship program for seven years now.

“They get to live in the U.S., do a lot of networking, and get plenty of exposure to different areas (of the travel industry). “That’s why so many of them come back to work (full-time) for us.”

Eimear Doherty says she “always wanted to live in the U.S.” and is particularly excited to see the American West, especially Arizona. 

“It looks so different compared to all the green back at home,” she says.

Wicklow native Stephanie Carter Whelan added that she’s been enjoying the balance between the New York City hustle and bustle and the character and charm of Morristown, New Jersey, where CIE is based.

“I always wanted to study in another country. And we’re only an hour outside of New York City. That’s so appealing to me.”

The 22-year-old University College Dublin student added that she’s been able to develop valuable work-related skills, from time management to customer service, especially working with the diverse clientele you come across in the U.S.

But Carter Whelan is also learning things about her native country.

“A lot of our Irish American customers are looking at their family tree, their family roots,” says Carter Whelan. “We’re talking about small towns in Ireland that I’ve never heard of because that’s where their family is from.”

The CIE internship is open to a broad range of college students from the island of Ireland, and about 70 apply every year, according to Lea Walsh. The interns receive subsidized housing and a visa sponsor, and live in Morristown, which – like New York City – has strong Irish roots and hosts one of the state’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades.

The interns also attend a wide range of events in the region, including Irish America’s Business 100 and Wall Street 50 dinners.

“I take a huge amount of pride personally and professionally in the group we bring over every year. We love their energy and their competitive spirit. And of course, everyone who comes is very excited and passionate about travel.  And obviously they’re all Irish, so they have the gift of gab.”

With the New Year comes arguably the busiest season for CIE interns. The lead-up to St. Patrick’s Day generally brings peak interest in tours of Ireland, though these days CIE packages cover many spots across Europe as well.

In the end, the most notable day-to-day difference between life in Ireland and the U.S. may be time.

“The U.S. is really more work-oriented,” says Doherty. “The day starts earlier, it ends later. The shops are all open late. There’s just more time to do everything.”

Brian Friel Remembered

Irish show-biz A-listers recently gathered in Donegal to celebrate the life and work of Brian Friel on the 10th anniversary of the playwright’s death.

Sinéad Cusack, Adrian Dunbar, Stephen Rea and Ciarán Hinds were among those on hand for events that were also filmed for an episode of RTE’s Nationwide program.

A performance of Friel’s play Faith Healer was put on at Market Hall, while The Lúghnasa Creative Arts Centre presented “Mapping the Land: The Literary Landscape of Brian Friel,” an exhibition originally developed by New York’s Irish Repertory Theatre. 

Members of the Friel family also spoke to RTE about Friel’s deep connection to Donegal and its people.

Look for the Brian Friel episode of Nationwide on RTE or various streaming services.