Castle to Classrooms: Developing an Irish Castle in Virtual Reality
Sponsored by a National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Advancement Grant
This grant, now at the “Prototype” level, adapts into Virtual Reality a digital 3-D model of an Irish castle for teaching purposes. Kilcolman Castle, Co. Cork, now in ruins, was the adopted home of the early modern English poet and administrator Edmund Spenser (1552?-1599). Spenser’s career and famous writings, which often focus in controversial ways on his life as a plantation settler in Ireland, make the castle a fascinating subject of study.
This project is directed by Thomas Herron (English Department, East Carolina University) and will be housed at ECU’s Laupus Library VR Lab in Greenville, NC, beginning in Fall 2020. The grant focuses on Spenser’s castle and writings through innovative undergraduate and high school teaching modules in history, architecture, archaeology, Irish studies and English literature. These modules with VR applications highlight the profound cultural diversity of the castle and its surroundings. Spenser’s presence in Ireland is a crucial element in our understanding of his poetry and of the historic impact of colonial imperialism. The project will educate and appeal to both students and the general public alike. Individual VR Modules are found in the Teaching Resources Section, below.
This work is based on the castle model and research developed since 2010 on the website Centering Spenser: a digital resource for Kilcolman Castle.
Each module and tour is based on a 3D model of Kilcolman Castle, Co. Cork, in Ireland. The castle is now in ruins and was occupied for hundreds of years before becoming the adopted home of the early modern English poet, planter and administrator Edmund Spenser (1554-1599). Spenser’s career and famous writings, which often focus in controversial ways on his life as a colonial settler in Ireland, make the castle a fascinating subject of study.
