Pre-First Assignment

Although it is possible that I have a stereotypical view of Ireland, I have always thought that the Irish love to have a good time. It was actually an Irish-style pub in Lubbock's Depot District (O'Reilly's) that first sparked my interest in Irish music and culture during high school.



Easter Day by Oscar Wilde

The silver trumpets rang across the Dome:
The people knelt upon the ground with awe:
And borne upon the necks of men I saw,
Like some great God, the Holy Lord of Rome.
Priest-like, he wore a robe more white than foam,
And, king-like, swathed himself in royal red,
Three crowns of gold rose high upon his head:
In splendor and in light the Pope passed home.

My heart stole back across wide wastes of years
To One who wandered by a lonely sea,
And sought in vain for any place of rest:
`Foxes have holes, and every bird its nest,'
`I, only I, must wander wearily,'
`And bruise my feet, and drink wine salt with tears.'

This poem is taken from one of Wilde's earliest publications (1881, 10 years before The Picture of Dorian Gray). It wasn't popular at the time of publishing.

I chose the poem because it highlights the deep faith of Irish Catholics (however, Wilde was born Protestant and actually converted much later in life). The beautiful wording in the first stanza is powerful and inspiring.



I had many reasons for choosing this class. For one, both my father and mother have Irish blood, and I've been interested in my family's roots for a long time. Furthermore, I fit the stereotypical Irish image-red hair, freckles, and light skin. Most importantly, I want to learn more about a country that isn't generally covered in history books; Ireland is one nation that I know relatively little about and one that is rather important to my heritage. The music and tradition there are unbelievable.