CCV Goes to Ireland

May 13 - May 22, 2005

In spring '05 CCV offered Folklore, a course in Irish tradition that included a 10-day study trip to three counties in Ireland known for their rich heritage. This study tour gave students the opportunity to learn about the traditional beliefs and legends of Ireland while visiting the Burren in County Clare, known for its rich heritage of Irish traditional music; the Dingle Peninsula in Kerry, a Gaeltacht region and well-known repository of folklore; and Dublin, the country's bustling capital. Highlights of the trip included

• Visits to several Irish castles and Celtic heritage centers from Clare to Tipperary
• Time to see important historic and archaeological features along the Atlantic coast
• Evenings of local traditional music and dramatic performances
• Day trip to the Great Blasket Island in County Kerry
• Seminar with a local folklore scholar

When asked what they liked about the trip, students responded:

"Seeing a whole new world, a place none of my family had been, learning about another culture and way of life. Learning about students in my group."

"The highlight for me was seeing structures that were so old and had such a history."

"Meeting the people in the countryside and comparing cultures."

"The out of the way areas that we visited and stayed in. How we were integrated into the communities."

"I would tell anyone that studying abroad teaches you and shows you a whole new world than what you're used to. There are always similarities, but seeing firsthand the differences that make their culture unique is shown more abroad."

Instructor Catherine O'Callaghan led CCV's first successful study abroad course to Ireland in spring, 2003. Catherine has lived in Ireland, where she attended Trinity College in Dublin. Her doctoral studies have focused on the blending of folkloric themes with Celtic Christianity in the writing of contemporary Irish women poets.