Clinton Community College students will soon be traveling to Ireland to see it’s beauty and learn about the culture. To get into the spirit of the Irish and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Ramblin’ House, a four-piece acoustic band, will entertain with traditional Irish music.
The concert is on Friday, March 10, 2017, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., in the CCC Library, located at 1000 Lincoln Boulevard, Clinton, IA. The community is invited to attend.
Ireland’s physical beauty of lush, green, rolling hills, gigantic Cliffs of Mohr (top), and volcanic Devil’s Causeway (bottom), and friendly seaside tributaries are only eclipsed by its dynamic population–with a long and well-documented cultural heritage. In small quaint villages, evidence of early Neolithic inhabitants nuzzle beside each subsequent wave of settlers. The Vikings, Druids, and Celts left a lasting impression in a well-preserved living museum.
Norman and English invaders after the 12th Century largely chose to shift cultural mindsets. Instead of destroying the past, they built even larger religious and cultural symbols to dominate the landscape. These remnants are still used and enjoyed today.
During the day, students will investigate Ireland’s history at the Irish National Museum and the National Gallery, before participating in a series of excursions from Dublin, around the Ring of Kerry, and in Belfast to major historical sites. In the evenings, they will be active participants in Irish life and culture. Experiencing Irish music, dance, cuisine, and local festivals will enrich their understanding. Students traveling to Ireland will have the opportunity to learn some Gaelic, a traditional language still utilized in rural communities.
American cultural history is well entwined. The United States claims 39.6 million Irish descendants compared to Ireland’s 6 million residents. One became the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
For more information about this international travel experience, contact CCC instructors Shawn Hamerlinck or Beth Wood at 563-244-7001. Visit our website https://www.eicc.edu/future-students/international-programs/study-abroad/programs/ireland.aspx for more details.