Navigating War and Violence Conference 2025

With great sadness we acknowledge the loss of our dear friend, Dr Joe Rodgers. Joe completed his thesis, The life of a principal street: A commercial and social history of O’Connell Street: 1782–1930, in 2024. He will be so missed.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”.

On behalf of the organisers, we want to thank all of our speakers, attendees, chairs, keynotes, and the DCU School of History and Geography for supporting our conference. It was an absolute highlight of our PhD experience to have the pleasure of organising and hosting this event. Now, to the pub!

Anne Dolans keynote ( of @historytcd.bsky.social ) is introducing us to the peculiar dynamics of violence and that of the awkward witness.

Our @dublincityuni.bsky.social school of history and geography head, Will Murphy, introducing our keynote for day 2: Anne Dolan, Histories in ‘the midst of blood’

Frank Fagan on the long memory of a War of Independence ambush

Next up we have Lynsey Black. Lynsey is talking about stories, silence, and identity in post conflict Northern Ireland & is PI on the CONSPACE project.

John Dorney on counting the Irish Civil War deaths.

@keiragomez.bsky.social is kicking us off next with her paper on ceasefire babies.

A lively Q&A in progress at 4A this morning after some really engaging papers.

The final paper on 4B is given by Kevin Finnan who is discussing the doctors that treated volunteers during the Irish revolution

Last up in 4A we have Josie Richardson with “that’s incase someone throws a Molotov cocktail”: routines in the routineness of conflict

Next up in 4B is Erin Brereton who is examining the legal profession during the war of independence

Next up we have @susiedeedigan.bsky.social talking us through experiencing conflict in Belfast and Dublin in 1922 and 1972 through Irish activist women’s diaries.

Shane Browne first up in panel 4B discussing the prison experience of national volunteers detained after the 1916 Rising

First up on panel 4A is Susan Byrne. Susan is bringing us back to the first week of the Easter Rising through the diaries of Eleanor Cobbe Corbally of Newbridge Estate

An absolute highlight of today’s conference is our conference baby Séamus. His paper is performative, and it’s titled “how to be the cutest in the room”.

We now have our keynote for day 1: @ikapika.bsky.social of the @forsvarshogskolan.bsky.social . Dr Larssons paper is titled “colourising conflict - a study of republican and loyalist murals in Belfast, 1979 - 2022”

Q&A time for Thomas, Conor & Daniel after three really interesting papers.

Next up we have Daniel Finn, with his paper titled “the alternative that never was: Libya, the IRA, and the “Tet Offensive” strategy of the 1980s.

Up next, we have our co-organiser @conorroddy.bsky.social. Conor’s paper focuses on maintaining the Anglo-Irish Truce

Kicking us off next is our chair Marnie Hay, introducing the panel “Escalating and De-Escalating Conflicts”. Up first, we have Thomas Tormey from UCD with his paper War comes dropping slowly: escalation and ending in the Irish War of Independence

Q&A time in panel 1A, chaired by Dr Daithí Ó Corráin

Maria Kane on the Irish White Cross in Belfast in the 1920s.

Q & A time here in panel 1B. Three fabulous papers, leaving attendees with a lot to digest.

Next we have Dr Joe Roger’s of @dublincityuni.bsky.social who is talking about Looting during the battle for Dublin.

Lastly (but certainly not least!) we have Dr George Legg discussing Londons troubled legacy: late-photography, urban surveillance and Henriette Williams Ring of Steel

Dr Michelle Moffat is up next talking about the Irish in Scotland during the Second World War.

Anna Devlin is first up on panel 1A discussing the use of consumer boycotts in revolutionary Ireland.

Samuel Beckton discussing the international UVF contingents - starting today’s discussion in Australia! 🇦🇺

Dr Cathal Burke O’Leary opening up 1B on the Irish and Conflicts Abroad, with Dr Samuel Beckton, Dr Michelle Moffat, and Dr George Legg