First Friday Lecture Series
Lectures featuring topics of and by speakers from the Celtic heritages are held at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center in Milwaukee, WI, 5:30-7 p.m. with a cup of tea and cookies for all. $7 admission, open to the public and men are welcome as well as women. The lectures have been held without stop since September, 1997
The Conference
This three-day event is held in early October at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center in Milwaukee, WI. It features speakers and performers from the Celtic Nations of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Isle of Man, Cornwall and Galicia. Music, dance, talks, vendors, and all meals included as well. A wonderful cultural education from real Celtic Women.
Karin Stanley, a native of Dublin who has lived in Boston for nearly 20 years, spoke on “Reflections on an Irish Garden: History, Design and Art Inspiration.” Stanley showed many slides of classical gardens around Irish manor houses and explained the difference between Irish and the more formal English gardens. A sculptor who creates stone art embellished with Celtic designs, Stanley is also a garden designer who wrote her landscape design master’s thesis on the Irish Garden. Milwaukee storyteller and educator Jean- Andrew also participated. A school librarian, who entertains audiences of all ages and teaches graduate courses in storytelling, she co-founded the Milwaukee Area Story Tellers (M.A.S.T.) Guild in 1985.
The founder of the Celtic Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, John Gleeson, was one of the few men who attended the conference. Born in Dublin, Gleeson, who teaches Irish language courses and leads tours to Ireland has long been a supporter of the Conference and he served as co-master of ceremonies. “This is about Celtic culture, not about women versus men,” explained Bills. Between sessions, participants at the Conference had the opportunity to purchase Celtic music CDs and crafts such as jewelry, scarves, and tartans. The 2006 conference will be held in Milwaukee from October 12-14. Bills says she already has confirmation from two speakers in Ireland, two in Scotland, and lots more musicians.