The Power of Irish Myth

Photo of Burch Barbara

After completing her PhD at the University of Michigan, Barbara Burch came home to Ky to teach at Georgetown College, where she has worked happily for 27 years. She directs the Georgetown College Honors Program and teaches classes in writing, academic research, 19th and 20th century British and Irish literature. She is the recipient of several teaching awards, including the John Walker Manning Distinguished Mentor, the Chris Cawthorne Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Curry Award for Faculty Excellence. Her research interests include Victorian Poetry, W. B. Yeats, Iris Murdoch and the history and practice of liberal arts education.

Barbara lives in Frankfort, Ky with her husband, Stewart Burch, an attorney, and their cats Percy Shelley and Ada Lovelace. When she is not working, she spends as much time as possible with her large extended family or in the silversmithing studio that took her over garage during the pandemic.

(More Info)

Faculty:
Dr. Barbara J. Burch (More Info)

Course:
The Power of Irish Myth

Program Dates:
June 17, 2023 —July 03, 2023

Honors Credit:
None

WKU Course:
ENGL 290 / ENGL 339

Discipline(s):
Literature , History , Celtic Studies

Course Description:
Explore the mysterious and enduring world of Celtic legend as you travel through the stunning landscapes and visit historic sites associated with the gods, kings, warriors, and lovers of ancient Irish culture. Exhibits at Dublin’s National Museum and National Library as well as Trinity College’s Book of Kells will deepen your understanding of Celtic society and its values, while visits to monastic ruins, hill forts and dolmens, and other famed rural sites will enrich your imaginative capacity for relating to the ancient legends. You will come away from our journey knowing how and why the survival of the Irish mythological tradition shaped -- and continues to shape -- Ireland's cultural, political, and spiritual identity.

Prerequisites:
Basic writing requirement. A survey or Intro to Literature course is recommended.

Physical Activity Requirements:
Contact Faculty

Course Highlights:
“Teaching in Ireland for CCSA enabled me to create an introductory course on Irish mythology. The students in these courses often ask that I lead a study abroad so that they can learn about Irish mythology in the context of landscapes, cultures and histories that produced, preserved and reinvented them. This course is my investment in my students.” - Barbara Burch