Celtic connections with USA to be explored by university

American students are to tour north Wales in a new brand of Celtic tourism developed by history specialists at Glyndŵr University, Wrexham.

The 18 students from Maryville College, Tennessee, will be based at Glyndŵr University for one week in January as part of a study trip exploring Celtic connections with Appalachia, a vast region of eastern USA.

Dr Kathryn Ellis, senior lecturer in history at the University, said that the history department had designed a Celtic programme for the visitors which would include a wide range of topics covering culture, language and heritage.

Students would visit key historical sites such as Edward I’s castles at Conwy and Caernarfon but would also explore more local sites such as those at Oswestry Old Fort, Llangollen and Chester, she said.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to share the rich and varied Celtic heritage of the area with enthusiasts from overseas. We are delighted to be playing a role in promoting this region to visitors both from this country and abroad on the basis of its Celtic history and culture,” said Dr Ellis.

She added that the visit gave the history department chance to renew its contacts with colleagues at Maryville following on from exchange links between Wrexham and Tennessee during the 1990s.

The American visitors will be led by Dr Paul Threadgill of Maryville College – a liberal arts college known for its emphasis on experiential learning.

“The Celtic experience at Glyndŵr is an excellent beginning to our European adventure and we are all looking forward to studying at Britain’s newest university,” he said.

The group will arrive in Wrexham on January 7 and spend seven days at the University before continuing the study trip in Northern Ireland.

For further information, contact Dr Kathryn Ellis on 01978 293279.