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Irish Culture

Intro - CIRExpand your economic, political and social view of the world at the William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies. You will study Ireland, Northern Ireland and Irish America and how their history and politics affect their people and relationships with other countries. You will be challenged to open your mind and heart to the Irish culture through:

  • Literature
  • History
  • Culture
  • Arts
Caprice Erickson  B.A. History, Irish Studies and Russian Studies, 2016

UST’s Irish Studies program has provided me with the understanding necessary to pursue my profound interest in Ireland and its history, culture, language and people.

Caprice Erickson B.A. History, Irish Studies and Russian Studies, 2016

There is strong emphasis on dialogue and public speaking. Classes are discussion-based and interactive, using a question and answer format. You'll make presentations, sharpen your interviewing skills, craft research papers and receive one-on-one feedback from your professor.

Irish Studies students often pursue a graduate degree in history, literature or political science in the U.S. or abroad. Some also attend law school.

The minor involves 15 credit hours (5 courses) covering such topics as English, History, Politics and Language. Consistent with the core curriculum, the courses you’ll take are intended to broaden your perspective and sharpen your critical thinking, writing and communications skills.

The following 3 courses are required:

  • IRST/ENGL upper division Irish literature course
  • IRST/HIST upper division Irish history course
  • An additional upper division Irish Studies course

2 other Irish Studies courses must be selected to complete the 15-hour minor requirement.

Minor Plan

This is a graduate concentration through the University’s Master in Liberal Arts program. It involves 18 credit hours (6 courses) covering such topics as English, History, Politics and Language.

The following 3 courses are required:

  • History of Ireland since 1600
  • Modern Irish Literature
  • Directed reading supervised by a professor

3 other courses may be chosen from other Irish Studies program courses.

MLA Requirements courses

Study AbroadOutside the classroom, you can experience the diverse cultures, backgrounds and religions of people in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Study Abroad is a first-hand opportunity to discover the meaning and purpose of peace and reconciliation. In the past, students have met with leaders of the Irish and Northern Irish Governments as well as religious and community leaders.

Through generous scholarships provided by the Center for Irish Studies, summer study abroad programs take students to Ireland to visit such historic sites as Glendalough, depicted here in County Wicklow. During this trip, students also toured Dublin for several days, meeting with government officials and seeing museums and other sites, before heading north to Newgrange and the high crosses of Monasterboice. Next the trip took the students to Belfast, where they met people involved in conflict and resolution and peacebuilding from the time of the “Troubles” in the 1960s through the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 to the present. At the end of the trip, the students toured Galway and surrounding areas before returning from Shannon.

Irish Studies Jack Terrins and Michelle Killgore 500x330Other programs, such as the one to be led by Dr. Martin Lockerd in summer 2024, will visit Dublin, Galway and places in between when the students attend the Yeats’ Summer School in Sligo and study literature, history, culture and music over several weeks’ time.

You also can study for a semester abroad. Earn credit toward your UST degree while attending classes at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland where we have an exchange agreement.

Students from Northern Ireland attend UST in their third year through scholarships sponsored by the Center for Irish Studies in collaboration with Study USA and the British Council. This year, Jack Terrins of the University of Ulster, is studying at UST. He is pictured here with Michelle Killgore, the student speaker at the 2023 Irish Gala, who studied immersive Irish language in Ireland on a Fulbright grant in summer 2023 and a scholarship from the Center for Irish Studies. Michelle graduated with a minor in Irish Studies in December 2023.

Christian Siboldi, MLA, Irish History, 2011

By providing me the opportunity to travel and study in Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Irish Studies program brought to life what we were reading about day in and day out in the classroom.

Christian Siboldi Attorney, Greenberg Traurig, LLP | MLA, Irish History, 2011

In addition to the academic program, each year the Center sponsors a Cultural Outreach Program, which includes 6 or more lectures, concerts and other events open to the University community and the public.