Irish Studies at QUB

Maynooth University Early Irish & Celtic Studies Research Seminar, semester 2, 2025-6. 12 February: Dr Seán Ó Hoireabhárd, Positioning Meath and Clonard in the Central Middle Ages. 12 March: Prof. James Palmer, Pagan Knowledge, Christian World: Science, Medicine & Religion, c. 600-900. 23 April, Dr Edel Bhreathnach, New Religion, New Pots: Newgrange, St Brigit and Imported Pottery. All seminars are at 5pm in Room 2.31, Iontas Building, North Campus, Maynooth University. For queries: elizabeth.boyle@mu.ie

Our in-person research seminars this semester @ceilteachomn.bsky.social - come for the cutting-edge research, stay for the post-seminar spring rolls & potato wedges!

On This Day: 19 May 1928 - News Over 129 years of moving images from Northern Ireland, featuring amateur and professional films from 1897 to 2026, brought to you by Northern Ireland Screen.

Archive at 25.
As we celebrate a quarter of a century of collecting Northern Irish and Ulster's moving image heritage, we launch this year long series featuring some of our favourite collaborators.
First up, Phil Kieran - DJ, musician, filmmaker.
digitalfilmarchive.net/archive-at-2...

The Rag Tree in Dungiven - View media Over 129 years of moving images from Northern Ireland, featuring amateur and professional films from 1897 to 2026, brought to you by Northern Ireland Screen.

One of our most popular collections features the folklore and cures of Ireland. We have a special mythology that conflates paganism and Christianity. We are very much a nation of people who hedge their bets as Charlie Witherspoon explains here.

Registration is now open for our joint event with the Seamus Heaney Centre on 2 March: LATE HEANEY: NICHOLAS ALLEN IN CONVERSATION WITH MARK CARRUTHERS (available online and in-person) www.qub.ac.uk/schools/seam...

Carrying the Irish Spirit Abroad: Protest, Politics & the Gold Rush With Constantin Torve Spotify video

Constantin Torve talks about his recent research on the Irish at the Eureka Stockade (1854) in Australia in a new podcast with 'The Celtic Way'
open.spotify.com/episode/6ber...

Conference : The Plantation of Ulster

Thanks to all who supported the 'Plantation of Ulster' conference at PRONI on 12 February, associated with the 'People of Plantation Ulster' database project. Recordings of the talks are now available at: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...

Publishing this week. Really thrilled with the result.

YouTube video by QUB Irish Studies Irish Studies Seminar: Patrick Gleeson (23/2/26)

If you missed Monday’s seminar by Dr Paddy Gleeson on ‘Landscapes of kingship: governance, rule and territory in early Medieval Ireland’, there’s a recording at:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wpl...

The History Seminar Series is happy to host Mál Farrell (Queen's University Belfast) on 27th February in Room 01.003, 27 University Square at 4:00pm. This is an alteration from our originally advertised paper which has sadly had to be cancelled.

On Thursday 5 March at 4.30 our visiting Boston College Irish Studies scholar, Marcus Breen, will be speaking about 'The Struggle for Meaning in Irish Cultural Studies: Kneecap and Sinners'. All welcome in-person (Lanyon 01/052) or online. www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...

Power, Politics and Territory in the ‘New Northern Ireland’ | Home Girdwood Barracks and the Story of the Peace Process

Liz DeYoung’s 'Power, Politics and Territory in the New Northern Ireland’ has just been released in paperback by Liverpool UP. Winner of the 2023 ACIS Murphy Prize, we hosted the NI launch in Jan 2024. Many congrats Liz!

www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....

Registration is now open for our joint event with the Seamus Heaney Centre on 2 March: LATE HEANEY: NICHOLAS ALLEN IN CONVERSATION WITH MARK CARRUTHERS (available online and in-person) www.qub.ac.uk/schools/seam...

YouTube video by QUB Irish Studies Irish Studies Seminar: Robin Usher 2026/02/16

If you missed Robin Usher’s talk on Sir Arthur Chichester and Dublin’s architecture c.1605-15, a recording is available at: m.youtube.com/watch?v=-5nX...

Our next seminar on Monday 23 Feb. will be Dr Paddy Gleeson (QUB) speaking on 'Landscapes of kingship: governance, rule and territory in early medieval Ireland'. All welcome in-person / online www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...

The weird historic traditions around Pancake Tuesday in Ireland The day before Lent began may have involved feasting and food, but it certainly wasn't a good day for single people

The weird historic traditions around Pancake Tuesday in Ireland. The day before Lent began may have involved feasting and food, but explains @marionmcgarry.bsky.social ATU, it certainly wasn't a good day for single people www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

A reminder that our first seminar of 2026 is on Thursday! Neil Murphy @northumbriauni.bsky.social will speak on 'Violence, colonialism and the mid-Tudor monarchy: Ireland in context'. If you can't join us in person @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social join online 👇
www.eventbrite.ie/e/violence-c...

Funding boost announced for historic building in Belfast An international conservation group has selected one of Belfast's most historic buildings as one of 21 sites across the world it will fund this year.

An international conservation group has selected Belfast's Assembly Rooms as one of 21 sites across the world it will fund this year.

Close to Home is to be adapted for TV Books newsletter: a wrap of the latest news and preview of tomorrow’s pages

Close to Home by @michaelmagee.bsky.social to be adapted for TV

www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

With St Valentine’s Day tomorrow, we’re dipping into some of the courtship rituals and games explored in Pious and Promiscuous by @leannecalvert.bsky.social

Find out more about Pious and Promiscuous: shop.ria.ie/products/pious

Day 2161 #ArtKicksCovid19 “The Irish Girl” (1843) Ford Madox Brown. Yale Center for British Art. This portrait that reveals Brown’s commitment to social realism long before his association with the Pre-Raphaelites. The young woman confronts the viewer directly,

𝐔𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝟖
The Eighth International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales, Rathcroghan Visitor Centre 23-25 June 2026.

Rathcroghan Visitor Centre is delighted to announce that it will be hosting the eighth edition of the International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales.

Dr Robin Usher, RJ Hunter Digital Fellow at QUB, explaining how 17th century life stories can be traced through the 'People of the Ulster Plantation' database.

Prof Mary O'Dowd (RIA/QUB) chairs a panel with Dr William Roulston (UHF), Prof Tom O'Connor (Maynooth) and Dr Robin Usher (QUB) at the 'Plantation of Ulster' conference.

Great conference on The Ulster Plantation today at PRONI, showcasing the relaunched 'People of the Ulster Plantation' online database, produced through a research collaboration of @ria.ie, @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social and @maynoothuniversity.ie. Access is via ulster-settlers.maynoothuniversity.ie

Another successful QUB faculty exchange!

Thanks to Ronit Berger Hobson for discussing her recent work on the Troubles & for presenting her 3-level framework to better understand the process of leadership during conflict transformation

@qubelfastofficial.bsky.social @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social

Mary Ward portrait

For #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience, we’re highlighting #MaryKingWard (27 April 1827 – 31 August 1869), an Irish naturalist, microscopist, author, artist and astronomer from Co. Offaly.

📷 : Mary Ward with her #microscope, c.1860 (public domain)

Why did a riot happen at the Abbey Theatre 100 years ago today? The negative audience reacton to Sean O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars was very much rooted in the political anxieties of 1926

Why did a riot happen at the Abbey Theatre 100 years ago today? @yesthewholebook.bsky.social @dublincityuni.bsky.social writes that the negative audience reacton to Sean O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars was very much rooted in the political anxieties of 1926 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Our next seminar is on Monday 16 February at 4.30. Dr Robin Usher (QUB) will speak about 'Sir Arthur Chichester and Dublin's official architecture, c.1605-15'. All welcome in-person and online. www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...

Tomorrow night in Connolly House at 5:00 pm, Ronit Berger Hobson joins us to discuss her recent work on the Troubles

@qubelfastofficial.bsky.social @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social

Irish Itinerary poster

EFACIS Centres of Irish Studies can now send in their applications for the 2026-2027 Irish Itinerary! We welcome all proposals for tours taking place between September 2026 and July 2027!

Further details can be found in the full call for applications: www.efacis.eu/sites/defaul...