Friends Of Irish Studies In The West

THE FRIENDS OF IRISH STUDIES ACTIVITIES FOR 2021THERE WERE STILL A LOT OF CONCERNS REGARDING COVID 19 IN THE FALL OF 2020 AND IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF 2021 SO THE FRIENDS DID NOT ORGANIZE THEIR ANNUAL ST. PATRICKS DAY PARADE, BANQUET AND AUCTION IN MARCH AND REMAINED CAUTIOUS ABOUT ORGANIZING PUBLIC EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES THAT DREW LARGE CROWDS. INSTEAD, THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION AND TO ASSIST PARTNERS PROMOTING IRISH CULTURE IN MONTANA; SPONSORED A MUSIC CAMP; DEVELOPED ONLINE COURSES AND ACTIVITIES; FACILITATED A VISIT TO MONTANA FROM THE IRISH AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, DAN MULHALL; AND PROMOTED COMMUNITY OUTREACH. SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS PROMOTING IRISH CULTURETHE FOLLOWING ACCOUNTS LISTS THE NAMES OF THE INSTITUTIONS OR SOCIETIES THE FRIENDS SUPPORTED IN 2021. THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA IRISH STUDIES PROGRAM1.FULBRIGHT TEACHING ASSISTANTS - THE FRIENDS PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF BRINGING A FULBRIGHT TEACHING ASSISTANT, JANE LUCEY, TO UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/21 AND THE FULBRIGHT TEACHING ASSISTANT, HANNAH COLLINS, FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22.2.DOCUMENTARY FILM - THE FRIENDS PROVIDED FUNDING TO COVER THE COSTS IMAGES, PICTURES, AND SCANS FOR THE DOCUMENTARY FILM ON THE LIFE TO THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER. THIS FILM IS ALSO FUNDED BY THE IRISH STUDIES PROGRAM, THE MONTANA FILM OFFICE, AND THE GREATER MONTANA FOUNDATIONTHE BUTTE SILVER BOW ARCHIVES1.DIGITIZATION PROJECT THE FRIENDS DONATED FUNDING TO THE BUTTE SILVER BOW ARCHIVES TO ASSIST IN THE DIGITIZATION OF PRIMARY WRITTEN MATERIAL, PHOTOGRAPHS AND IMAGES RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF THE IRISH IN MONTANA. 2.ONLINE PLATFORM THE FRIENDS DONATED FUNDING TO THE BUTTE SILVER BOW ARCHIVES FOR THE CREATION OF AN ONLINE PLATFORM THE GIVES THE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE DIGITIZED RECORDS OF IRISH HISTORY IN MONTANA.THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS1.THE FRIENDS DONATED FUNDING TO DIVISION 1, BUTTE, OF THE AOH TO ASSIST IN THE RESTORATION OF ST. PATRICKS CEMETERY AND TO PROVIDE HISTORICAL MARKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE PLOTS AND TELL THE HISTORY OF THE MEMBERS OF IRISH NATIONALIST ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE BURIED IN THESE PLOTS.2.THE FRIENDS DONATED FUNDING TO DIVISION 1, ANACONDA, OF THE AOH TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STATUE IN THE TOWN IN HONOR OF MARCUS DALY. CULTURAL ACTIVITIESST. PATRICKS DAY CELEBRATION THE FRIENDS SPONSORED AN ONLINE CONCERT OF IRISH MUSIC, SONG AND STORY. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TUNED IN FOR THE EVENT, PLACING MONTANA ON THE INTERNATIONAL MAP AS A PLACE WITH A ROBUST TRADITION IN IRISH LANGUAGE, MUSIC, AND SONG. IRISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM THE FRIENDS ORGANIZED AND FUNDED A TWO-WEEK BLENDED COURSE IN THE IRISH LANGUAGE. THE COURSE WAS OFFERED FOR MONTANA OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION CREDITS AND 26 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED.IRISH TRADITIONAL SONG COURSE THE FRIENDS ORGANIZED, PROMOTED, AND FUNDED A WEEK LONG COURSE IN TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND AND 6 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN IT. MISSION MOUNTAIN MUSIC CAMP THE FRIENDS ORGANIZED AND FUNDED THE SECOND TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SUMMER CAMP IN MONTANA. THIS WAS A FOUR-DAY EVENT, AND 70 MUSICIANS PARTICIPATED.NEW COURSESIRISH LANGUAGE COURSES THE FRIENDS FUNDED THE CREATION OF THREE NEW ONLINE COURSES IN THE IRISH LANGUAGE INTERMEDIATE IRISH I, II, AND II.IRISH TRADITIONAL SONG THE FRIENDS FUNDED THE CREATION OF A NEW COURSE IN TRADITIONAL IRISH SONG. THE COURSE WAS OFFERED TO NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS IN THE SUMMER AND TO TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA IN THE FALL. 25 STUDENTS ENROLLED FOR THE UNIVERSITY COURSE. COMMUNITY RELATIONSVISIT OF MR. DAN MULHALL, IRISH AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES THE FRIENDS COORDINATED WITH THE IRISH CONSULATE IN SAN FRANCISCO TO FACILITATE MR. MULHALLS VISIT TO MONTANA. THE FRIENDS ARRANGED THE ITINERARY AND HOSTED A BANQUET IN HONOR OF THE AMBASSADOR AND HIS WIFE IN MISSOULA.