Ireland – A Cultural Insight

Ireland - A Cultural Insight introduces participants to Irish culture and is designed to present an overview of the contemporary cultural landscape in Ireland. It will focus on the main events in Irish history from the Stone Age to the modern day and present an overview of the contemporary cultural landscape in Ireland including lifestyle, sport, music, cinema and the arts, politics, language etc. The course will also a brief introduction to the work of some contemporary Irish literary writers.

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course, it is expected that participants will have

• extended their knowledge of a wide variety of areas of contemporary Irish life and culture
• gained a deeper understanding of Ireland's position in Europe and the world
• become familiar with the elements of Irish history and culture through an assessment of a wide variety of literature and song
• reflected on how to incorporate aspects of Irish culture, literature, music and song into their own classroom teaching
• developed short pedagogical projects, which they can use later in their own teaching contexts

Some of the topics that this course focuses on include

• On Being Irish & 21^st Century Ireland

What it means to be Irish, the habits, customs & characteristics of the people and see what it’s like to live in Ireland today

• Ireland at the Beginning of Time & An Island of Saints & Scholars

Ireland’s Celtic Background, Newgrange – The 5,000 year old burial grave

Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, The world famous Book of Kells, The Story of Saint Brendan, the Irish monk who discovered America!

• The Coffin Ships & Emigration

Learn about the Black Famine of the 1840’s and the effect that Emigration has had on Irish society and continues to have today.

• An Island Divided – Ireland Yesterday & Today

The background to the political situation in Ulster, the north-eastern province.

• That’s the drink talking!

The history behind Irish Coffee, Whiskey, and Guinness

• More than just a matter of life and death!

Discover why Sport plays such an important part in Irish society.

• Making a song and dance of it!

How the songs and music of Ireland are a window into its people, history and traditions.

• ‘In Dublin’s Fair City…’

A guided tour of the capital

• The West’s Awake!

The history of the Irish language and its place in the Ireland of today

• Ireland in Film

Ireland through the lens of famous films such as Ryan’s Daughter, In the Name of the Father, In America, My Left Foot, The Commitments, Once, Brooklyn, Sing Street etc.

• Ireland in Literature

An important element in the course where participants will get an introduction to some of the great Irish literary figures.