Category / Research Blog

by shannonchance

St. Patrick’s Day, Academic Style!

What a phenomenally Irish weekend!

I didn’t do the things a tourist to Dublin normally does on St. Patrick’s Day (which seems to include a lot of roaming the streets while intoxicated).  Instead, I packed my schedule full of St. Patrick’s Day Festival events.  My friends an I pooled out ticket allotment so we could see many shows.

I’ve pictured some of the events below (I didn’t even take photos at every event, believe it or not).  The photos show how academics enjoy St. Paddy’s!  You can see my brainy friends and me enjoying short films in the Examination Hall of Trinity, for instance.

The group that coordinates the St. Patrick’s Day Festival did a fabulous job!  I send my heartfelt thanks to them!

Incidentally, you’d be amazed to see the streets of Temple Bar on Sunday night:  wall to wall people dressed in green velvet!?!!  I elbowed my way through at 7 PM  (I don’t even want to think what the place was like by midnight).  Even at 7, I was clutching my belongings so tight that I forgot to take a photo!

Turtle Bunbury presented “A Global History of the Irish Abroad.”
Turtle delivered his lecture at Marsh’s Library.
There was an event of short films about Dublin held in the Examination Hall in Trinity College. (I prefer film-watching to exam-talking any day of the week!)
I brought Toni Gray, Giuseppe Conte, and (former Fulbright scholar) Nancy Stenson along with me to the “I _ My City” film viewing.
Nancy and I enjoyed a tasty late-night dinner at Café en Seine on Dawson Street.
David Slattery (who is a full-time writer as well as an Associate Fellow at the Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media at The National College of Art and Design here in Dublin) read from his newest book “Poet Madmen Scoundrel: 189 Unusual IrishLives.”
David was introduced by a staff member from Marsh’s Library (this is a fascinating place to visit). I purchased David’s previous book “How to be Irish” and also a catalog of the Library’s current exhibition “Marvels of Science: Books that Changed the World.”
At the Chester Beatty Library, the show TEMPO fused Irish and Brazilian rhythms.
The show featured: Joe Doyle (Vocals & Percussion) Mick Donegan (Hard Shoe Dance) Kelly Baldonaldo (Samba Dance & Percussion) Maia Adelson (Capoeira dance & Percussion)
I finally visited the Smock Alley Theater, for performance art (film+clarinet solos) that brought the eclectic space to life.
I purchased a CD of “Zoë Conway Live” following this performance by the fillde player and her husband, John. She is a professional musician who plays with Riverdance (among other groups).
The show included performances by one of Riverdance’s lead dancers, Zara Curtis.
by shannonchance

Irish Roots

Image of Cobh downloaded from the Visit Cobh website.

Image of Cobh downloaded from the Visit Cobh website.

Recently, I’ve uncovered more and more roots to my family tree in Ireland.

For me, it starts with my great grandmother, Teresa Neenan. She was a smart, spry, and energetic woman who was a dear part of my early life. We called her “Nanny” and spent a number of holidays with her.  I vividly recall images from an Easter she spent in Staunton, Virginia (my parents’ home town).

My great grandmother was born in Astee and christened in Ballybunnion (in Co. Kerry) in 1890. She left Cobh (in Co. Cork) in 1912. Like so many others, my great grandmother left Ireland when times were very hard, and opportunities limited.

Nanny left Ireland as Bridget Neenan and emerged from Ellis Island as Teresa Neenan. (There seems to be a data entry error in the records at Ellis Island, as someone translated the into n into an M somewhere along the way.  Fortunately, it’s spelled properly on the wall at Ellis Island.)

In the States, Teresa married “Beppie” O’Mara who owned a taxicab company in Millburn, New Jersey.  They had four girls, including my grandmother Alice who was born in 1916.  That was a pivotal year in history when Ireland began its final quest for independence….

I visited Cobh recently and saw the breathtaking neo-Gothic cathedral that marks the summit of the town.  I have enjoyed my visits to Cobh immensely.  It’s amazing to realize that this Fulbright scholarship brought me back to Nanny’s homeland. It’s a land that has become my spiritual home.  The welcome I have received here has been inspiring and heartwarming.  I hope Nanny would be proud.

My mom and I look forward to visiting our “cousins” in Kerry in May.  We’ll get to retrace more of our roots then and meet even more family!

by shannonchance

Around the Dinner Table

We had a ball with my work colleagues Friday night; it is a real treat to be welcomed into someone’s home here and to meet the family!  Pam Eddy and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with Mike and Mai Murphy, their boys Sean and Patrick, and the soon-to-wed Brian and Theresa (Hedderman???? or perhaps Bowe????  Only time and a golf tournament will tell for certain).  Regardless of uncertainty on the name front, the meal and the conversation were outstanding!  I so enjoy spending time with the folks at this table.

By the way, Mike and Brian are my Fulbright hosts. Pam and I are Fulbright scholars; she worked as a Fulbright at DIT in 2009 and I have been since August 2012. Lots of brilliant people around the table below… my colleagues’ families are amazingly skilled, talented, and educated, and they are loads of fun to boot.

Dinner at the Murphy home.

Dinner at the Murphy home.

by shannonchance

Eating in Church with Pam

Pam and I are managing to have some fun and also get some things accomplished. She’s going to try to write a book chapter or two while she’s here… after she finish grading papers and reviewing dissertation chapters. Whew!

I’m loving my break from grading.  I don’t have to grade papers until May!  This Fulbright scholarship is such an incredible blessing.

Don’t I have the cutest professor? Dr. Eddy knows her way around this town. Here she’s setting out for a quick errand without me.
After my meetings yesterday (morning and lunch), I attended a school faculty meeting…
…and then grabbed coffee (i.e., OJ for me) with some colleagues.
Pam and I headed to the Church restaurant/bar for dinner…
…we’d both had it on our list of places to eventually eat.
The food was delicious. Unfortunately, they seated us in a very busy corner… practically in the kitchen.
After dinner, we headed to the Cobblestone…
…we got to hear Pat Goode, Mick O’Grady, and crew (including Fergus Wheelan who sings from time to time). When we got home, Pam curled up with his fascinating book “Dissent into Treason.”
Fergus’ wife joined us at the pub last night, too.
And a musician Kitty Lee, Patty, and I heard play at Palace Bar joined in the merrymaking at the Cobblestone last night.
by shannonchance

How Professors Have Fun

My former dissertation advisor, Dr. Pamela Eddy, is here visiting me in Dublin this week.  She was a Fulbright to Ireland in 2009 and she helped me make valuable connections when I started applying for my own Fulbright experience here.

So far, we’ve spent a lot of time at our computers!  Although it’s her Spring Break, she’s answering emails, reviewing dissertations, and grading papers. Oh, and advising me!

She helped me prepare for the meeting I had today with DIT’s president, Prof. Brian Norton.  I’ve attached a photo of us working from my home yesterday.  She was still sitting the same seat when I Skyped her from my office on Kevin Street just now to “debrief” on the meeting.

We do stop for exercise, food, and meeting… but little else!

Shannon and Pam working. Notice our twin workstations!
Skype debrief…
…we thought it was fun!
by shannonchance

Service with a Smile at the Kildare Street Hotel

I always enjoying stopping into see the deskmen at the Kildare Street Hotel, where Dave and I stayed for our first week here on the Fulbright. They were amazingly helpful and they always offered great advice. They still do whenever I pop in to say, “hi!”

I took some photos the day I stopped in to leave them a Christmas gift (a calendar by Dave Chance Photography)….

Kildare Street Hotel deskmen Alec and Peter. Ever helpful and full of advice!

Kildare Street Hotel deskmen Alec and Peter. Ever helpful and full of advice!

Kildare Street Hotel

Kildare Street Hotel

 

by shannonchance

The Elegant Archeology Museum of Ireland

The Archeology gallery of the National Museum of Ireland is a chock full of fascinating treasures.  The building itself is also remarkable.  I’ve enjoyed visiting this place with both Esther Sterchi and Amanda Bernhard (the famous Fulbright student).  Of particular interest at this museum: numerous bog bodies, “prehistoric” relics, the Viking exhibition, and the unimaginably long wooden boat that was carved from a single tree trunk (see the panorama below).

I love the design of the Museum. I wish I could see it without the skylight blocked out, though.

I love the design of the Museum. I wish I could see it without the skylight blocked out, though.

strairwell
iron columns
grand central space
by shannonchance

Robot Guts!

If someone gave you a computer chip, a box of parts…
…and some simple motors…
…could you build a robot? It should be able to stop, start, turn, race, and shove all on its own (no remote control)?

The answer is YES!  You just need teammates and awesome teachers to help you find your way.  They’re building simple robots at DIT with sophomore engineering students… and sometimes even with school kids.

by shannonchance

No Strangers to Third Space

Jonathan fit the bill.

We all thought Jonathan fit the bill.

I’ve always likes the sign at Third Space that says, “Up here it’s okay to talk to strangers,” but I didn’t know exactly why they’d posted it.

The place was packed when Jonathan, Amanda (another Fulbright), and I ordered breakfast, and Amanda located seats at a large table up top.

It appears that they want to encourage customers to share tables on this raised level. They have two very long, family style tables.

The crowd soon thinned out and we had plenty of space to ourselves.

Thankfully we had Jonathan with us, so we met the criteria for sitting up there!  (We had someone stranger to talk to!!!!)

😉

I explained the philosophy of “third space” in an earlier blog and other adventures I’ve had at Third Space in Smithfield (Dublin 7) as well.

Cafeteria tables on the upper level of Third Space.

Cafeteria tables on the upper level of Third Space.

by shannonchance

Singing Along at the Cobblestone Pub

The musicians corner on Friday night.

The Cobblestone musicians corner on Friday night.

Patty sang us Annie's Song!

Patty sang us Annie’s Song!

I swear I have more fun each time I visit the Cobblestone.  I’ve developed such respect for the people there.  And, honestly, they make me feel like a rock star.  They are so complimentary of my Fulbright blog. It feels like “everybody knows my name.”

There’s far more of significance to the world more going on at the Cobblestone than at Cheers.  As case in point, I got to catch up with Fergus Whelan on this particular evening. He had left a copy of his book Dissent into Treason for me to pick up last week (click here for more about the book). I let Tom Mulligan know Kitty and I were mailing a CD of his music to Kevin Donleavy as well; perhaps it will be “on air” in Charlottesville soon. These folks are dedicated to preserving cultural traditions and recounting history.

Being at the Cobblestone really makes me wish I was musically talented!

Fortunately, my friend Patty is.  The musicians at the Cobblestone got her to sing a song.  And of course, we all followed along with “Country Roads,” a sure-fire selection when the mention of Virginia arises. Never mind that it’s about West Virginia and the three of us hail from Virginia!  In any case, you can practically see W.Va. from where Kitty and Patty live (Harrisonburg) and where I was born (the New River Valley).  And you can certainly see the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River from Kitty’s place.

Patty was ready for the event.  She and I had practiced singing the night before, actually.  On our last evening in Cork, Tony, Kitty, and Patty cooked dinner to avoid Valentine’s Day crowds in the restaurants. Then Patty and I had a festive sing-along around the dinner table and the peat fire Tony had built.

We drew from the Catholic folks songs of our childhoods, favorite camp songs, and music popular in the ’70s.  It all worked out fine when I set the key and Patty followed along. (It’s a disaster for me trying the other way around… I just can’t get up that high!  Even one octave lower is too high for me.)

When we needed help with the lyrics, Tony pulled up the text on line so we could sing karaoke-style.

Ah, the cider….

You’ll find me at the Cobblestone with a glass of Bulmer’s in my hand again “real soon”….

Shannon Chance, Tom Mulligan, and Patty Asplund.
Pat Goode and Friends play Fridays at the Cobblestone… singing included… 7:30-9:30 pm.
I always love hearing the stories.
Fergus tells a story…
…bringing history to life!
At the Cobblestone with Patty and Kitty Lee.