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Christopher Paul, Retriever Staff Writer, Volume 39, Issue 27, published May 3, 2005
Students looking to find a better understanding of Irish culture or participate in events designed to introduce students to different cultures should consider attending the Irish Student Associations next meeting.
Kevin Lyons, the president of the organization, founded the ISA in September 2004. "The goals of the ISA are to increase awareness of Irish and Irish-American culture, to provide a setting for UMBC students to learn and participate in the culture, and to dispel the myths, ignorance, and stereotyping of Irish and Irish-Americans as well as all other cultures.
The ISA has sponsored a few exciting events during the year and has also performed volunteer work within the community. Last fall, the ISA attended the Celtic Festival held every year in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to immerse members in Celtic culture.
On Irish Cuisine Day, members have prepared traditional Irish dishes at an event where guest speakers held discussions about pre-pagan Ireland and the role that the arrival of Christianity played in Irish society. A few weeks before St. Patrick's Day, the ISA sponsored a movie event in the Commons Grill that dealt with the topic of illegal Irish immigration to America in the 1980's.
On St. Patrick's Day, the ISA volunteered to help out with the city of Baltimore's St. Patrick's Day parade and the 5K-mile run. Volunteering to help out with the parade turned out to be a fruitful day as it allowed the ISA to establish connections with other Irish Associations and provided an opportunity to make the organization visible outside of the UMBC community. Currently, the ISA is in the process of negotiating the possibility of sponsoring a discussion panel with the Irish Ambassador for next year.
One of the most successful ISA events was an event they sponsored where students could create their own kilts. "The Kilt Making event was such a hit, the ISA has decided to make it an annual event. Many people are surprised to learn that Irishmen wore kilts." Lyons said. Most people associate kilts with Scottish culture, but according to Roddy Martine, an associate editor of Caledonia Magazine, the Scots settled Scotland after leaving Ireland-making them Irish as well.
Students who are seeking a leadership role in an organization and have an interest in Irish, Irish-American culture may want to consider attending the ISA's elections. Several officers of the organization will be graduating, leaving the leadership of the club open. This is an excellent opportunity, given that many student organizations have only four slots for officers and the slots are frequently hotly contested. The Irish Student Association will be holding officer elections this Wednesday in the Commons 2B24. If that room is not available the elections will be held in the Student Organization Office next store.
For those who would like to learn more about Irish culture and participate in the ISA's events can subscribe to the Irish Student Association announcement listserv by sending an email to listproc@listproc.umbc.edu with no subject and "subscribe irish your name" in the message body.
Christopher Paul, Retriever Staff Writer, Volume 39, Issue 27, unedited version May 3, 2005
The Irish Student Association will be holding officer elections this Wednesday in the Commons 2B24 or if the room is not available the elections will be held in the Student Organization Office next store with the added bonus of a free pizza lunch.
Students who are seeking a leadership role in an organization and have an interest in Irish, Irish-American culture may want to consider attending the ISA's elections and submitting their name into the ring. With graduation around the corner many students who have held officer roles in student organizations will be leaving their posts relinquishing the position of visionary and leadership to other aspiring students to carry the role. When one looks at the Office of Student Life web site there are many organizations on campus but each organization only has four officer positions. Students in these positions may remain in these posts for four, five, even six years at a time until they graduate. This leaves few opportunities for aspiring students who have a vision and a burning desire to inspire, lead, and make a difference in the UMBC community and beyond.
Kevin Lyons, President and visionary founded the ISA in September 2004 and will be graduating this May leaving the coveted position open. "The goals of the ISA are to increase awareness of Irish and Irish-American culture, to provide a setting for UMBC students to learn and participate in the culture, and to dispel the myths, ignorance, and stereotyping of Irish, Irish-Americans as well as all other cultures," Lyons said.
"The Kilt Making event was such a hit, the ISA has decided to make it an annual event. Many people are surprised to learn that Irishmen wore kilts." Lyons said. Most people associate kilts with Scottish culture, but the early Scots were a post-Roman Gaelic-speaking people who invaded and settled the west coast of Scotland, known then as Dalriada, having traveled over the sea from Ireland. Hence kilts are actually a traditional dress of Celtic culture according to Roddy Martine, author, broadcaster and associate editor of Caledonia Magazine.
The ISA has sponsored a few exciting events during the year and has also performed volunteer work within the community. Last fall, the ISA attended the Celtic Festival held every year in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to immerse members in Celtic culture. On Irish Cuisine Day, members have prepared traditional Irish dishes. Guest speakers have attended this event holding discussions about pre-pagan Ireland and the role of the arrival of Christianity has played in Irish society. A few weeks before St. Patrick's Day, the ISA sponsored a movie event in the Commons Grill that dealt with the topic of illegal Irish immigration to America in the 1980's. On St. Patrick's Day, the ISA volunteered to help out with the city of Baltimore's St. Patrick's Day parade and the 5K-mile run. Volunteering to help out with the parade turned out to be a fruitful day as it allowed the ISA to establish connections with other Irish Associations and provided an opportunity to make the organization visible outside of the UMBC community. Currently, the ISA is in the process of negotiating the possibilities of sponsoring an open discussion forum with an Irish Ambassador for next year.
For those who have an interest in Irish culture or want to learn more about Irish culture and participate in the ISA's events can subscribe to the Irish Student Association announcement listserv by sending an email to listproc@listproc.umbc.edu with no subject and "subscribe irish your name" in the message body.
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