$1.4 million gift provides scholarships for Irish Studies students

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The connection between Ireland and DePaul runs deep. DePaul’s first president, the Rev. Peter V. Byrne, C.M., was born in County Carlow, Ireland, and Irish immigrants have been settling in Chicago in waves since the 1830s.

DePaul established an Irish Studies Program in 2005 and has built connections globally and locally with Irish leaders. Last year​, former Irish president Mary Robinson announced plans to donate hundreds of works from her personal collection to DePaul. Now, a $1.4 million legacy gift from John and Maureen King Haggerty will provide scholarship opportunities for students pursuing the undergraduate minor.

“This financial gift is such a vote of confidence in the value of Irish Studies as a complement to whatever major a student might wish to pursue,” says program director Mary McCain, a senior professional lecturer who teaches courses in history, Catholic Studies and Irish Studies. “We will always be deeply grateful to the donors for their generosity.”

The undergraduate minor examines the history, literature, politics, geography, religion and culture of Ireland, as well as the Irish Diaspora and the contemporary integration of Ireland within globalized systems of political economy, international relations, travel and communication.

“One of our goals in Irish Studies is to prepare students to engage internationally with other cultures. Ireland is a society with such ancient history, many challenges and many triumphs over a long period of time. Today, it’s a global society that does a great job of finding ways to connect people with their culture, whether that’s through Irish dance, music, film, food or drink. We are giving our students a little taste into that global culture,” McCain says.

Students enrolled in Irish Studies complete six courses to earn a minor, with an option to study abroad in Ireland. For students, Irish Studies is an interesting addition to their academic pursuits that will pay dividends in their future careers.

“Studying Irish history, politics and culture has given me a unique perspective that will continue to shape my future. I hope to be a human rights lawyer,” says Belle Ransburgh, a junior majoring in international studies and economics and minoring in Irish Studies. “Understanding Ireland’s history—marked by colonial oppression, resilience and the ongoing pursuit of justice—has provided me with a framework for analyzing global human rights issues through a historical and intersectional lens,” Ransburgh adds.

Reilly Shuff, a senior majoring in political science with a minor in Irish Studies, says connecting to Irish culture has been powerful. “Once I graduate from DePaul, I want to explore work abroad and continue learning about other cultures. Diplomacy is a subject that I have been engaged with, and learning about the Irish struggle has given me a unique political perspective on that matter,” Shuff says.

First announced last March, a collection of rare works of Irish literature are on their way to DePaul from the personal collection of Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Robinson, the former chair of The Elders, an international group of global leaders working for peace, justice and human rights founded by Nelson Mandela, traveled to DePaul in late February to discuss her collection, her career in politics, and activism around topics such as climate and human rights. The DePaulia and 14 East Magazine covered her visit.

“This literary collection will allow students and faculty from many parts of the university to consider, in an interdisciplinary way, the impact of literature and the arts on their own engagement with social issues. Various works in the collection can aid in the development of empathy for those from different cultures and perspectives and help our students deepen their sense of their own unique identity and place in the world," McCain says.

The Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago and the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee generously pledged funds that support the collection’s transference to DePaul and its integration as a resource that enhances DePaul’s Irish Studies Program and benefits other areas of the university.