AACC began its celebration of Irish-American History Month the first week of March with Irish fare at The Hawk’s Nest and a discussion about Irish roots in the Humanities theater.

The college has scheduled two additional events to commemorate Irish-American History Month: On March 26, students can trace their ancestry during an exercise modeled after the TV show “Who Do You Think You Are.”  During the last week of March, one winner will take home “a pot o’ gold”—according to the event’s promoters—for solving an Irish-themed riddle.

Tiranny Thurmond of AACC’s Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Leadership—or IDEAL—said the events will “pay homage to Irish history” and “engage [students] in learning Irish history.”

Irish culture, Thurmond said, “isn’t openly pronounced … but we’re hoping that during Irish History Month we’ll see much more of it.”

She added: “Ethnicity and diversity are so important,” especially AACC, which has a diverse student population.

At the kickoff event, Thurmond said Irish immigrants settled several Baltimore communities, which means the Irish “have had … an impact on our culture.”

Third-year undecided student Isaac Richard, a Maryland native, said he was “dumfounded to learn that so much of the community I’ve grown up in, was so largely influenced by the Irish.”

Dean of Enrollment Services John Grabowski said he recently learned that Irish immigrants settled not only in America but in Australia and elsewhere. He called Irish History Month a celebration of “the experiences they’ve had, and the impact on our culture.”

Grabowski talked of a tour of “an old Irish wheelhouse at a railroad. … It was fascinating to learn so much of someone else’s culture right next to home.”