Endowed Chair: Irish Studies

The Smurfit-Stone Corporation Endowed Professorship in Irish Studies
Two professors

For further information, please contact
Dr. Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin
Professor of Music
314-516-4256
314-516-6757 FAX
Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin

For further information, please contact
Dr. Eamonn Wall
Professor of English
314-516-5589
314-516-6757 FAX
Eamonn Wall

A Unique Gift in Support of International Education
In 1996, Dr. Michael Smurfit pledged the funds to create the Smurfit-Stone Endowed Professorship in Irish Studies. As a major multinational corporation with more than 50,000 employees in 25 countries, Smurfit-Stone clearly exemplifies what it means to be a good corporate citizen in the era of global economic interdependence. Integral to the efforts to internationalize the University of Missouri-St. Louis, this professorship represents another important step in ensuring that our students and the local community understand and communicate with people of different cultures.

An Interdisciplinary Approach
Two professors, Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin and Eamonn Wall, provide leadership in the development of Irish Studies on our campus. These professors take an interdisciplinary approach to promote teaching, research and community service in the Irish arts, humanities or history. Working with the Center, the Irish-American community and the community at large, the professors develop programs for campus and community audiences about Ireland and the Irish expatriate experience. The professors also collaborate with the other international professors and the Center to develop a comprehensive international program highlighting the diversity of St. Louis' ethnic heritage.

Programs for Campus and Community
The establishment of the Smurfit-Stone Distinguished Lecturer series has permitted the Center for International Studies to offer outstanding programs for campus and community audiences. Among them were the week-long visits of Dr. Nicholas Canny, a noted Irish historian from the National University of Ireland, who spoke on the colonization of Ireland, Dr. Gearóid O'hAllmhuráin, a distinguished Irish musicologist, and one of the Irish Studies chairs, provided both an educational and entertaining overview of traditional Irish music and culture, and Dr. Gearóid O'Tuathaith who presented lectures placing important events in Twentieth century Irish history into historical perspective. In addition, the professorship sponsored the visit of the Honorable John Hume, Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spoke about the peace process in Northern Ireland.

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