New Irish Studies Program at University of Montana

**Riverkilt** · 7th September 06, 08:51 AM

University of Montana now has an Irish Studies program. The university recognized that Irish settlers in Montana had "lovingly protected their language and culture" at a time when Gaelic tongue had almost been eradicated back in Ireland.

All four of my Montana grandparents had Irish blood. This is cool.

Initially the U of M will offer a minor in Irish Studies, but they hope to expand it to a major in a few years.

The Irish Studies program will offer conversational Gaelic, Irish literature, history, music, dance, film, and theater.

Maybe they need a professor of kiltmaking? Missoula is COLD in the winter though....

Ron

**Kilted Taper** · 7th September 06, 09:15 AM

Do they offer an on-line degree program???

**pdcorlis** · 7th September 06, 09:53 AM

Dang! So close and yet so far away... Missoula is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from here!

**Colin** · 7th September 06, 10:03 AM

Ron, one of our local universities, Simon Fraser University, not only houses a few World Champion Pipebands (SFU - world champions 4 times [2nd place again this year] and the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band won the World Juvenile Pipe Band 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2006) , but it also house the Centre for Scottish Studies.

http://www.sfu.ca/scottish/
http://www.sfupipeband.com/

I am seriously looking into a few courses at the Centre this year.

Very cool that the Irish studies are taking shape in the some states. Although I am not sure the gaelic language was every more prevelant in Montana than in Ireland, as I have been to a few places in Ireland that are all Gaelic(and not a recent development either). They only speak English for us tourists.