The First Chris Williams Memorial Colloquium on Ireland and Wales
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The School of History at 深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork is pleased to host the First Chris Williams Memorial Colloquium on Ireland and Wales, an initiative of the School of History and the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd November 2025 (O鈥橰ahilly Building, Room G27).
This year鈥檚 theme, Gerald of Wales: Identity, Afterlives and Wonders, brings together scholars exploring the many dimensions of the twelfth-century Cambro-Norman cleric and writer Giraldus Cambrensis (c. 1146鈥�1223). Gerald鈥檚 connection to Ireland lies in his family鈥檚 central role in the Anglo-Norman invasion and settlement of the country, and his writings on Ireland, namely the Expugnatio Hibernica and Topographia Hibernica.
Among the event鈥檚 contributors are UCC historians Dr Hiram Morgan and Dr Diarmuid Scully, who have written on Gerald of Wales and his influence. Their publications, including Dr Scully鈥檚 article 鈥楾he Remonstrance of Irish Princes, 1317鈥� (History Ireland, 2013) and Dr Morgan鈥檚 recent piece 鈥樷�� (RTE Brainstorm, 2025), represent just a sample of the type of research that will be presented.
The event will commence on Friday, 21st November, at 12:00pm with a keynote address by Professor Huw Pyrce (Professor Emeritus, Bangor 深夜亚洲福利久久). All who knew or worked with Professor Chris Williams are especially welcome to attend. The keynote will be followed by a light lunch in the social area near ORB G27, giving attendees the opportunity to connect and remember Chris.
The full programme is available below. Admission is free. For queries, please contact Dr Natasha Dukelow (ndukelow@ucc.ie)
Organisers: Dr Natasha Dukelow, Dr Hiram Morgan and Dr Diarmuid Scully (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
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Friday 21st November
(Venue: Room G27, O鈥橰ahilly Building)
12:00鈥�13:00: Keynote Address 鈥� Professor Huw Pryce (Professor Emeritus at Bangor 深夜亚洲福利久久)
'The Significance of the Environment in Gerald's Writings on Ireland and Wales'
Light Lunch Provided 鈥� ORB Social Area (near G27)
Session 1: 14:00 鈥� 15:00
14:00鈥�14:30
鈥楾he One vs the Many: Descriptions of Irish Individuals and Groups in the Works of Gerald of Wales鈥�
Dr Daryl Hendley Rooney (Deputy Curator, Little Museum of Dublin)
14:30鈥�15:00
鈥楪erald of Wales, Martyrdom and the 鈥淏ecket Problem鈥� in Twelfth-Century Britain and Ireland鈥�
Dr Jesse Harrington (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies)
Session 2: 15:30鈥�17:00
15:30鈥�16:00
鈥業reland in Gerald of Wales鈥檚 Gemma Ecclesiastica'
Dr Natasha Dukelow (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
16:00鈥�16:30
鈥楪erald and the Irish Church: Literate Barbarians and Failed Pastors鈥�
Dr Damian Bracken (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
16:30鈥�17:00
鈥楤ede鈥檚 Presence and Absence in Gerald of Wales鈥� Topographica Hiberniae鈥�
Dr Diarmuid Scully (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
Saturday 22nd November
(Venue: Room G27, O鈥橰ahilly Building)
Session 1: 10:00鈥�11:00
10:00鈥�10:30
鈥楪erald, Merlin and Welsh Prophecy鈥�
Dr Ben Guy (深夜亚洲福利久久 of Cambridge)
10:30鈥�11:00
鈥楢n Apology for Gerald鈥� [presenting online]
Professor Thomas Charles-Edwards (深夜亚洲福利久久 of Oxford)
Session 2: 11:30鈥�13:00
11:30鈥�12:00
鈥楾he Pen and the Sword: Gerald of Wales, Meiler fitz Henry, and Welsh Marcher Political Fortunes in Angevin Ireland鈥�
Nicholas Scollard (Independent Scholar)
12:00鈥�12:30
鈥楩rom Pembrokeshire to Cork: Gerald鈥檚 Colonial Shadow鈥�
Dr Caoimhe Whelan (深夜亚洲福利久久 of Glasgow)
12:30鈥�13:00
鈥楶eripherality and Treachery: Comparing Gerald of Wales鈥� and Henry of Livonia鈥檚 Colonial Representations of Ireland and the Baltic鈥�
Richard Keyes McDonnell (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
Session 3: 14:00鈥�15:30
14:00鈥�14:30
鈥楽ilvester Giraldus: Seventeenth-Century Irish Attacks on Gerald鈥檚 Character鈥�
Dr Jason Harris (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
14:30鈥�15:00
鈥楻efuting Cambrensis in the Seventeenth-Century Historical Narratives: Some Epistemological Observations鈥� [presenting online]
Dr Feliks Levin (Aarhus 深夜亚洲福利久久)
15:00鈥�15:30
鈥楬ooker, Hanmer and Boate: Protestant uses of Giraldus Cambrensis in the Early Modern Conquest of Ireland鈥�
Dr Hiram Morgan (深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork)
15:30 Closing Remarks
Professor Anti Selart (深夜亚洲福利久久 of Tartu)
'Concluding Thoughts from a Baltic Perspective'
For more on this story contact:
Dr Natasha Dukelow (ndukelow@ucc.ie)