Dr. Joseph Lennon, professor of English and associate dean of International and Interdisciplinary Initiatives, welcomed the news: "We are excited and grateful to the foundations for these awards, which will allow us to further archive and digitize materials of regional Irish-American organizations. These include the Terence MacSwiney Club in Jenkintown, named in honor of the poet, playwright and Lord Mayor of Cork who died on hunger strike in Brixton prison in 1920, and whose centenary we mark next year. The materials of this nationalist club shed light on the history and culture of such organizations through their documents and make Villanova a digital hub.
"I'm especially pleased that, unlike other university special collections, all of our digitized materials are freely available to researchers, students, and interested people with an internet connection. This grant will keep it free and help us offer an annual event about our Irish collections, literary and historical!"
