News

Inside Rural Ireland delves deeply into the evolution of Ireland’s rural history.  https://www.ucdpress.ie/page/detail/inside-rural-ireland/?k=9781739086367 Edited by Tomás Finn and Tony Varley, the book considers the shifting power dynamics in Ireland's rural communities post-Independence, from politicians to intellectuals to farmers and farm women, explored with fascinating detail and keen insight.

The University of Galway Library is home to Imirce: The Kerby A. Miller Collection: Irish Emigrant Letters and Memoirs from North America. Imirce is a project with two discrete elements. First, it makes available via an online database a vast collection of transcripts of Irish emigrant letters and memoirs compiled over some fifty-years by historian Kerby A. Miller. Second, it continues Miller’s work of collection through regular appeals for additional material to be added to the database. Since its launch in March 2024, Imirce has featured in national and international media, most recently (2 November 2024) being the subject of Tim Desmond’s A Letter Home, RTÉ Radio 1’s Documentary on One: https://www.rte.ie/radio/doconone/1478028-a-letter-home For additional information, see https://imirce.universityofgalway.ie/p/ms To suggest material for addition to the database, see https://imirce.universityofgalway.ie/p/ms/contribute   Credit: James Brenan, News from America (1875), courtesy of Crawford Art Gallery, Cork.

Decolonising Research Workshop Keynote speakers:Dr Shahmima AkhtarUniversity of BirminghamANDDr Patrice HaynesUniversity of Nottingham Venue: Studio One, O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance, University of GalwayDate: Wednesday, 4 September 2024 Full programme and registration details available hereThis Decolonising Research Workshop is organised by the School of History & Philosophy. For further details, contact Professor Alison Forrestal alison.forrestal@universityofgalway.ie Image: Bill Reid, ‘The Raven and the First Men’ (1980), Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia.

Professor Emma Hart (University of Pennsylvania) will deliver this year’s Nicholas Canny lecture. The talk will take place at 4.00pm on Tuesday, 14 May 2024. This is a hybrid event. The paper will be delivered in-person, in Room G010, Hardiman Research Building, University of Galway (ground floor) and livestreamed simultaneously on Zoom: https://universityofgalway-ie.zoom.us/j/93437928233. It will not be recorded.   Professor Emma Hart (University of Pennsylvania) From England to Ireland to America and Back Again: Empire and the Early Modern British Isles   Abstract Recently fêted in the William and Mary Quarterly with a forum of essays, Nicholas Canny’s work on Ireland and early Virginia laid the foundations for generations of historians to explore the complex entanglements of the British Isles with its overseas colonies. Originally a topic that attracted mainly intellectual historians, it is one now populated by scholars investigating these connections from a wide variety of perspectives; material, social, cultural, and political. In this lecture I try to make sense of what the increasing variety of approaches means for writing the early modern history of the British Isles in the twenty-first century. As it expanded, the empire seemed to seep into every corner of the British Isles; from the clothing its inhabitants wore to the news they read. What impact did this have on the Irish, Scottish, English and Welsh people who inhabited this archipelago? More especially, what role did it play in their relationship to one another as Britons?   Biography Emma Hart is the Richard S. Dunn Director, The McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Chair of American History at the University of Pennsylvania. She previously taught at the University of St Andrews, where she was on the faculty for twenty years following the completion of her PhD at the Johns Hopkins University. She is the author of three books: Building Charleston: Town and Society in the Eighteenth-Century British Atlantic World (2010), Trading Spaces: The Colonial American Marketplace and the Foundations of American Capitalism (2019) and, with Mariana Dantas, Early Modern Atlantic Cities (2024). She is currently working on a biography of the Scottish novelist and historian, Tobias Smollett.   If you have any questions about the lecture, you can contact Dr Róisín Healy at roisin.healy@universityofgalway.ie.

On April 18th and 19th the discipline of philosophy within the School of History and Philosophy will welcome scholars to present their research on attention in theory and in practice.    About: Against the backdrop 'attention economy' where our ability to attend is often overtaken by technology, post-modern fixations with self-optimisation, or the demands of work, this conference explores how we think about, radically reorient and develop our abilities to attend to the world to others.    Join us for this conference where scholars interested in theorising and practising attention will come together to explore the theoretical language we use to talk and think about attending, the practices through which attention might be developed and those that benefit (other humans, non-human animals and the wider world) once we develop and grow this human capacity.    Keynote Speakers:  Silvia Panizza (ITA/IRE)  Megan Laverty (USA)  Nora Ward (IRE)    This conference is part of the second phase of the research project AIRE Attentive Inquiry Reclaiming Environment which is funded by the IRC New Foundations Award.    About the research project:  AIRE means ATTENTION and CARE in Irish. This project uses philosophical dialogue to explore how we care for and about others, ourselves and the environment through a facilitated reading group, an international conference, and commissioned art, and an archival exhibition.   2023 is the 60th anniversary of the novel The Unicorn by Iris Murdoch. Set in a fictionalised vision of the Burren, a unique landscape in the West of Ireland, this beautiful book explores love, loss, guilt and isolation. The themes of this book will be investigated by two philosophical reading groups, and Murdoch's account of attention will be explored through an international conference and an exhibition.   To register for the conference click here: https://forms.office.com/e/Ld3dBt4zQa Pre-Conference Workshop:  On April 17th Facilitators from the Strother School of Radical Attention will deliver an Attention Lab on campus for post-graduate students, researchers, conference participants, local creatives and staff.  This workshop which comprises of guided attention practices and group discussion will be an opportunity to think about attention and knowledge production, an urgent issue for post-graduate students seeking to make a contribution to knowledge and/or those working creatively. This event is supported by the University of Galway Post-graduate Research Environment funding. To register for the AttentionLab, email: lucy.elvis@universityofgalway.ie

Final Year NUIG History student, Jack Ryan, is among the speakers at this years Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School (June 4-5). Jack will present 'Youth Perspective on the War of Independence and its Legacy'.Further information available at www.seanmacdiarmada.ie     

Our colleagues in History, Dr Caitríona Clear and Dr John Cunningham, will participate in the next session of the President of Ireland's Machnamh 100 series (on May 27th at 19:00). This is a major series of three sessions with leading contributors. The event on May 27th speaks to this theme: "'Recovering Imagined Futures'. This seminar will focus on issues of social class, land and the role of women, subjects that are all tangibly and profoundly interlinked in the context of early 20th-century Ireland, and how particular gradations of violence emerged and became deeply interwoven across these subjects with consequences that would shape the Ireland of today." Caitríona and John will respond to a lecture by Margaret O’Callaghan (Queens University Belfast). Here is a link to the event and registration: https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-third-seminar-in-the-machnamh-100-series

Congratulations to Dr Kevin O'Sullivan and PhD student, Maria Cullen, from the History Department who have been awarded an IRC New Foundation award for their project  What do we mean by Global Solidarity? Historical Research into Humanitarian Practice This project aims to historicise the concept of ‘global solidarity’ in humanitarian aid. What does humanitarian solidarity signify? How have humanitarian organisations interpreted the concept differently in the past, and how did it manifest in practice? These are timely questions, given the globally simultaneous experience of the pandemic and climate crisis, along with the ongoing Mediterranean refugee crisis and renewed conversations about racial justice. This project attempts to answer these questions in a collaborative way. It is supported by Dóchas, the Irish Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, and will engage both academics and humanitarian practitioners in discussion on the concept of global solidarity in historical perspective. Did the idea of solidarity-based response come naturally to different humanitarian NGOs? What contextual factors shaped how practitioners interacted with aid recipients on the ground? Were approaches to ethical action born of a human rights or a grassroots development perspective more likely to manifest in a solidarity-based response? Given the historic association between political solidarity and the Left, how was humanitarian solidarity understood differently? Through a workshop and subsequent publications, this project will historicise the concept of humanitarian solidarity, and create forums through which to continue these discussions.  

Congratulations to our School colleagues who are recipients of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies Teaching Awards. Dr Orla Richardson and Dr Lucy Elvis from the Discipline of Philosophy have been awarded the CASSCS Team Teaching Excellence Award for their work in the Philosophy For Children (P4C) prorgramme and Dr Kevin O'Sullivan in the History Department received an individual award for this teaching. 

Recognising Success, Achievement and Collegiality in the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies Congratulations to our colleagues Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley and Ms Helena Condon, who won Dean's Awards for civic outreach through publication and administrative excellence respectively. The Dean and the President paid tribute and thanked the awardees for their excellent contribution to the work of the College and for their collegiality.   Sarah-Anne received the award in recognition of a significant research achievement,  namely, for her joint contribution to the book publication entitled 'Old Ireland in  Colour'. In particular, the positive recognition it has received nationally, achieving  widespread media coverage, including The Late Late Show, reflects the capacity of  the University's academic staff to reach out and engage with the wider community.   ‌Helena received ‌the award in recognition of her ingenuity, flexibility and  achievement in a changing environment relating to COVID-19. Her collegiality is  complemented by her high standard of professionalism in the guidance and support  of students, staff and the wider community and the development of a School website  and Social Media platforms.   

Our colleague, Dr Kevin O’Sullivan, has recently been appointed as a series editor on the Royal Irish Academy’s  Documents on Irish Foreign Policy project. DIFP publishes primary source materials on Irish diplomacy, and is an excellent resource for students, scholars, and anyone interested in Ireland’s relationship with the outside world since the founding of the state. Its most recent volume, on the period 1961-65, will be published in November 2020, and includes materials on Irish peacekeepers in the Congo, Ireland’s first application for EEC membership, Anglo-Irish relations, and many other themes. You can access many of the earlier volumes for free online at www.difp.ie and follow DIFP on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DIFP_RIA. The project is a partnership between the RIA, the National Archives of Ireland, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ‌‌‌ ‌

The Tuam Oral History Project is hosting a Virtual Event for Survivors of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. The event marks the launch of Survivors’ Voices, an on-line exhibition, and a number of other initiatives emanating from the Tuam Oral History Project including a 3-part podcast narrated by Actor Cillian Murphy, the patron of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway. We will also be launching our webpage for the project. The event will be live on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nuigalway/ Thursday 30 July, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM  

In the face of the challenges posed by COVID-19, our university is working to ensure that your experience will be the best that we can deliver, whether you are starting a new course this September or returning for another year of study. At all times we will prioritise your health, safety and wellbeing as we structure your learning experience around the realities of a changed environment and will therefore at all times make decisions that adhere to public health advice. Semester Dates For the vast majority of students, including First Years, the semester will begin on 28 September. For First Years this is predicated on the Leaving Certificate results being released on or near the usual mid-August release date. Full dates can be found here: Semester Dates 2020/21 - revised June 2020. Undergraduate orientation will take place in the week commencing 21 September and comprise a mix of online and on-campus activities to help First Year students familiarise themselves with the university, understand the structures and demands of student life, learn about the supports available to them and get to know their fellow classmates who will in time become lifelong friends. Course Delivery All taught programmes will be delivered in a blend of online and on-campus classes. Irrespective of the size of your class, we will have on-campus learning built into your student experience, typically through on-campus tutorials, seminars, distanced meet-ups and/or laboratories according to the needs of various courses. Large-scale lectures will be adapted for online delivery, while smaller classes will be delivered on-campus where it is possible and safe to do so. At all times capacity in rooms will conform to public health advice. We will work to accommodate the small number of students who cannot come to campus for health, access or other reasons, so as not to disadvantage their academic journey. We are working hard to ensure that all learning will be made available online, or accessible through some alternative means, to allow for students who may face delays in arriving in Ireland, allow for limits to student numbers in teaching spaces, accommodate those who cannot attend for health reasons, and to provide a backup in case of a rise in COVID-19 transmission. A final decision on the structure of Semester 2 will follow later when the COVID-19 scenario is clearer. Further Information Available http://www.nuigalway.ie/alert/ 

Dr Gearóid Barry and Dr Gavan Duffy write about ‘Some unfinished business’: New Zealand, Samoa and the legacy of the Great Flu pandemic of 1918.  "New Zealand’s handling of the current Covid-19 pandemic has, to date, attracted much positive commentary, with a considerably better record than Ireland, for example, taking our similar-sized populations and island situation into account."

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, fundamental philosophical questions have come into sharp focus. In this panel discussion, faculty members from the discipline of philosophy at NUI Galway will discuss a range of issues related to these times of change and uncertainty, including the role and rhetoric of expertise; “states of exception” and governance; the trust invested in decision-makers; the nature of goodwill in a moment of crisis; how we engage in reasoning about uncertainty and catastrophic outcomes; and the nature of nostalgia and how we (mis)remember the past. Thursday 18 June @ 4pm  Panellists (all NUI Galway): Lucy Elvis Heike Felzmann Felix Ó Murchadha Nick Tosh Chair: Daniel Carey To attend, please register using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rwMBOX_QQCK9ooyGiBOIIg

Professor Enrico Dal Lago has been elected and admitted as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA). Membership in the Royal Irish Academy is a public recognition of academic excellence and the highest academic honour in Ireland, and is awarded in recognition of a significant contribution and outstanding achievements in research. For information on Enrico's research and publications, see http://www.nuigalway.ie/…/history-and-philos…/enricodallago/

Slavery, Race, and Covid-19   The unfolding corona virus crisis has revealed deep structures of inequality manifested in the death toll in the United States and other countries. This seminar examines patterns of racism and legacies of slavery that have informed the pandemic, especially in the US and UK. Participants: Prof. Enrico Dal Lago (History/Moore Institute) Prof. Eric Foner (Columbia University) Prof. Koritha Mitchell (Ohio State University) Prof. Kerry Sinanan (University of Texas San Antonio and former Moore Institute fellow)   It's great to have such a diverse and distinguished group of contributors. Eric Foner is a Pulitzer Prize winning historian and a leading authority on US history. Enrico is the author of five monographs on slavery and comparative history. Kerry Sinanan was here for two years as a visiting fellow in the Moore Institute, with a book coming out on slave masters; and Koritha Mitchell is author of an important book, Living with Lynching: African American Lynching Plays, Performance, and Citizenship, 1890-1930.   To register, please use this link:   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81891516643?pwd=TWNTSklRd0M0WVZsK2V4MG9GWnJBUT09  

Looking forward to participating in NUI Galway's Virtual Open Day today. It is the perfect opportunity to talk us about studying subjects in the School of History and Philosophy at NUI Galway. Join us live from 12-3pm at www.nuigalway.ie/opendays #NUIGalwayLive

Thursday 30th April - 4pmThe Covid-19 crisis has led to the mass closure of educational institutions and an ensuing scramble to provide schooling at home. Aspects of the education system normally taken for granted have come into relief in the midst of a new sense of precarity. This seminar looks at pressing concerns emerging from current research on education provision, such as the exacerbation of existing educational inequities and the pivot to technology. We also consider longer-term implications and ask whether this could be an opportunity to reimagine education and schooling.  Participants (all NUI Galway):  Dr Manuela Heinz (chair)Dr Cornelia Connolly Dr Tony Hall Dr Ian Munday Dr Clíona Murray For the Zoom link, https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q2fOTnv6QiKzLBAV6aLqfA

Welcome to our second Webinar - Thursday 23 April 4pm   Panelists: Mathieu d'Aquin (Director of Insight and the Data Science Institute, NUI Galway) Heike Felzmann (Philosophy, NUI Galway) Rob Kitchin (Geography, Maynooth University) Karlin Lillington (Irish Times) Linnet Taylor (Law, Tilburg University)   The seminar will explore questions of surveillance and social benefit in the midst of the corona virus pandemic, including data gathering and contact tracing apps, and the advantages, risks, and ethical challenges.   Please click this URL to join: https://zoom.us/j/91276031179?pwd=MFNqY2NuSDdtTWZKVksvRTBNRXN4Zz09Password: 946660   There is a limit of 100 attendees on Zoom. We will also live stream the event on the Moore Institute Facebook page.  

Panelists are:  Dr Nessa Cronin, Dr Padraic Moran, Dr John Morrissey, Dr Kevin O'Sullivan You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Apr 2, 2020 04:00 PM Dublin Topic: Moore Institute Covid-19 seminar Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z-4DLWT-S3-olgr0SoKfrA