Resources: Click on the links to the left to venture through this gold mine of resources for research and general interest. Each page takes you to a world of links! Discover golden nuggets on every page!

Achievements: The Center for Irish Studies opened in January 2003. The Center is proud of its many achievements in a short period of time.

Read about the accolades the Center Irish Studies received in 2009.

Academic Program:
While other universities may offer one or two courses in Irish Studies, the University of St. Thomas is one of a handful of universities west of the Mississippi with a minor and graduate concentration in Irish Studies and a Center for Irish Studies. Each semester we offer two to six courses in Irish and Northern Irish history, politics, law and culture, literature, theology, music, the Irish language, Contemporary Ireland and the Irish American Experience to undergraduate and graduate students.

Irish Language Program:
In 2006, in the Center’s fourth year, the Fulbright Foreign Language Commission and the Institute on International Education selected the University of St. Thomas as one of four universities to participate in its inaugural program to promote the Irish language through its Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program.  UST joined the ranks of New York University, the University of Notre Dame and Boston College in this outstanding program.

In 2007, the University expanded its program and now directly employs Visiting Scholars from Ireland to teach the Irish language and traditional Irish music.

Irish Government Language Awards 2006-2010: To support the Irish language program, the Irish Government Department of Rural, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs awarded the University grants for 2006-2010. These grants are used to promote Irish language and heritage by providing scholarships to credit-seeking students, as well as books to credit and audit students. Additionally, the funds are used to build a library of research materials in the Irish language as well as to assist the Irish language professors with courses.

Scholarships:
Business Education Initiative Program
The University participates in the Business Education Initiative (BEI) scholarship program, which is sponsored by the Northern Ireland Government and the British Council. This program brings students to the United States from Northern Ireland for a full-year program. Through this program, students come from Northern Ireland to faith-based universities and colleges in the United States to study business. They experience another culture and pursue their education in a peaceful setting, away from conflict and sectarianism. Through exposure to business, commerce and education in the United States, the program envisions students will return to Northern Ireland and improve its economy and way of life.

After participating in the BEI program for several years and witnessing first-hand the quality of the students and the goals of the program, we strongly believe in the merits of program and are committed to its continuation. This program fulfills one of our mutual goals of building peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and returning students to Northern Ireland full of confidence and inspiration to make Northern Ireland a better place for business and peace to thrive.

Irish American Scholars Program
The University and other universities in the United States who participate in the Business Education Initiative Program are eligible for reciprocal scholarships for students to attend colleges and universities in Northern Ireland. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, contact the Center Director, Lori Meghan Gallagher, J.D., at 713-525-3592 or irishstudies@stthom.edu, or Dr. Hans Stockton, Director of Study Abroad, at 713-525-3536 or stockton@stthom.edu. 

Cultural Outreach Program:
On the cultural side, the Center has a Cultural Outreach Forum comprised of businesses, individuals and nonprofit organizations that sponsor the Center’s cultural programs. The Center brings in 9-12 speakers and cultural performers each year highlighting Ireland and Northern Ireland past and present, on such topics as science and technology, commerce, the peace process, history, politics, law, literature, theology and the Irish language, as well as music, art, dance, drama and storytelling. We co-sponsor these events with The Irish Society, the nonsectarian, nonpartisan and nonprofit community-based organization that helped create the Center for Irish Studies. We also participate in the Irish American Cultural Institute Perceptions Series.

Since January 2003, the Center has hosted over 75 cultural events.

Irish Government Support
The Center has come a long way in its brief existence. The Center enjoys support from the Irish Government. The Center has hosted (i) Irish Ambassadors Michael Collins and Noel Fahey; (ii) Honorable John O’Donoghue, the Irish Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, the Speaker of the Irish House of Parliament (2008);  (iii) Noel Dempsey, Irish Minister of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (2007); (iv) Tony Killeen, Irish Minister of State, Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2006); (v) Pat the Cope Gallagher, Irish Minister of State, Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (2005); (vi) Noel Ahern, Irish Minister of State, Environment, Heritage, and Local Government (2004); and (vii) Sila de Valera, Irish Minister of State, Education and Science (2003).  The Center also assisted Tourism Ireland in hosting John O’Donoghue, then Irish Minister of State, Arts, Sport and Tourism, when he met business and community leaders in Houston shortly after the Center opened.

Each year since it opened, the Consul General of Ireland in Chicago has visited the Center.  The Irish Consulate has provided the Center with invaluable advice and assistance, highlighting Irish Government grants and resources. The Irish Consulate enhances opportunities for the Center by continuing to assist the Center in strengthening its ties with the Irish Government.

The Irish Government Cultural Relations Committee and the Department of Foreign Affairs also have provided funding for cultural outreach lectures by Dr. Colbert Kearney of University College Cork on the literature of W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge and Sean O’Casey; a cultural outreach lecture by Photographer James Fraher of Sligo; and our annual Monaghan Organ Concert by Dr. Paul Collins of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.

Conferences:
In 2005, in the Center’s third year, the Center hosted the American Conference for Irish Studies Southern Regional Conference
February 24-26, 2005

Hosted by the University of St. Thomas at The Warwick Hotel
Theme: Ireland: North, South East and West

ACIS Conference Program
ACIS Schedule
Conference at a Glance (Lecture Topics)
ACIS Membership Form
Registration Form
Flier 

We had nearly 100 Irish Studies scholars and students from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Canada, Mexico and 28 states presenting papers on Irish history, literature, politics, music, art, culture, immigration and current events.

We had three professional storytellers from the Houston Storytellers Guild presenting some whimsical and serious Irish stories.

This program was made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, a State partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and other sponsors, including:

American Conference for Irish Studies
Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P.
Birraporetti's
Mary Elizabeth Donovan
Freebird Partners L.P.
Guinness USA
HDS Services
Michael Horan
Tom and Jeani Horan
Irish American Heritage Association
Madeline O'Brien
On behalf of Ann Caraway Ivins
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
Moran Resources Company
Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Group
Sotheby's
William T. and Sally S. Slick Foundation
The Irish Society
The Warwick Hotel
Tourism Ireland
University of Houston English Department
University of St. Thomas