University College Cork Summer School

The theme of the 32nd International Summer School in Irish Studies is "Island of Saints and Scholars." In the first two weeks, the School will explore the historical foundations of Irish identity and how the Irish contribution to the development of western civilisation earned it the reputation as the Island of Saints and Scholars. The second two weeks of the School will examine how twentieth-century writers sought to define a sense of cultural identity by exploring this idealised version of Ireland’s past. (Source: http://www.ucc.ie/summer/irish/)

With a population exceeding 200,000, Cork City is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and a busy seaport on the south coast. The city center is uniquely situated on an island between two channels of the Lee River. It is home to a large number of industries such as electronics and brewing, but it is an important center for culture and the arts, as well. Each year, international film, choral and jazz festivals are held in Cork. Cork city has an Opera House, several theaters, and a city museum. Downtown is a blend of parks, cultural venues, shops, and cozy pubs. Cork people, noted for their friendliness, have a passion for all kinds of sports, which explains the many recreation facilities in the city. Popular day trips from Cork include the Blarney Castle, Cobh, Kinsale, and the Jameson Distillery. Dublin is four to five hours from Cork to the north by bus or less than 1 hour by plane. Cork airport, located 6 kilometers from the university has daily flights to Dublin, London, and other European destinations.

University College Cork combines history with modernity in a beautiful campus on the edge of Cork City. Originally established as one of the three Queen’s Colleges in 1845, UCC quickly grew into a full-scale university. Today it holds over 16,000 students in eight faculties (colleges) on mature, well-wooded grounds by the riverside. There are over 60 departments on campus, many housed in Gothic-style buildings from the late 19th century. Students have access to an array of services at UCC that include the Devere Hall Aras Na Mac Leìnn Student Center. The student center offers a Lounge Bar, Coffee Shop, Confectionery and Food Store, TV Rooms, and a Travel Office. In the Boole Library, students will find over 600,000 books and journals, and reading places for over 1,500 people.

The program lasts four weeks in the month of July. Students studying at UCC for the Irish Studies program will take two classes: Irish Literature and Irish History. The history portion will address how Ireland's commitment to scholarship created significant contributions to Western civilization. The Irish Literature course will cover famous writers from W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde. The lecture will address the contrasts and similarities between Yeats' romantic poetry and Wilde's social critique. Included in the program are several trips to famous sites such as Cashel of the Kings. Learn more.

Summer 2013 dates: July 1-26, 2013.
Click for course details.

Housing will be included with the program fee. The housing will be at the on-campus dorms available at UCC. Students will be in charge of taking care of meals while studying at UCC; however, all meals on cultural trips are covered in the program fee. There are many restaurants and campus and close to campus in the city center. Also, Cork has many large grocery stores and small specialty stores for students to buy food.

The program fee is $3500. The fee includes tuition, housing, books, travel for cultural trips, and textbooks. Other expenses that will be incurred include: $160 Study Abroad Fee, $1000 roundtrip airfare, a passport ($135), and other personal expenses.