Cork society to promote Italian language and culture seeking new members 

THE Cork Dante Alighieri Society has been promoting Italian language and culture in Cork for more than 60 years, and is looking for new members to join and continue the tradition.

First established in January 1957 by the late Professor Piero Calì of UCC to promote the diffusion of Italian language and culture, the society focuses on the study and appreciation of Italian language and literature in an easy an accessible way, and other activities to promote an understanding of Italy, its history and traditions.

The Cork branch is one of many Dante Alighieri Society branches throughout the world which welcome all those who have visited, or who hope to visit, Italy.

Soon after the Society celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2017 long time president of the Society Catherine handed over the reins to Dr Gabriella Caponi of The Italian Dept UCC and Honorary Italian Consul for Cork. Leo Brownen, chairman of the Dante Society in Cork, said that there is a strong Italian community in Cork, but that their weekly language and culture lessons are open to anyone who is interested in Italy, not just Italians living in Cork.

“There is I’d say up around 3,000 plus Italians in Cork. There’s a huge Italian community here now… [but] our members go from young to old, and they’re all purely interested in Italy and everything to do with it,” he said.

“They all want to learn the language in an easy kind of a way. There’s no pressure and there’s no exams or anything like that,” he added.

The voluntary society has flourished in its various homes over the years, from beginnings in UCC, to the Franciscan Hall on Grattan Street under the Guidance of Professor Catherine O’Brien, a member of the Italian Department in UCC, as well as several hard working committees and mostly Irish teachers.

As the city began to expand, the society moved out to the suburbs, to Blackrock Hurling Club’s new buildings on Church Road in 2010.

The society garnered more and more members as the years went on, and welcomed three native Italian teachers, necessitating another move to the nearby Ursuline Convent and Secondary School, which remains the current venue for the society.

After a temporary move to online weekly lessons over the pandemic, the Dante Society have now returned to in-person classes this autumn, and Mr Browne says that they are eager to increase member numbers.

The Cork based Italian society offers a course of 23 relaxed language classes and four cultural events over the year from September to early May, for beginners up to those who have more proficiency in Italian.

Cultural evenings throughout the year offer a chance to socialise and learn more about Italian culture, such as the society’s event on Monday, November 21, that centred around Italian soccer.

Scholar in UCC’s Italian Department, Jacopo Turini, gave a talk about Italian soccer culture, and the tragic story of the Italian football team, Torino Football Club, whose players were killed in a plane crash in the 1940s.

“Soccer is huge in Italy, absolutely huge it’s part of our culture in a really big way… and this [event] is tied into a recent display which is currently in the St Peter’s Exhibition Hall on North Main Street, which is worth looking at,” said Mr Brownen.

For more information on membership rates and how to join, you can contact the society on the Dante Alighieri Society Cork website (http://www.cork-italian-society.com/Index1.htm) or on social media.