Iona University plans to begin operating in Ireland with a pilot program to take place at Westport House Estate in County Mayo, along Ireland’s Atlantic Coast. In 2017, the 400-acre estate was purchased by The Hughes Group, which owns the clothing manufacturing company Portwest based in the town of Westport.
Westport House is located within walking distance of the center of the town of Westport. Iona plans to begin in Ireland by conducting summer classes at Westport House beginning next May.
Iona told the Business Journal that it is renting space for course instruction within the historic Westport House. Housing accommodations will be provided in the town of Westport. Iona said that teams from Iona and Westport House have been working collaboratively to bring the vision to fruition and both look forward to watching it grow over the years to come.
Iona said that it will be assessing needs in terms of space as well as what future programs would be best suited for Iona Ireland. The university also looks to grow its Ireland presence collaboratively with the people of County Mayo in order to further the university’s mission of service to its local communities.
Iona said that at the start it will offer instruction from the required core curriculum so that any student pursing any major could apply and enjoy the opportunity abroad. In addition, there will be more degree-driven opportunities in the nursing program, including both lectures and clinicals. At the beginning, only enrolled Iona students will be eligible to take courses at Westport.
“Westport House is a wonderfully rich, diverse and varied environment to visit and to learn in and we very much hope this is the beginning of an exciting new and lasting collaboration with Iona University, said Barry O’Connor, the estate’s CEO. “We will be delighted to welcome the visiting students of Iona University to Westport next year for their first ever summer academic program in County Mayo.”
Kevin O’Sullivan, Iona’s senior vice president for enrollment and student affairs said he “cannot wait to see how our students flourish abroad. It is sure to be a transformative experience with memories that will last a lifetime.
According to Iona’s President Seamus Carey, “To return to our spiritual homeland is not only extremely rewarding; it is also full of potential. As we embrace our past, we are building our future, and together with the people of County Mayo, we look forward to the journey ahead. We look forward to growing with the people, land and communities of Westport for generations to come.”
Carey said that Iona’s legacy in Ireland dates back many centuries.
“From St. Columba in 563 A.D. to Blessed Edmund Rice in the early 1800s to the Christian Brothers who opened our doors in New Rochelle in 1940, this is a legacy we proudly carry forward to this day,”Carey said.
Westport House Estate has a 129-bedroom hotel along with camping grounds, a golf course, restaurants and a Pirate Adventure Park offering a variety of rides aimed at families. The main house has been identified as Ireland’s most beautiful home. Westport House Estate has had an estimated five million visitors since opening its doors to the public in 1960.
