The History of Ireland: A Trek through Time

This course will take place on Wednesdays and Fridays, Oct. 15, 17, 22, and 24, 10:00 a.m.-noon, at Mercer Public Library, with Dr. Mary Magray.

In this course we will be going on a virtual tour of Ireland, one of Europe’s smallest countries and—in terms of the sheer number of historical sites and archeological remnants still present on the landscape—one of its most fascinating. Nowhere in all of western Europe do these historical and archeological remnants survive in the concentration that exists in Ireland—hundreds of thousands of them in a country not even two-thirds the size of Wisconsin. Ancient temples, tombs, and stone circles, medieval castles and towerhouses, religious settlements from the dawn of Christianity, and forts and other defensive dwellings of an age long past remain where they were constructed, “monuments” of a long and rich history that have lain largely undisturbed despite the many political, social, and cultural upheavals that have occurred over the millennia. We will travel through the island clockwise (as do typical tours), “stopping” along the way to experience some of the most amazing of these monuments.

The course will be given in four sessions, each two hours long, covering the following topics:

• Class 1: The South (Leinster and Munster)
• Class 2: The West (Munster and Connacht)
• Class 3: The Northwest (Co. Donegal) and Northern Ireland
• Class 4: The Northeast (Leinster)

Requirements: Only an interest in travel and history. Handouts provided.

Register by Oct. 1 to get a $5 Early Bird discount off the regular registration price of $45!

Instructor: Mary Magray

Online Registration: Scroll down to our Registration form to register online!
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Offline Registration: Download PDF Registration Form, complete and mail in with payment.

Registration Questions? Contact us or call (715) 862-2032 or (715) 476-2881.

Registration Issues/Troubleshooting: If you are registering with one email address for two or more people, please register each person individually (i.e. do not register all at once, but add students one at a time to checkout). If you continue to have difficulty or have another question, please contact us.

Course Cancellations: Students are encouraged to register at least 2 weeks before the beginning of any Fe University course. A course with less than 4 students 2 weeks before the start date may be cancelled at instructor/FeU discretion, with students’ registrations refunded. If you’re interested in a class, please sign up early! Thank you.

Student Cancellations: If a registered student cancels, registration can be refunded if requested 4 or more days before the course’s start date. We’re afraid cancellation requests made 3 or fewer days before the course’s start date are unable to be refunded.