American Students on Fact Finding Visit to Co Armagh

County Armagh Community Development (CACD) recently facilitated a study visit by students from Maryville College East Tennessee.
Sixteen students and two Professors from the college were visiting Northern Ireland to explore their Scots Irish roots and to experience at first hand the work of community development and cultural promotion within the Ulster Scots community.
The day commenced with a visit to Brownlow House where the students were introduced to the work of CACD with a short presentation followed by a discussion with William Moorcroft (Chairperson), David McMullen (Project Manager) and George Patton. They also received a tour of the historic building and were particularly interested in the Fact that General Eisenhower had spent some time there prior to the “D” Day landings in 1944.
The group then moved to Portadown where they met with representatives of Carleton Over 50’s Association before travelling to the Diamond Loughgall where they enjoyed lunch at Dan Winter’s Ancestral Cottage.

In the afternoon the group made their way to Bessbrook to learn of the work of The Model Village Association and the history of the unique village.
A visit to Markethill to see how a Lambeg drum was made was next on the itinerary and proved to be one of the highlights of the day with one or two of the students showing a talent for the instrument. The musical theme continued with a visit to a traditional fiddle class also in Markethill.

The day concluded with a meal in Scarva and an evening of Ulster Scots entertainment organised by Aughlish Ulster Scots Group who were hosting the students