Culture, History, and Literature of Ireland

May 12-23, 2026

This 12-day Ireland tour offers an immersive journey through the country’s rich history, culture, and stunning landscapes. We begin in Dublin, where we trace the rebellion that led to Ireland’s independence from the British Empire, see great theatre, explore historic sites, and enjoy fun nights. Day trips take us to places of stunning beauty and cultural importance. Then we move across the lush Midlands to the wild west coast and to Galway, the artistic capital of the region and home to Concordia’s study away program, founded by your co-leader, Dr. Dawn Duncan, an expert in Irish studies. From here, we explore the Aran Islands and the movie-making scenery of Connemara. You may find it hard to leave this land where everyone is greeted with “Céad Míle Fáilte” (a hundred thousand welcomes).

Trip Details Registration

Faculty Leaders

Dr. Cindy Larson-Casselton, professor emeritus of communication studies, is a native of Minnesota and a 1980 graduate of Concordia. She retired after teaching in the communication studies and theatre art department at Concordia for 36 years. Some of her favorite courses to teach included interpersonal, nonverbal, and health communication. She coached Concordia’s speech team for many years, taking it to the top in the nation and holding its place in the top five in the nation for many years. She has been recognized widely for her service to speech teams and competitions, holding offices at the state level, and having a sweepstakes trophy named in her honor. She has also co-led several study away opportunities with students. Cindy can often be found on her bike or walking, attending theatre productions, watching a sporting event, or with a fishing pole in her hand. She loves films of all kinds and her two beloved grandsons, daughters, and their husbands.

Dr. Dawn Duncan, professor emeritus of English, is a native of Dallas. She arrived in the Fargo-Moorhead area in 1994 and taught in the English department at Concordia College for 25 years. She also taught in the first-year program and in the interdisciplinary film studies and global studies programs, specializing in all things Irish. For 16 years, she served on the executive board for the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures. She created and was the academic advisor for Concordia’s Irish semester abroad and led many student groups through Ireland. Dawn is the author of numerous essays on Irish authors, drama, and film. She is also the author of three books, including “Postcolonial Theory in Irish Drama, 1800-2000” and “Irish Myth, Lore, and Legend on Film.” Dawn’s first short feature film, which she wrote, directed, and edited, premiered at the 2016 Fargo Film Festival and screened in Cork, Ireland. Titled “A Heart Remembers,” it was inspired by the W.B. Yeats poem “When You Are Old.”  She has also performed her one-woman show, which she wrote as well as performs, “Clara Dillon Darrow: Irish-American Pioneer,” across the U.S. and in Ireland. Prior to her academic life, Dawn’s career was in theatre as an actor, director, and writer. Theatre has remained a lifelong avocation. When not teaching, writing, or acting, she can usually be found walking a dog somewhere and learning to say “May I pet your dog?” in the local language. Her personal mantra is: “Words have the power to harm or to heal; they are never neutral. I am called to use healing words.” Having traveled to Ireland numerous times over the decades (her Irish family hails from Galway County) and lived there twice, she is excited to share with you all her “home away from home.”