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Follow UsMitchell Scholars Class of ’11 May events
The Mitchell Scholars have concluded their year on the island of Ireland.
We started with the annual pilgrimage to Glenstal Abbey for a day with the Benedictine monks. That was followed by dinner and music at the home of Mícheál ó Súilleabháin, his sons Eoin and Moley, and friends from the University of Limerick.
The following day, we traveled to Lismore, Co. Waterford to meet with Irish travel writer Dervla Murphy. Dervla first gained fame when, in the early 1960’s, she cycled from Ireland to India on her own. She has cycled in numerous countries and wrote several books about her travels. During the four hours we spent with Dervla, Mitchell Scholar Stephen Dorner asked her what she considered the major turning point in her life. To listen to the conversation with Dervla.
To watch Eoin and Moley o Suillebhain, aka Size2Shoes, perform for the Mitchells.
Back in Dublin, the Scholars toured Kilmainham Gaol, opened in 1796 and in active use as a prison until 1924. Their guide helped them understand not only the differing philosophies of prison reform during that long period, but also brought to life stories of individuals who were incarcerated, and in some cases killed, there. They also learned about the complexities of the Easter Rising and the Civil War. The jail has also played a leading role in contemporary music videos, been host to opera companies, and starred in films, such as In the Name of the Father. Fiona Ross, Director of the National Library, gave the Scholars a tour of the reading rooms and book collections that are a part of the library's digitization project before leading them through the W.B.Yeats exhibit that includes the world's most extensive collection of Yeats artifacts.
Finally, Ireland’s Minister of Education, Ruairi Quinn, spoke to the graduating Mitchells and presented them with their class rings, a gift from Cross Atlantic Capital Partners. Thanks to Minister Quinn for his participation, words of wisdom and long-time support of the program, and to the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, for granting us use of Farmleigh for the event. To see the photos.
To view Trina's speech at the graduation: http://bit.ly/kN7D1v
To view Minister Quinn's speech at the graduation: http://bit.ly/ieOCa4
