Fall 2011 in Galway, Ireland

O'Connell's name and person may be seen around Galway, Ireland, in his weekly columns for the Galway Advertiser, books on the city's history, and frequent literary lectures.  Though he does not serve as the editor of the Galway Journal anymore, O'Connell keeps writing his historical column, Galway of the Tribes, which has been a staple to the newspaper for many years.  He has expanded upon his column in the books that he has written and edited on parts of the city's history such as the Burren and Kinvara.  In addition to his writing, O'Connell shares his historical knowledge with others in literary lectures throughout the city.

Event Summary

O'Connell served as an active member of the Study Abroad Seminar for the CSB/SJU students in the fall of 2011.  At the start of the semester, he gave them a tour of Galway, Ireland, that lasted the entire day, in which time the students gained a strong foundation in the city's history.  O'Connell visited their classroom at the Park Lodge Hotel throughout the semester to further enhance the students' understanding of Galway's history, especially the history and revitalization of the Galtacht area. 

Student Testimonials

"O'Connell... provided us with great insights into Ireland and Galway... We highly recommend that future Galway programs utilize O'Connell in some capacity."

CSB/SJU student, '13

"O'Connell is clearly a great writer and is very passionate about what he does... He has a lot of stories to tell that reflect just how much work he has done with teaching, writing, and researching."

CSB/SJU student, '13