Culture Days 2013

A number of interesting culture topics, a “hot” atmosphere, a teacher sitting in front of a fan in order to be able to get through every presentation, and nervous students walking around hoping not to mess up their presentations while the rest was indecisive about which presentation to attend…of course, I am writing about the ‘Culture Days 2013’.

Although I had planned to go to exactly 10 presentations, I ended up seeing 19.

Irish topics: Abortion Law in Ireland- A pro-choice view; Ireland’s contribution to the world of videogames; The Irish Film Industry; The Life of Irish Traveller Women; Bloody Sunday; Gaelic and its use in Northern Ireland; Patrick Nee; Operation Demetrius; Oscar Wilde and William Yeats; The Integration of Islam in Ireland; Witchcraft in Ireland; Homophobic Bullying in Irish schools; Kilmainham Gaol; The hidden meanings of the children of Lir; Gerry Conlon; Cultural influences on Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels

American topics: Walt Disney; Oprah Winfrey; Harlem, New York

Overall, the topics were really interesting as well as greatly presented; however, since we have to pick five topics to be tested on in the KGP, I have chosen these five:

1. Gerry Conlon reflects on the case of the Guildford Four: I have never heard of this case before, but the topic and how they were tortured as well as the presentation really grabbed my attention.
2. The Life of Irish Traveller Women: I find their life, their history and traditions highly interesting.
3. Abortion Law in Ireland –A Pro-Choice View: How the pro-choice movement fight for women’s right to choose that has created heated debate in the Republic in Ireland-tremendously interesting!
4. Ireland- the birthplace of Witchcraft: I really liked the presentation and the topic and since I have never dealt with that topic before, I would really like to learn some more about it.
5. Homophobic Bullying in Irish schools: Serious and touching topic. Bullying has become a serious issue in the past 30, 40 years, especially among homosexual people, and should really be addressed.