Hello out there!

To any future readers I might have out in the Interwebs, I'd like to say hello and welcome to Harpstrings and Bhodrans! This is my first time entering the brave new world of blogging, so if anyone has any suggestions about layout, content, etc., I'd be happy to hear them.

As its title reveals, this blog concerns the music of Ireland and Northern Ireland. I had the great good fortune of traveling throughout both countries for 18 days this winter, via my college's Global Awareness study abroad program. As part of the program, I took two classes to prepare for the trip: Literature of Ireland and the two-credit Global Awareness travel prep course. Our final project for the GA course was to create a blog "dedicated to your Ireland experience." As a music major, I knew full well that my blog would have something to do with music in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

When I first applied to be in the Literary Ireland program, I saw it as a shot at fulfilling a lifelong dream. I have long felt a deep love for many things British and Irish (save for black pudding), and my internal compass has always seemed to point towards those little green islands across the ocean. I have often joked that I knew how to draw the Irish and British flags long before I could draw my own American flag! So, when I discovered I would be going to Ireland, there were no words to describe the excitement I felt at the thought of seeing one of the places I'd wanted to visit since childhood. And even more exciting was the thought of sharing music with the Irish people.

This blog is merely a snapshot of the many great stories I brought home from Ireland. I hope that readers will find it as enjoyable and educational as the trip itself was for me.