| DR301 |
| The Dynamics of Theatre: the Irish
Experience |
| Drama studies offer a fundamental medium of
communication between cultures, nations and generations. As the Irish are
particularly fluent with words and excel in the language arts including drama and
storytelling, the study of Irish theatre offers an ideal vantage point from which to view
the components of theatre, and to understand the way theatre techniques are articulated.
This course is taught in conjunction with Siamsa Tire, the National Folk Theatre of
Ireland, whose mission is to tell the story of Irish culture through music, song and dance. |
EC301 |
Irish Economy and
Europe |
| The Irish economy has passed through many
phases since the state was formed seventy-five years ago. This course looks in detail at
these events and charts the rise of the Irish economy to a position where it now has the
highest growth projections in Europe for the next five years. |
EN204 |
European Literature
– Homer to Milton |
| European Literature 1 examines many of
Europe’s masterworks in drama, poetry, prose and fiction. This course aims to
increase the student’s knowledge of the European Literature and to strengthen
writing, critical and analytical skills through the study of literary works. |
EN205 |
| European Literature -- Moliere to Solzhenitsyn |
| European Literature offers a comprehensive
consideration of Europe’s verbal civilisation from the Enlightenment to the Twentieth
century. It aims to encourage students to discuss and write about literature by developing
a well reasoned argument and supporting it through organized, coherent and developed
paragraphs utilizing the correct literary terms. |
EN302 |
| Irish Folklore and Myths |
Perhaps more than in most
other cultures, myth and mythology still occupy a major position in Irish life. This
course investigates the historical and romantic basis of the main legends and examines the
way in which events described in them still exert an influence on Irish life today. It
also relates the mythology of Ireland to the mythology of other countries, illustrating
shared interests in different lands. |
EN303 |
| Short Story in Irish Literature |
Many important issues in
modern Ireland, from abortion and divorce to the Northern conflict and emigration, have
been dealt with by major writers in short stories, and often these have come to be seen as
the focal expression of these problems. This course analyzes the relationship between the
developing Irish State and the short-story and examines the internal developments which
have taken place in terms of style and form and also the responsibilities of writers,
whether actual or perceived. |
EN318 |
| Yeats and Joyce |
| Yeats and Joyce, the epigones of modernism and
post-modernism, are often considered to be at opposite ends of the critical spectrum,
where Yeats inhabits a traditional place and Joyce stands for renewal. In this course we
will consider Ireland’s two most important authors together, as both form part of an
Irish and, indeed, European tradition. |
EN320 |
| Irish Fiction Writing |
| The aim of this course is to give students a
sense of how Irish writers use the rhythms of their landscape, the sounds of their spoken
language and the complexities of their tumultuous history to write short stories, poetry
and novels. By studying Irish writing in Ireland, students will be encouraged to see, hear
and feel as Irish writers and to use this experience in their own writing. Through meeting
and listening to invited guest writers, historians, fishermen, priests, etc., students
will be encouraged to discuss and debate the merits of each work studied, and to engage in
a dialogue with Irish people who will enhance the students’ understanding of Irish
literature. Students will be expected to read, critique, and write fiction, utilizing the
techniques learned this term to compose literary works. |
| FA305 |
| Fine Arts Workshop: the Irish
Landscape |
| Ireland is strongly associated with art and
the landscape. This course examines the close relationship between artist and
nature. The landscape of the west of Ireland is famous throughout the world and the
class will take advantage of the location to explore fully the way in which landscape has
been utilized in Irish art both historically and by practising artists today. |
| FA306 |
| Fine Arts Workshop: Irish Crafts |
| This course combines the study of the
traditional crafts of Ireland with studio visits and practical work in various media.
Students will examine the historical role of the crafts within Irish society and be
introduced to textiles, stone carving, stained glass, ceramics, calligraphy and
woodcarving. |
HA202 |
| History of Western Art - From Grotto
to Giotto |
| Art History encompasses a wide variety of
disciplines and as such is of particular value in a liberal arts education. This course
covers the main developments in the visual arts from the prehistoric period up to the
close of the so-called ‘middle ages’. The basic vocabulary of art will be
introduced, and representative objects from each period will be studied and analyzed in
order to give you an understanding of the changes and developments that took place within
and between various cultures. |
HA203 |
| History of Western Art -- Renaissance
to the Present |
| This course continues the survey of western art
covering the period from the Renaissance through to the late twentieth century. |
HA310 |
| Georgian Ireland |
The Georgian period was one
of the great eras of artistic expression in Western history. The strict logic of
classicism was the dominant theme that controlled architecture, painting and the
decorative arts, and is reflected in the literature and music of the era. This course
concentrates on the impact of these beliefs in Ireland, a country where the remains of
Georgian culture still remain more completely than almost anywhere else in Europe. |
HA320 |
| Religion and Art |
| This class studies the symbiotic relationship
between art and religion. In all cultures artists working for the dominant religious
orders have been favored and often have left as great a legacy as their employers. This
course examines the relationship using case studies in Irish art, including visits to
religious buildings and sites. |
HA331 |
| Ireland at the Movies |
| Serious film-making in Ireland began just after
Independence, with films examining the bloody recent past in Irish society and its legacy.
Within twenty years, Irish-American directors were examining Irish themes in major
Hollywood blockbusters. Recently Irish New-Wave movies have made a significant
international impact with several award-winning films. This course looks at the various
phases of Irish film-making, along with the great and not-so-great translations of Irish
authors into film. |
HI201 |
| Ireland Past and Present |
| Through a series of lectures and weekly
guided field trips this course charts Irish history from the time of the Boyne Valley
settlements in 5000 BC through the Celtic era, the coming of Christianity, the Vikings,
the Normans and the English, culminating in independence only seventy years ago. In
addition, cultural changes will be charted in the context of these historical changes.
Much of the teaching takes place at sites of outstanding cultural and historical
importance, including Muckross House, Dunbeg Fort, Loch a Dúin, Gallarus Oratory,
Blennerville, Derrynane House, Killarney Cathedral, and the newly excavated Ballycarty
Passage Grave. |
HI301 |
| Great Figures in Irish History |
This course studies leading
figures in Irish history who have had a significant role in shaping the destiny of the
country over the past two thousand years. Each figure will be studied in depth and in
relationship to the impact they had on their own time and in a broader historical context.
Visits to important sites associated with the figures will be included in the semester. |
HI305 |
| Ancient Ireland |
| Recent excavations demonstrate that there were
settled communities in Ireland 8000 years ago. This course studies Irish history from the
earliest settlements through pre-Celtic Ireland, on to the coming of the Celts and the
eventual arrival of Christianity to Ireland 1700 years ago. |
| HI307 |
| Castles and Cathedrals: The Medieval
Irish World |
| This interdisciplinary course covers themes in
the history of Ireland from the Battle of Clontarf to the Flight of the Earls. The last of
the High Kings, the coming of the Normans, Gaelic Ireland, the Geraldines, the church,
society, and the art and architecture of the period will all be examined. |
| HI310 |
| The Celtic World |
| For long treated as a semi-mythic race, recent
research has shown the Celtic Empire to have been the predominant cultural and political
force in central and western Europe two thousand years ago. The Celtic Empire stretched
over vast tracts of Europe and it is becoming increasingly clear that the Druids, the
Celtic priesthood, had a highly organized hierarchy that influenced trade, agriculture and
politics throughout the great interconnected tribes which made up the empire. This class
investigates all aspects of Celtic life including social customs, religion, trade, art and
architecture. |
HI311 |
| Famine and Emigration |
Phytophthora infestans (potato
blight) caused the greatest and most devastating upheaval in Irish history since the Black
Death. Between 1845 and 1851, more than one million people died from starvation and
disease, whilst another 1.5 million fled the country, largely bound for the New World.
This course examines the historical background to the Famine and the sociological effects
caused by the huge dislocation of people in both Ireland and the New World. |
HI315 |
| Modern Ireland |
The history of Modern
Ireland is filled with conflict. Beginning with the Easter Rising of 1916 this course
traces the many strands that make up the history of twentieth century Ireland, including
the War of Independence, Partition, Civil War, de Valera’s Ireland, emigration,
education, the women’s movement, the Troubles, and the Celtic Tiger. |
HI320 |
| Irish in US History |
At present, more than 40
million Americans describe themselves as of Irish lineage, giving an indication of the
tremendous emigration that has taken place from such a small island and the inordinate
influence the Irish have had in the shaping of modern America. This course examines all
aspects of the relationship between Ireland and the USA, including economic, sociological
and cultural angles and evaluates the effects on both societies as well as exploring
possible future developments. |
HI360 |
| Women of Ireland |
| This course will deal with European and Irish
women and will focus on the historical reasons for women’s position in society today.
Topics will include the exclusion of women from history, changing roles in society,
education, women in the arts, women in politics, the spiritual lives of women and the
women’s liberation movement in the twentieth century. Specific case studies will
include the emigration of Irish women to the US 1870-1940, the role of nuns in Irish
society and the Irish Constitution. Extensive use will be made of primary source material
such as photographs, diaries and illustrations as well as contemporary newspapers and
literature. |
HI390 |
| Irish Culture and Society |
| This interdisciplinary course deals with the
history of Irish culture, based upon the effects that are still visible on the landscape.
In this intensive course, students study aspects of the unique culture that has formed the
Irish character. The term will consist of trips to sites of outstanding historical
importance and natural beauty, along with detailed discussions of the highlights of Irish
literature, art and history. |
IN300 |
Internship |
Each internship is an
unpaid work placement at a local business or organization. The student will work within
specific pre-determined parameters on a pre-arranged project. All internship students meet
with their ICH faculty supervisor at least once per week on a one-to-one basis, complete
related readings and assignments and submit a written report on their internship at the
end of the term. |
LA201 |
Irish Language 1 |
Irish is a language of
poets and scholars, reflecting the long literary history of the island. At present there
is a great revival of the language in all parts of Ireland and with the advent of peace in
the North and the acceptance of Irish as one of the official languages of the EU, Irish is
certain to grow in importance in the coming years. In addition to language instruction,
selected readings will be studied both in Irish and in translation. |
LA202 |
| Advanced Irish |
Continuation of LA201.
Students will increase their conversational skills and their exposure to Irish as a living
everyday language, as well as studying further readings in both Irish and translation. |
MS207 |
| The Great Composers |
| The Great Composers and their Music combines
guided listening with a history of Western ‘classical’ music, from the
‘beginnings’ to the contemporary period. It provides a firm grounding in the
constituents of classical music, from polyphony to the twelve-tonal scale. Music
appreciation forms the backbone of this course; students are acquainted with various ways
of critical listening, and with a basic course in musica practica. |
NH201 |
| Environmental Issues in Ireland |
| This course will examine the various habitats
that survive on the Dingle Peninsula and other parts of Kerry, their formation and the
micro life systems which they support. Through lecture, tutorial, project work and site
visits we will study how humans interact with these habitats and possible ways to further
develop them without destroying them. This will include the area of farming and new
methods of agriculture to keep people on the land without destroying the natural
resources, as well as agricultural tourism projects. It will also examine the roles of the
Local Authority, environmental awareness groups and the media in environmental concerns. |
PH301 |
| The Great Philosophers |
| This course examines the main beliefs and
teachings of the leading philosophers from Plato and Confucius to the present day.
Students will be expected to take a dynamic part in the class through prepared reading
materials and the formulation of relevant arguments to demonstrate an understanding of the
subject. This class is designed to welcome newcomers to the study of philosophy, whilst
also serving to challenge those with previous experience of the subject. |
