Patrick Burke was born in the small town of Richmond, in the small state of Rhode Island. He has never been outside of the country but aspires to travel to exotic, forgotten places. He is a junior at University of Rhode Island, studying journalism and history. This summer he hopes to study abroad in Ireland, summoning Joyce's spirit and learning the Irish oral tradition as handed down in bar songs. He works multiple jobs — he teaches snowboard lessons, he snowboards, he surfs a bit and enjoys Rhode Island's various beaches, bays, ponds and swimming holes in the summer.