I have never been an artistic person, so I figured I would have some fun with my Artistic Achievement course and complete it in Galway, Ireland. I completed this goal in the Summer of 2017 through my month-long study abroad program with IFSA-Butler. At the National University of Ireland, Galway, one of the classes that I took was Negotiating Irish Identity: Traditional Music and Dance.

During the class we were able to listen and learn about traditional Irish instruments and how certain ones have become a representation of the country. We also learned about the origins of various Irish dances and how they have spread across and developed across Western Society. We were also lucky enough to practice some of the traditional dances.

Throughout this class I was able to learn more about how a traditional culture can expand and become modernized when adopted by other cultures. Many of the musical characteristics in Ireland have been adopted by the U.S. and used in movies. Along with that the Western Square Dance and Line Dance were adapted from Irish Sean-Nos dance. It is fascinating to see how Sean-Nos dance, a dance originally performed by drunk Irish men at pubs, has been adapted to a traditional U.S. Square Dance.

There is always something to learn from every class and although the arts have never been my best subject, completing this class in Ireland has truly helped me learn about and appreciate the cultural identity of this country.