If you ever go to Houston

Lori Gallagher is pictured with her study group from the University of St Thomas, Houston, on the Shankill end of the peaceline today.

The 14 talented students are all taking Irish Studies at the University of St Thomas and were relishing a day's walking in what they view as our mild summer temperatures and what we view as the Tropics.

I had a delightful dinner in the Cultúrlann last night with the group as we introduced them to the major projects being brought forward by the Irish language community in the city.

Also accompanying the group was Professor Aoife Ní Ghlinn (niece of the Irish poet and children's writer Áine Ní Ghlinn) who can be proud of the fluency in Irish of her charges.

The group has been attending a summer school at St Mary's, the first time the West Belfast college has been used in this way (to my knowledge). Hopefully, this is only the first of many similar summer schemes to follow.