Travel-Study Program to: Wales and Northern Ireland
Celtic Connections with Appalachia

Term To Be Offered: January 6-22, 2009 (approximate)

Contacts:

Lori Schmied | 981-8162 | lori.schmied@maryvillecollege.edu | Division of Behavioral Sciences
Paul Threadgill | 981-8273 | paul.threadgill@maryvillecollege.edu | Division of Natural Sciences

Course goals:

  • To recognize the influence that the Scots-Irish Celts have had on Southern Appalachia
  • To explore the cultural and natural heritage of Wales and Northern Ireland (Ulster).
  • To investigate aspects of Celtic culture, focusing on music, educational institutions, history, and literature in the form of the Mabinogion.
  • To better understand the cultural conflicts that the Celtic peoples had with both Rome and the Anglo-Saxons.
  • To relate the Ulster-Scots experience to the 18th century migration to eastern North America and the southern Appalachians.
  • To explore one Celtic-Appalachian connection in depth and to share that information with the rest of a group

Highlights:

Wales: Llangollen (site of Eisteffod), welsh coal mining, school visit, visit to Roman and Tudor historical sites in Chester, flora/fauna & geology

Northern Ireland: Belfast (shipyards, Ulster-American museum, local Celtic sites of historical interest, such as Glendalough)

Course Description:

Recognizing the influence that the Scots-Irish Celts have had on Southern Appalachia, we will travel to two areas most closely associated with these connections, Wales and Northern Ireland (Ulster), to explore the cultural and natural heritage of the region. The cultural connections range from music to agriculture/industry to education. Students will have the opportunity to examine one of these areas in depth, working in small groups. There are also connections with regard to natural history of each region. The connections include not only the actual geological formations and biological communities, but philosophies of interacting with the natural world and how best to manage environmental resources in harsh regions unsuitable for large-scale agriculture.

Each location on the itinerary offers unique opportunities for students and represents different aspects of Celtic culture. In Wrexham, North Wales, students will investigate aspects of Celtic culture, focusing on music, educational institutions, history, and literature in the form of the Mabinogion. Hopefully, we will visit one of King Edward's ring of castles and probably the walled city of Chester as part of a discussion of Celtic history. Wales also provides a venue for an in-depth examination of the connections with Southern Appalachia. Near-by Llangollen is a former mining village (like the villages from which Welsh coal miners came to East Tennessee) and now home to one of the most prestigious song and story-telling festivals in the world: the Eisteffod. While the group will not be there during the festival, it is a center for rich music and oral heritage.

From Wales we will travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where students will have the opportunity to visit classic Celtic sites. However, the primary focus of our visit in Northern Ireland will be the Ulster-Scots experience, especially as it relates to the 18th century migration to eastern North America and the southern Appalachians. The historic shipyards and docks of Belfast are where many of the Appalachian settlers departed and a day visit to the Ulster-American Folk museum in Omagh will help students learn about that period. Weather permitting, students will pay a visit to the Giant's Causeway to talk about it both as a World Heritage Site and about how proximity played a prominent role in the Ulster-Scots experience

Throughout the course, students will engage in both structured and unstructured journal assignments, have small group discovery assignments that encourage exploration and interaction with locals, and be responsible for exploring one Celtic-Appalachian connection in depth and sharing that information with the rest of the group. There will be regular group meetings to discuss and reflect on experiences and discuss accompanying readings.

Tentative Costs: $3000

The price includes:

Airfare, local transportation between sites, all accommodations, most breakfasts, international travel insurance, excursions, as well as application fee and deposit.

Not included:

Passport & visa costs, most meals (breakfast included at some locations); some transportation within sites where local buses/taxis are best option.

Application for J-Term Programs