Irish History Courses in January

The Irish Cultural Center is linking up with Irish historian, Sean Murphy, to introduce our community to live, weekly online Irish history courses. The courses will be presented using Zoom. If you are unfamiliar with Zoom, no problem. Sean will contact you directly and assist you to get connected.

Sean presents two courses. The first is a chronological general history of Ireland from ancient times to the present day. The course is divided into four-week modules. Students can enroll on a rolling basis for those parts of Irish history they are most interested in or have the time to participate in. The course module for January is The Norman Conquest of Ireland. Takes place on Thursdays, January 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2021 from 7:30–9:00 pm. Download course flyer.

The second course is a general history of each of the thirty two counties in Ireland. The course is divided into four-week modules. This covers the major events from ancient times to the present day. A profile of the major clans and of the most famous individuals from the county will be featured. Segments will also focus on historic sites, the origin of the county name, picturesque landscapes, and the music and dance associated with that county. This course will be particularly useful to those interested in their Irish heritage, seeking to understand their ancestral home, and the reasons their ancestors left. The county featured in the January course is Kerry. Takes place on Thursdays, January 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2021 from 6:00–7:30 pm. Download course flyer. 

The enrollment fee is $80 for each four-week course. Courses will be presented on Zoom using PowerPoint. Each student will receive an electronic copy of each presentation. The classes are one and a half hour long to allow adequate time for questions and answers.

To Enroll
Please contact Sean directly for information or to enroll in his course(s) – send an email to seanmurphy630@gmail.com or call 508-790-0438.  

About Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy was born and reared in Dublin and came to live on Cape Cod in 2005. He has a passion for his homeland and loves to share his knowledge and interest about his heritage through classes, workshops and conversation. He worked as a math teacher in public schools until he retired in 2017.

He is a teacher of Irish history, music, and dance. Over the past twelve years he has taught courses at the Irish Cultural Center of New England in Canton, Cape Cod Sons of Erin, Cape Cod Cultural Center, the Cotuit Center for the Arts, and at venues on Nantucket.

Since the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic he has been presenting his courses online using Zoom, YouTube, and Facebook. He has recently decided to offer online Tin Whistle classes at the Nantucket Community and Music School.

His interest in Irish history and culture stems from his involvement in a wide range of community activities in Ireland starting in the late ’60’s. In 1998 he was elected as the representative of the community and voluntary sector on the Dublin City Development Board that produced the strategic Plan “Dublin: A City of Possibilities 2001-2012.”

In 2014 and 2019 he was awarded the Thomas P McCann “Altruism Award” trophy by the Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Committee for his “support and commitment to the Culture and Heritage of Ireland and its people.”

He leads a traditional Irish music session in O’Shea’s Old Inne in West Dennis every Sunday night. He speaks on Irish cultural and historic issues at libraries, and at private and community events across the Cape and beyond.