Students and community members can spend St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland in 2019. Riverland Community College's Music and Theatre Departments announce a new and exciting hands-on learning opportunity: Irish Excursion. The Irish Excursion is a travel-study opportunity focused on music, art, theatre, and history through Riverland's World Cultural Studies course. This tour will allow the participants to experience the Emerald Isle while emphasizing its unique arts and culture.

Special Informational Sessions, open to anyone interested in participating will be held at Noon and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19 at Riverland Community College’s Austin Campus in the East Building’s Room E102. The Trip is scheduled for March 8-18, 2019 and will explore both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

“College faculty assist participants in seeing and doing the things that are of the most interest to them as individual travelers” said Scott Blankenbaker, music faculty for Riverland. “Unlike many group travel arrangements, World Cultural Studies allows the flexibility for individuals to customize some of the itinerary based on ideas they receive during one of four classes held prior to the trip.”

For more than 30 years, Riverland has offered study abroad opportunities to students and community members. Rich in culture and history, Ireland and Northern Ireland have much to offer the arts-centered traveler. “From singing traditional Irish songs in a pub to a symphony orchestra concert, Ireland offers a wide array of music opportunities," said Blankenbaker. “With the stunning natural beauty of the island and thousands of years of human history, there will be much to see and experience." 

Travelers register for two credits of World Cultural Studies and will participate in four pre-trip classes which will include information and background about the major cities to be visited, arts and cultural opportunities (concerts, plays, exhibitions, cultural sites), as well as travel tips. Once abroad, participants will be escorted through Ireland on a private motor coach with the guidance of Riverland faculty, Scott Blankenbaker and Susan Hansen.

Destinations include one to three day stays in the following cities: Cork, Limerick, Londonderry, Belfast, and Dublin. Other planned visits include The Giant’s Causeway, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Cliffs of Moher, and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the heart of Dublin.

For more information go to www.riverland.edu/ireland including pricing and a downloadable registration sheet or they can contact Scott Blankenbaker at 507-433-0547 or by email at scott.blankenbaker@riverland.edu.