The Sheffield girl had just graduated from university - and celebrated by hopping across the Irish Sea.
"I spent a memorable weekend in Belfast with three friends back in 2008," the 33-year-old politician recalled.
"We took in lots of the city's fantastic pubs and clubs, and even made it to the Giant's Causeway. We did as many touristy things as we could."
Ms Haigh's most recent visit could not have been more different - as the new Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Then, social distancing rather than socialising was the order of the day, as the Labour MP met, among others, Troubles victims and survivors at the Wave Trauma Centre in Belfast.