Author Archives: emerp

Event: NUI Irish Historical Research Prize Lecture 2023, UCC

NUI Awards: IHRP Lecture
Boole Basement 1 Lecture Hall
University College Cork

5.30 pm 17 May 2023

In 2021, the National University of Ireland awarded Dr Máirín MacCarron the Irish Historical Research Prize for her monograph, Bede and Time: Computus, Theology and History in the Early Medieval World, published in 2019 by Routledge.

IHRP, first awarded in 1922, is offered in alternate years for the best new work of historical research with a significant Irish dimension, which must have been published for the first time, by a graduate of the National University of Ireland.

The evening will also present an opportunity to celebrate other UCC students and graduates who have received NUI awards.

For further detail on NUI Awards and IHRP see: http://www.nui.ie/awards

All Welcome

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Event: The impact of war on Ukraine’s viking heritage, 19th Viking Congress, Liverpool

The final session of the 19th Viking Congress will feature Dr Cat Jarman in conversation with Dr Fedir Androshchuk (Director of the National Museum, Ukraine) on Friday 29 July at 11.30am.

They will discuss the impact of War on Ukraine’s Viking Heritage

The event will be live streamed at the link below. All welcome.

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Employment: Assistant Prof in Irish, TCD

Assistant Professor in Irish
Department of Irish and Celtic Languages
Trinity College Dublin

Closing date: 12 noon on 18 July 2022

The School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies (SLLCS) warmly welcomes applications for a position of Assistant Professor in Irish based in Department of Irish and Celtic Languages. Successful candidate will join a dynamic team and will be a key member contributing to teaching and research  excellence and innovation.

SLLCS is one of the largest of the twelve Schools in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and has some 80 staff in all, including full time academics, language assistants and lectors, part-time teachers, and professional staff.

School is made up of the Disciplines of French, Germanic Studies, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Irish, Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Russian and Slavonic Studies, the Centre for European Studies, the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation, and the recently established Centre for Global Intercultural Communications and Centre for Forced Migration.

The School enjoys a very high international reputation in its teaching and research and attracts highly qualified and motivated students from Ireland and internationally. Since their inception, it has consistently been ranked in the top 100 Modern Languages Schools in the QS subject rankings. It is currently ranked 59th in the world.

At Trinity, we are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are ranked 3rd in the world for gender equality (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2020) and we hold an Athena SWAN Bronze award, recognising our work to advance gender equality. The University is actively pursuing a Silver level award, which it has committed to achieving by 2025. Trinity is committed to supporting the work-life balance and to creating a family-friendly working environment. Trinity welcomes applications from all individuals, including those who may have had non-traditional career paths, those who have taken time out for reasons including family or caring responsibilities, and applicants with disabilities.

Trinity is an equal opportunities employer, and we encourage applications from talented people of all backgrounds to join our staff community.

Post status:  5 year, Tenure Track Contract*

Hours of Post: Hours of work for academic staff are those as prescribed under Public Service Agreements. Please see:  http://www.tcd.ie/hr/assets/pdf/academic-hours-public-service-agreement.pdf

Salary:  Appointment will be made on the Lecturer Salary Scale (109BN) commensurate with qualifications / experience and in line with Public Sector Pay Policy [€36,369 to €88,616 per annum]  https://www.tcd.ie/hr/assets/pdf/monthly-academic.pdf

How to apply: Applicants should provide the following information when applying for the post:

A cover letter outlining how their experience makes them suitable for the role (1 A4 page max.)

  1. A comprehensive curriculum vitae, including a full list of publications
  2. The names and contact details (i.e. addresses, e-mail, etc.) of three referees
  3. A research plan summarising research to be carried out in the next two years (2 pages max.)
  4. A teaching statement (summarising teaching experience and approach – 2 pages max.

Note:

  • Please note that ALL ESSENTIAL requirements MUST be met.
  • Candidates who do not address the application requirements above will not be considered at the short list stage.
  • Candidates should note that the interview process for this appointment may include the delivery of a presentation and may include a test of practical skills.

Please see the Job Description and application information below for this position.

Informal enquiries about this post should be made to Dr Eoin Mac Cárthaigh, Head of Irish and Celtic Languages (emaccart@tcd.ie).

Application queries about this post, please email Frederique Roy-Boulet royboulf@tcd.ie and include the Competition ID number in the subject heading.

*This position is a Tenure Track position which is 5-years in the first instance. Permanency is subject to satisfying the tenure requirements.

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Employment: Lecturer Medieval History, Oxford

Departmental Lecturer in Medieval History
Faculty of History
Oxford University

Closing date: 12.00 noon on Monday 18th July 2022.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the thriving Medieval History community in the Faculty, and to gain teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Although this is primarily a teaching role, you will also conduct independent research, assist in the running of the History School at Wadham College and play an active part in the interdisciplinary College community. The post is intended to cover teaching and administrative duties whilst Dr Matthew Kempshall is on leave. 

You will have research and teaching interests in Medieval History. You will be able to inspire and enthuse students and draw on your own research to inform and augment your teaching.

This is a full-time, fixed term post and is tenable from 1st October 2022 until 30th September 2023 (limited by external funding).

About you

You will hold a completed doctorate in a relevant field, or evidence that a doctorate is close to completion.  You will possess sufficient depth and breadth of knowledge, alongside research and teaching interests, in Medieval History which will enable you to develop course materials and research proposals.  You will have a publication record commensurate with career stage, and familiarity with the existing literature and research in the field of Medieval History.

You will be able to inspire and enthuse students and draw on your own research to inform and augment your teaching.

Application Process 

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Dr Matthew Kempshall at matthew.kempshall@wadham.ox.ac.uk; all practical and procedural queries should be sent to our recruitments team: recruitments@history.ox.ac.uk. All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence; they will not form part of the selection decision.

We expect to hold interviews on Monday 8th August 2022; overseas candidates will be offered Microsoft Teams interviews.

You will be required to complete a supporting statement, setting out how you meet the selection criteria, curriculum vitae and the names and contact details of two referees as part of your online application.

The deadline for applications is 12.00 noon on Monday 18th July 2022.

Only applications submitted via our e-recruitment system and received before noon Monday 18th July 2022 can be considered.

Committed to equality and valuing diversity

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Employment: Lecturer in Medieval Irish History, QUB

Lecturer in Medieval Irish History (c.400-c.1500)
School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy & Politics
Queen’s University Belfast

Closing date: 22 July 2022

Duration: Permanent
Hours: Full-time
Salary: £37,467 – £51,799 per annum

The School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics (HAPP) at Queen’s University Belfast, is currently seeking to appoint an exceptional candidate to the post of Lecturer in Medieval Irish History (c.400-c.1500). The successful applicant will undertake research in line with the School’s research strategy, to teach and supervise at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and to contribute to the School’s administration/outreach activity.

The successful candidate must have and your CV/Cover letter (or application form) should clearly demonstrate you have:

  • Primary or higher degree in History or cognate subject
  • PhD in History, or within 6 months of completion
  • Record of publication of high quality research outputs appropriate to stage of career
  • A research focus in medieval Irish history (c. 400-c. 1500)
  • Evidence of effective and innovative teaching at University level appropriate to stage of career, including successful design and delivery of modules
  • Evidence of ability to contribute to the teaching of survey modules including ‘The expansion of medieval Europe’, and to design and deliver specialist courses on the history of medieval Ireland.

Please note the above are not an exhaustive list.

Key Dates

Closing Date: 22/07/2022

Anticipated Interview Date: 11 & 12 August

Further Information

Informal enquiries may be directed to: Dr John Curran (john.curran@qub.ac.uk)

Information about the School can be found at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/happ/  

At Queen’s our people are at the heart of everything we do. As a staff member you will become part of a vibrant organisational culture, which will provide you with the opportunity to achieve your full potential and enhance your career through a continuous focus on learning and development.

We offer an excellent employment package that includes:

  • Great terms & conditions
  • Pension schemes
  • Flexible working by enabling you to design your working week in collaboration with your manager through a blend of remote and office working
  • Family-friendly initiatives
  • Career development opportunities
  • Support for health & mental wellbeing
  • Generous holiday entitlement of 8 weeks a year (made up of 23 days annual leave, 10 closure days and 9 bank holidays)

Further information on our attractive package can be found at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/HumanResources/pay-reward-and-benefits/

Queen’s University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We have created an inclusive culture by establishing staff networks such as iRise (Race) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality.

We also subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI in addition to Athena Swan. For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit: www.qub.ac.uk/diversityhttps://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/QueensGenderInitiative/ and www.qub.ac.uk/sites/StaffGateway/StaffNetworks/  

For further information about the role including the essential and desirable criteria please visit www.qub.ac.uk/jobs 

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News: Óenach Reviews 11 (2021-22)

We would like to thank Professor Clare Downham, Liverpool of University, who very kindly took on the role of Editor of Óenach Reviews in 2019. Clare edited three volumes; the contents of the latest issue may be found below. Clare is now passing the baton back to us (Carrie Griffin and Emer Purcell). As is evident from the range of books, subject matter, and reviewers detailed below, she is leaving our review journal in excellent shape. Many thanks to Clare for her hard work on each issue and behind the scenes.

Óenach Reviews 11 (2021-22)

1. Charlene M. Eska, A Raven’s Battle-Cry: The Limits of Judgment in the Medieval Irish Legal Tract Anfuigell. Medieval Law and its Practice 27. Leiden: Brill, 2019. Reviewed by Jaqueline Bemmer (pp. 1–4)

2. Margaret Coombe, Anne Mouron, and Christiania Whitehead (eds), Saints of North-East England, 600-1500. Medieval Church Studies 29. Brepols: Turnhout, 2017. Reviewed by Helen Birkett (pp. 5–8)

3. Matthias Toplak, Hanne Østhus, and Rudolf Simek (eds), Viking-Age Slavery. Vienna: Fassbaender, 2021. Reviewed by Christian Cooijmans (pp. 9–15)

4. Sabine Heidi Walther, Regina Jucknies, Judith Meurer-Bongardt, and Jens Eike Schnall (eds), Res, Artes et Religio: Essays in Honour of Rudolf Simek. Leeds: Kismet Press, 2021. Reviewed by James Davison (pp. 16–23)

5. Claire Fennell (ed.), A Middle English Statute-Book, part II: Tracts. Middle English Text 57. Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, 2019. Reviewed by Áine Foley (pp. 24–26)

6. Seán Duffy (ed.), Medieval Dublin XVII. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2019. Reviewed by Stephen Hewer (pp. 27–32)

7. Kathryn L. Smithies, Introducing the Medieval Ass. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2020. Reviewed by Gwendolyne Knight (pp. 33–38)

8. Stephen Morrison and Jean-Jacques Vincensini (eds), The Middle English Kynge Appolyn of Thyre. Middle English Texts 58. Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, 2020. Reviewed by Niamh Pattwell (pp. 39–44)

9. Oisín Plumb, Picts and Britons in the Early Medieval Irish Church: Travels West over the Storm-Swelled Sea. Turnhout: Brepols, 2020. Reviewed by Guto Rhys (pp. 45–52)

10. Francis Young, Athassel Priory and the Cult of St Edmund in medieval Ireland. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2020. Reviewed by Catherine Swift (pp. 53–60)

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CFP: Filologia Germanica 15 (2023)

Call for Submissions

Deadline for title/abstract: 15 April 2022

Deadline for paper: 31 December 2022):

‘ Meter and Rhythm in Medieval Germanic Texts’

FILOLOGIA GERMANICA – GERMANIC PHILOLOGY 15 (2023)

Volume 15 will focus on the themes of meter and rhythm in medieval Germanic texts. As Augustine already pointed out in De musica (3.2.4), although meter and rhythm can be considered to be constituents of medieval verse (ergo omnis versus est rhythmus et metrum), they do not always coincide (non omnis rhythmus etiam metrum). This very concept, reassessed in Beda’s definitions of meter as ratio cum modulatione and rhythm as modulatio sine ratione, finds a possible correlation in the Norse literary figures of the skáld and of the þulr, which are assumed to be differently associated with meter and rhythm, the former for being the holder of the art of versification, the latter for being a performer of mostly catalogue-like texts endowed with a rhythmicity suitable for easy memorization. A stimulating debate has recently arisen on the value and function of the alliterative meter and rhythm, taking up and updating the principles of Sieversian Germanic metrics on the basis of linguistic, literary and codicological theories (Kristján Árnason 1991, Russom 1998 and 2017 2004, Fulk 1992 and 2004, Bredehoft 2005, Bögl 2006, Neidorf et al. [Eds.] 2016, Weiskott 2016, Cornelius 2017, Hench – Estes 2018), rekindling the attention on the relationship between lyrics and music (Everist – Kelly [eds. ] 2018) and extending our gaze to rhyming poetry.

We invite you to submit contributions that fit into this perspective, in order to propose new evidence and / or stimulate a theoretical, linguistic and critical reflection on the nature and function of meter and rhythm in medieval Germanic texts. The volume will focus on different textual genres within poetry and prose production.

Scholars willing to contribute to this volume (which has a planned publication date of Autumn 2023) should send the following information and material to Letizia Vezzosi (letizia.vezzosi@unifi.it), by April 15th 2022:

–        name(s) of the author(s) and title of the essay;

–        a short abstract in Italian, English or German that should not exceed 2,500 characters (spaces included), except bibliography.

Further details available here.

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News: Research Prize, University of Santiago

The University of Santiago Institutional Chair of the Camino de Santiago and Pilgrimages has announced its annual competition for new research on the Camino de Santiago or on pilgrimages.

Applicants

Any researcher, from Spain or any another country, may submit a work completed in the calendar year 2020 and created by one individual or by a team of authors.  This includes doctoral dissertations which deal with the Camino de Santiago or Pilgrimage under any disciplinary lens, such as history, culture, geography, tourism studies…

A firm requirement for consideration by the jury will be that the work has not received any prior prize.  The monetary award (by wire transfer) is 1000€ accompanied by a certificate of recognition.  The prize will be shared equally if there are multiple winners.  The work may be in any language but requires a 1500-word summary in Galician, Spanish or English.

The application form, in Galician, is in the attached file.  For further assistance, contact the Cátedra Institucional do Camiño de Santiago e das Peregrinacións da USC catedra.caminodesantiago@usc.es.

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Event: Women Traveling, 8-10 June, 2021

Women traveling: Feminine experiences, narratives and writings about changing and diverse times and worlds
VIRTUAL SCIENTIFIC EVENT, June 8, 9 and 10, 2021

XIV Interdisciplinary Conference on Studies on Women
XI International Conference on Women in the Middle Ages
VI Colloquium on Bibliographic Update on Issues of the Female Universe

Women in the Middle Ages, to be held on June 8, 9 and 10, 2021 at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, virtual modality.

Programme available here

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Event: Fourth International Congress on the Camino de Santiago and Pilgrimages, 21-22 July 2021

With the goal of making available the research, promotional efforts and educational outlets of individuals, institutions and universities, within and beyond Spain’s borders, during this two-year Jacobean Holy Year, the “Fourth International Congress on the Camino de Santiago and Pilgrimages. Twenty-one Studies for the Holy Year” sponsored by the Univ. of Santiago de Compostela will take place.

In the course of two days university students and faculty, national and regional associations of Friends of the Camino, research centers, specialists in tourism and the general public are welcome to hear the results of 21 projects in diverse disciplinary fields, promotional initiatives and educational outlets.  All were funded last September by the Univ. of Santiago de Compostela, the Ministry of Tourism of the Autonomous Region of Galicia, and the Cathedral of Santiago under the aegis of the University’s Institutional Chair on the Camino de Santiago and Pilgrimages.

          In English

          In Galician

          In Spanish

Presentations in Spanish and Galician.  Fees: 60€ in person, 25€ on-line

https://www.catedradelcaminodesantiago.com/gal/ivcongreso.php

Address questions to Severine at catedracaminosantiago.21@trevisani.es

Miguel Taín Guzmán
Professor of Art History
Director of the Institutional University Chair “The Saint James Way and Pilgrimages” 
University of Santiago de Compostela

http://usc-es.academia.edu/MiguelTainGuzman

http://www.catedradelcaminodesantiago.com

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Event: Church Momuments Society Lectures 2021

Church Monuments Society
Lectures online via Zoom
Website: https://churchmonumentssociety.org/



10 April 2021 – 5pm GMT
Fine and Private Places: or, why study funerary monuments?
A general introduction to the study of funerary monuments by Dr Jean Wilson MBE FSA. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/143205997995

17 April 2021 – 5pm GMT
‘Reading’ Damage and Design in British and Irish Cadaver Sculptures
A talk discussing the history of these unusual Church monuments, by Dr Christina Welch, University of Winchester. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/144058935153

24 April 2021 – 5pm GMT
The Cross-Legged Effigy in Context: Myth and Legend
A talk about cross-legged effigies of medieval knights, by Mr Mark Downing, President of the Church Monuments Society. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/144062327299

01 May 2021 – 5pm GMT
A Dead Good Job: Gravedigging in Municipal Cemeteries
An in-depth talk about the role of gravediggers, by Dr Helen Frisby and Dr Stuart Prior. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/144059825817


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Event: WHAI Online Conference 2021

Women’s History Association of Ireland
Conference 2020/2021
Besieged bodies: Gendered violence, sexualities and motherhood
March 2021
Online Conference via Zoom

Day 1 WHAI Conference, 5 March 2021 features a medieval session in the morning and a medieval keynote in the evening:

Panel 2: 11.45-1.15pm

2. Pregnancy, motherhood and violence
Chair: Mary McAuliffe

Niamh Wycherley, ‘Gendered and sexual violence in early medieval Ireland’.
Elaine Pereira Farrell, ‘Pregnancy and Motherhood in early medieval Ireland’.
Áine Foley, ‘Ravished and taken by force: Rape and abduction in Ireland during the later medieval period’.

Keynote 5pm: Professor Ruth Karras (Trinity College Dublin):
Chair: Dr Elva Johnston (UCD)
‘Mutilation as Gendered Punishment: State Violence and Sexual Transgression in Medieval Europe’

Registration and further Details available here:
https://womenshistoryassociation.com/whai-conference-2020-2021/

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News: Óenach Reviews 10 (2019-2020)

Our most recent issue of Óenach features the following review:

Rachel Moss, Felicity O’Mahony and Jane Maxwell (eds), An Insular Odyssey. Manuscript Culture in Early Christian Ireland and Beyond. Reviewed by Deborah Hayden (pp. 14–20)

The editors of this volume are to be congratulated for producing a varied and wide-ranging, but also cohesive and rigorous, collection of essays that pay fitting tribute to the scholarship of Bernard Meehan and the work of the TCD Early Irish Manuscripts project. The book will be of interest to a broad audience of academics specialising in various aspects of early and later medieval Irish manuscript culture, the history of liturgy, missionary activity, and the transmission of ideas between the Insular world and centres of learning on the European continent. In addition, however, it is also a valuable and accessible resource for members of the wider public who wish to explore in more depth some of the most famous manuscript treasures held in the library of Trinity Dublin.

An Insular Odyssey is currently available half-price from Four Courts Press:
https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2017/insular-odyssey/

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News: NUI Publication Prizes for Irish History

Irish Historical Research Prize

The Irish Historical Research Prize is offered in alternate years for the best new work of historical research with a significant Irish dimension, which must have been published for the first time, by a graduate of the National University of Ireland. The work, which should be substantial, must be of an original character indicating direct research in historical records. Works previously entered for the Prize are not eligible for consideration.

The Application Form, Regulations, and FAQs are available from http://www.nui.ie/awards/PublicationPrizesGrants/default.asp
The deadline for applications is Friday, 9 April 2021

NUI Publication Prize in Irish History

The NUI Publication Prize in Irish History, first introduced as an NUI Centennial Award in 2008, is offered for competition in alternate years to graduates of the National University of Ireland of doctoral status. Works eligible to be considered for the Prize must be published as a first sole author book following the conferral of a doctoral degree. The work, which should be substantial, must be of an original character indicating direct research in historical records.

The Application Form, Regulations, and FAQs are available from http://www.nui.ie/awards/PublicationPrizesGrants/default.asp
The deadline for applications is Friday, 9 April 2021.

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NEWS: NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentships 2021

NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentships
Deadline for applications 12 March 2021

The NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentship Scheme is one of the University’s longest running competitions and has been in existence since 1910. Funded by the University from its own resources, it continues an earlier scheme established by the Royal University of Ireland, which preceded NUI.

The NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentship Scheme has as its main objectives:

  1. to encourage the most able students in the NUI federal system to pursue research;
  2. to enable these students to undertake postgraduate research abroad, in the most reputable universities, towards a doctoral degree, or
  3. to enable students registered in NUI institutions participating in international partnerships to undertake substantial research periods overseas as part of their doctoral studies;
  4. to attract these scholars back to enrich the learning community within NUI.

In 2021, the maximum value of a full Travelling Doctoral Studentship will be €24,000 per annum to include a stipend of €16,000 and a contribution towards fees of up to €8,000, where appropriate.

The competition for the Travelling Doctoral Studentships in the Humanities & Social Sciences and the Travelling Doctoral Studentships in the Sciences are now open.

NUI is aware of the impact that the COVID-19 emergency is having on academic life both in Ireland and internationally. NUI is committed to providing ongoing funding and support to its awards recipients at this challenging time, and understands that travel plans may be amended during or after the application process.

The deadline for applications is Friday, 12 March 2021.

Further details available: http://www.nui.ie/awards/TravellingDoctoralStudentships/default.asp

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News: Óenach Reviews 10 (2019-20)

Óenach Reviews 10 (2019-20)
Edited by Dr Clare Downham

FMRSI is pleased to announce the publication of the latest issue of our review journal, Óenach.
Edited by Dr Clare Downham, Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool.

1. Laura Cleaver, Education in Twelfth-Century Art and Architecture: Images of Learning in Europe, c. 1100-1220. Reviewed by Róisín Astell(pp. 1–7)

2. Mark Hagger, Norman Rule in Normandy, 911-1144. Reviewed by Katherine Cross(pp. 7–13)

3. Rachel Moss, Felicity O’Mahony and Jane Maxwell (eds), An Insular Odyssey. Manuscript Culture in Early Christian Ireland and Beyond. Reviewed by Deborah Hayden(pp. 14–20)

4. Niamh Wycherley, The Cult of Relics in Early Medieval Ireland. Reviewed by Shane Lordan(pp. 21–25)

5. Geraint Evans and Helen Fulton (eds), The Cambridge History of Welsh Literature. Reviewed by Sara Elin Roberts(pp. 26–35)

6. Michael W. Herren and Shirley Ann Brown, Christ in Celtic Christianity: Britain and Ireland from the Fifth to the Tenth Century. Reviewed by Kevin G. Smith(pp. 36–39)

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Event: James Ford Lectures 2021

The James Ford Lectures in Hilary Term 2021

Ireland, empire, and the early modern world

Jane Ohlmeyer

(Trinity College Dublin)

Frontispiece in Sir James Ware, Equitis Aurati de Hibernia and Antiquitatibus ejus, Disquisitiones (London, 1658)

The illustration depicts Hibernia as both shepherdess and huntress, with bees – the symbols of industry and colonization – circling her head and Irish wolfhounds at her side.  This, and the accompanying contrasts between the wild forests and the cultivated arable and pastoral lands represents many of the themes that are explored in these lectures which re-examine Ireland’s role in empire through the lens of early modernity. The focus will be on Ireland and the First English Empire (c.1550-1770s) but it is critical, where possible and appropriate, to look to other European and global empires for meaningful comparisons and contrasts.  These lectures draw on a wide range of written, visual, and archaeological sources while works of poetry, prose, and performance help to recapture emotions and more nuanced senses of identity. 

Four interconnected themes underpin the series. First, as England’s first colony, Ireland formed an integral part of the English imperial system. Second, as well as being colonised the Irish operated as active colonists in the English and other European empires. Third, the extent to which Ireland served as laboratory for empire in India and the Atlantic world is analysed.  Finally, the impact empire had on the material and mental worlds of people living in early modern Ireland is examined alongside how these years are remembered today.

Registration and further details: https://www.history.ox.ac.uk/james-ford-lectures-british-history

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News: Óenach: Reviews 9 (2017-18)

Delighted to announce the publication of the latest volume of our review journal, Óenach.

Óenach is edited by Dr Ann Buckley and as previously announced Dr Clare Downham, Institute of Irish Studies, has joined the editorial team. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Clare again.

Óenach Reviews 9 (2017-18)

1. T. Atkin and F. Leneghan (eds), The Psalms and Medieval English Literature: From the Conversion to the Reformation. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2017. Reviewed by Christine Rauer (pp. 1–4)

2. Marian Bleeke, Motherhood and Meaning in Medieval Sculpture. Representations from France, c. 1100-1500. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2017. Reviewed by Gabrielle Storey (pp. 5–7)

3. Ann Buckley (ed.), Music, Liturgy, and the Veneration of Saints of the Medieval Irish Church in a European Context. Ritus et Artes, 8. Turnhout: Brepols, 2017. Reviewed by Charles Doherty (pp. 8–25)

4. Peter Crooks and Seán Duffy (eds), The Geraldines and Medieval Ireland: The Making of a Myth. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2017. Reviewed by Simon Egan (pp. 26–32)

5. Charles Doherty and Jan Erik Rekdal (eds), Kings and Warriors in Early North-West Europe. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2016. Reviewed by John Tighe (pp. 33–39)

6. Seán Duffy (ed.), Medieval Dublin xvi: Proceedings of Clontarf 1014–2014: National Conference Marking the Millennium of the Battle of Clontarf. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2017. Reviewed by Stephen Hewer (pp. 40–49)

7. Roy Flechner & Sven Meeder (eds), The Irish in Early Medieval Europe. Identity, Culture and Religion. London: Palgrave, 2016. Reviewed by Ali Bonner (pp. 50–56)

8. Eric Haywood, Fabulous Ireland — Ibernia Fabulosa: Imagining Ireland in Renaissance Italy. Bern: Peter Lang, 2014. Reviewed by Caoimhe Whelan (pp. 57–64)

9. Georgia Henley and A. Joseph McMullen (edd), Gerald of Wales: New Perspectives on a Medieval Writer and Critic (University of Wales Press: Cardiff, 2018). Reviewed by Sparky Booker (pp. 65–73)

10. Elva Johnston, Literacy and Identity in Early Medieval Ireland, Studies in Celtic History 33. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2013. Reviewed by Patrick Wadden (pp. 74–78)

11.  Andrew King and Matthew Woodcock (eds), Medieval into Renaissance: Essays for Helen Cooper. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2016. Reviewed by Caoimhe Whelan (pp. 79–86)

12.  Henning Laugerud, Salvador Ryan and Laura Katrine Skinnebach (eds), The Materiality of Devotion in Late Medieval Northern Europe: Images, Objects and Practices, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2016. Reviewed by Andrew George Foster (pp. 87–94)

13. Peter J. Lucas & Angela M. Lucas, The Medieval Manuscripts at Maynooth: Explorations in the Unknown (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2014). Reviewed by Áine Foley (pp. 95–97)

14.  Lynette Olson (ed.), St Samson of Dol and the Earliest History of Brittany, Cornwall and Wales. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2017. Reviewed by Elysée Yhuel (pp. 98–103)

15.  Jerry Root, The Theophilus Legend in Medieval Text and Image. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2017. Reviewed by Marie Charbonnel (pp. 104–108)

 

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Event: Making Sense of Song in Anglo-Saxon England, Online Lecture, 24 April 2020, 4pm GMT

FORUM FOR MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE STUDIES IN IRELAND

Online Lecture

This event provides an opportunity to gather virtually across the globe, owing to the cancellation of the FMRSI conference on ‘Hearing and Auditory Perception’ on 24-25 April at Trinity College Dublin. Dr Barrett was to give one of the keynote lectures on that occasion, and has now kindly offered to present it online. There will be an opportunity for Q&A after the lecture, followed by an informal ‘meeting’, both of which will be accessible to all participants.

Please note: Registration is essential. 

Only registered attendees will be sent a link to the Zoom event which is kindly facilitated by the Medieval History Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin.

For enquiries, please email: medrenforum@gmail.com

For ongoing updates about the postponed 2020 Conference, see our website: http://www.fmrsi.wordpress.com

ABSTRACT

‘Making Sense of Song in Anglo-Saxon England’

Dr Sam Barrett, University of Cambridge

What did it mean to listen to song in Anglo-Saxon England? When so little is known about the singing of early medieval poetry beyond the liturgical round, any attempt to answer to this question might seem premature. It is argued in this paper that a significant source of information about the place of song in histories of listening, emotion and musical cognition has been overlooked. Glosses added to Anglo-Saxon copies of Boethius’ De consolatione philosophiae contain insightful commentary on the songs that play a central role in the unfolding dialogue. These glosses will be investigated along two axes. The Latin commentary on key passages is compared with continental traditions from the ninth to eleventh centuries. Insular Latin glosses are then compared with Anglo-Saxon translations of the De consolatione philosophiae. What emerges are evaluations of singing and listening that differ significantly between Anglo-Saxon and continental traditions. Most importantly, the distinctive formulations provided in the insular glosses and Anglo-Saxon translations align with the findings of recent studies of Anglo-Saxon psychology by Leslie Lockett and Britt Mize. Interpretation of key terms in the light of models of cognition recently traced by literary scholars opens up a broader context for understanding how sense was made of song in Anglo-Saxon England. A final example, announcing a previously unknown notation for Philosophia’s opening lament, demonstrates in practical terms what it meant for a melody ‘to come to mind’ in Anglo-Saxon England.

Sam Barrett is Reader in Early Medieval Music as the University of Cambridge and Fellow at Pembroke College. He is a specialist in early medieval music with a particular interest in Latin song and issues in notation, transmission and performance. His work within medieval music is driven by an interest in song, especially in the way it crosses boundaries between text and music, writing and orality, and memory and performance. These interests have focussed on arguably the earliest surviving layer of the Western European lyric tradition, namely the music of the late antique and early medieval Latin lyric, in relation to which he has identified new notated sources and developed analytical techniques for assessing a musical tradition previously presumed to lie beyond detailed commentary.

Dr Barrett has extended his scholarly work through collaboration with the Sequentia ensemble over the last five years, resulting in contributions to several concert programmes, and a recording titled Boethius: Songs of Consolation – Metra from 11th-century Canterbury (Glossa, 2018). His latest performing edition of songs reconstructed in conjunction with members of Sequentia from the mid-eleventh century Cambridge Songs manuscript is freely available on the project website: https://boethius.mus.cam.ac.uk/reconstructing-songs-boethius

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NEWS:NUI Grant Scheme for Early Career Academics (Pilot Phase II)

NUI Grant Scheme for Early Career Academics (Pilot Phase II)

Closing Date Extended to 17 April 2020
(Given Covid19 situation, please check NUI website for updates)

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