By Brianna Holcomb

Arts & Entertaiment Editor

Every year, Hofstra celebrates St. Patrick’s Day in a very intriguing way – the Student Center becomes crowded with viewers as students and faculty gather around to watch people volunteer to get their heads shaved.

This is to help raise money and awareness for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which aims to raise money for children’s cancer research.

With all of this excitement going on at one end of the unispan, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration continues right along at the opposite end as well. 

On the main floor of the Axinn Library, students and faculty gathered to share their favorite poems written by Irish authors.

Dr. Gregory M. Maney introduced the program and started the event by speaking in Gaelic. He, of course, translated his message afterwords.

Several Hofstra professors, part of the Irish studies program, hosted the reading along with support from Library Services.

The event started off with an Irish dance and some historical context. Step dancing had its roots in Christian Ireland. After the 19th century diaspora, the dance was spread to multiple parts of the world.

The Irish dancer used the very limited space to showcase her step dancing skills for the viewers and study-goers.

She recieved an animated appluse from her audience at the end of her brief performance.

Once her performance was finished, students and professors performed pieces of Irish writing as well as literatue.

Many of the performers were Irish studies professors and students in the creative writng deparment at the University.

“Masons, when they start upon a building,

Are careful to test out the scaffolding;

Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,

Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints,” are a few lines from a poem read entitled “Scaffolding” by Irish writer Seamus Heaney.

This was one of the several poets quoted along with pieces of Irish text.

This event was not just a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and Irish history. It was to help gear up for Hofstra’s Irish Expierence Festival that took place on March 15 in the Mack Sports Complex.

The Irish stuides program did a great job showcasing more than the simplistc green and clovers typically associated with the holiday. They showcased the culture, dance and writers who help continue the traditions that make this culture so diverse.