ireland, great britain, emerald isle, cottage
Cultural traditions reflected in modern life

The Emerald IsleFrom Dublin to Galway and the Ring of Kerry

Discover Ireland's many charms on this intimate exploration of the Emerald Isle
Starting at $5,158
Including airfare, airline taxes & departure fees
Call 855-330-1542
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 Kate Chadbourne
Kate Chadbourne holds a Ph.D. in Celtic Languages and Literatures from Harvard University where she currently teaches courses in Irish language and folklore. As a visiting scholar she has spent a year each at the University of Ulster, University College Swansea, and University College Cork. Dr. Chadbourne’s research and writing focuses on Irish and Celtic life, including essays about the Celtic Otherworld, the Irish harp, the history of Irish storytelling, the fairy tradition of Donegal, and various themes in the medieval literature of Ireland and Wales. Like Cenn Faelad, a figure in early Irish literature, Kate lives at the crossroads of scholarship and art. She performs regularly as a singer, musician and storyteller, and has published two poetry chapbooks: The Harp-Boat, a collection about her father, a Maine lobsterman, and in 2011, Brigit’s Woven World & other poems of Ireland. Kate will accompany the June 2013 departure.

Miriam C. Davis
Miriam C. Davis has an M.A. in medieval archaeology and a Ph.D. in medieval history. She is a professor of history at Delta State University, where she teaches European history and the history of Christianity, and has participated in archaeological excavations in Mississippi, Alabama, England, and Scotland. In addition to her scholarly publications, Miriam has written for the popular press on archaeology, history, and travel. She has lectured throughout the U.S., Great Britain, and Israel. Miriam will lead the August and September 2013 departures.

Christopher Griffin
Christopher Griffin is from the West of Ireland, having grown up in County Galway, near W. B. Yeats’ Thoor Ballylee and Lady Gregory’s Coole Park. He studied Irish literature at Trinity College and University College in Dublin, and pursued graduate study at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Christopher has published many articles and theatre reviews. Christopher is a lecturer in English at The George Washington University, where he teaches Irish poetry, drama, and fiction. For 28 years he taught arts and humanities mostly to working adults at Strayer University in Washington, D.C. He has also taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of the District of Columbia, and Catholic University. For the past 20 years, he has led classes on Irish literature and Shakespeare at Washington, D.C.’s legendary bookstore, Politics and Prose. Christopher has led two Smithsonian Journeys programs to Ireland, and looks forward to making this special Transatlantic crossing with Smithsonian travelers. Christopher will be leading the June 2014 departure.

Cassandra Hannahs
With a Ph.D. in medieval history, Cassandra Hannahs spent most of her academic career at Middlebury College in Vermont, where she was a tenured professor of history. At Middlebury, Cassandra regularly taught courses on Celtic, Viking and Anglo-Norman Studies, as well as more general courses on the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the history of Christianity. In her research and lectures, Cassandra explores the cultural and political exchanges that have historically linked Ireland, Scotland, England, and Europe. As Study Leader for the Smithsonian since 2000, she enjoys sharing her love and knowledge of the British Isles and Ireland with travelers on land and sea. Cassandra will be leading the August and September 2014 departures.