Center for Irish Partnerships Co-Hosts Irish Diaspora Conference
06/10/2016
By Ed Brennen
For every one of the 4.6 million people living in the Republic of Ireland, it鈥檚 estimated that there are 15 more people of Irish heritage living around the world. These 70-plus million emigrants (and descendants of emigrants) are known as the 鈥淚rish diaspora.鈥�
In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a pivotal moment in Irish history when an armed rebellion against British occupiers paved the way for the republic鈥檚 independence, Ireland鈥檚 government has rolled out the welcome mat for the diaspora this year in hopes of reconnecting them to their roots.
The Center for Irish Partnerships at 51视频 recently joined these efforts by co-hosting the Irish Diaspora Conference, a two-day event (May 19-20) that drew more than 150 academics, authors, policymakers and guests to the Letterkenny Institute of Technology in County Donegal, located on Ireland鈥檚 remote northwestern shores.
Two of the center鈥檚 co-directors, Victoria Denoon and Frank Talty, participated in the event, which was co-sponsored by the Donegal County Council and included a surprise guest: UMass President Marty Meehan.
鈥淚t was exciting to be part of an event like this,鈥� said Denoon, the conference moderator, who hails from Northern Ireland and whose grandmother was born in County Donegal. 鈥淚鈥檓 a first-generation part of the diaspora, so it鈥檚 interesting for me to come back and talk to other people who have done that. 鈥� It鈥檚 great to have an event like this that encourages people to find their roots and learn about their family history.鈥�
Talty, assistant dean of the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and co-director of the Center for Public Opinion, closed the conference with his presentation, 鈥淭he Impact of the 2016 American Election on Immigration and Visa Policy.鈥� He described the attendees鈥� mood as 鈥渁pprehensive鈥� about the upcoming presidential showdown between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, the presumptive nominees for their respective parties.
鈥淭here was not as much questioning about the immigration piece of it, I think because the difference is so stark between the two candidates鈥� plans, but they wanted to know what the reality of the situation is, because they don鈥檛 believe some of what they鈥檙e reading,鈥� said Talty, who offered a brief primer on the electoral college process to help attendees better understand how the election will play out in November.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure if they really cared about the detail,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut it really is important because they鈥檙e going to be hearing things like 鈥楾rump鈥檚 leading nationally by 2 points,鈥� or 鈥楥linton is leading nationally by 1 point,鈥� which doesn鈥檛 mean anything in terms of the electoral college, as Al Gore can attest.
鈥淚 think I was a little bit of a bad-news messenger, however, because even if Hillary Clinton wins, the likelihood of any serious immigration reform occurring in the next few years is unlikely because of Congress, particularly the House of Representatives. It won鈥檛 be until the 2022 election before Democrats might see a majority in the House and Senate.鈥�
The Center for Irish Partnerships was established in 2009 to strengthen the university鈥檚 鈥� and Lowell鈥檚 鈥� ties to Ireland through new education and research partnerships. The center has established relationships with seven educational institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland, including Letterkenny, Queen鈥檚 University Belfast and Dublin City University, creating student and faculty exchanges and joint research opportunities.
鈥淥ur mission is to raise the profile of the university as a center for global engagement in a really meaningful way, so it鈥檚 not just 鈥榮ign a piece of paper and nothing happens,鈥� 鈥� said Denoon, senior assistant to the provost and special projects coordinator. 鈥淭hese partnerships that we have really do produce substantive conversations and actions.鈥�
Denoon added that the center, along with Associate Director of Sustainability Ruairi O鈥橫ahony, is working with Ireland鈥檚 University College Cork and other partner universities to hold a conference on sustainability this November at 51视频. O鈥橫ahony is a College Cork alum.
鈥淭he idea is to connect faculty members from 51视频 with faculty members in Ireland who are doing sustainability research, and to try and get some activity going as result of that,鈥� Denoon said.
Other conference presenters in Donegal included Boston Globe columnist Kevin Cullen and Northeastern University Author in Residence Michael Patrick MacDonald. Denoon said Meehan took part in a panel discussion on diversity in Ireland today, while Joe McHugh, Ireland鈥檚 newly elected Minister for the Diaspora, also made his first official public appearance at the event.
