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Coffee House: Talent, Laughter, Coffee, and Prayer

Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts > About > News, Events, & More > Wisdom > Program of Studies > Music and Art > Coffee House: Talent, Laughter, Coffee, and Prayer

“If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane.”
― Robert Frost

“It’s so fun and uplifting to come together and laugh,” commented Zofia Joynt ’22 after the spring Coffee House.  On a Friday night, students gathered for this event, which truly reflects the spirit of the school.  With a mixture ofCoffee House acts ranging from the talent of Irish Step Dancers to the humorous, but friendly, roast by Marshall Harmon ’19, this spring’s Coffee House provided an opportunity for students to gather over some spectacular coffee and enjoy each other’s talents.

For this Coffee House, the community was treated to a special surprise act.  Dr. FitzGerald, our Academic Dean, who had participated in a special kind of traditional Irish singing when he was younger, appeared and sang.  This particular type of singing, according to Dr. FitzGerald, is traditionally unaccompanied, sung in Gaelic, and passed down orally.

Before he sang, Dr. FitzGerald informed the students that he had learned this particular song from a woman in Ireland who had learned it from her grandmother.  “I don’t think I’ll ever forget when our Latin teacher sang for us,” remarked Zofia Joynt.  Indeed, his performance was one of pure talent and generosity.

The evening continued full of smiling, laughing, and students “showcasing God-given talents,” as Valerie Cousineau, ’19, the former Coffee House producer, described it.  This was Valerie’s last Coffee House as a student and was a bittersweet experience for her.  “This type of community is what brought me here,” commented Valerie, “When we come together like this, we can do amazing things.”

At the end of the night, students stood and sang the Salve Regina to conclude the event.  A night full of laughter and fun closed in prayer.  This last action of Coffee house perfected an already wonderful night.  As Zofia commented, “When I come away from an event like this, I’m reminded how much I love this college.”  A night of coffee, talent, laughter, and prayer brought students together in community.

-Contributed by Adriana Smith ’22

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