Conference – Ireland, Wales, and the First World War: History, Myth, and Cultural Memory

I am involved in the organisation of the above conference, which is taking place at Cardiff University early next month. There are still places left to attend the conference and we are keen to attract delegates from a wide range of institutions and organisations.

We wondered if the conference might be of interest to some your members. If so, would it be possible to circulate the information below and the attached programme to them please? There is a charge to attend the conference, but it is possible to book to attend the opening lecture for free.

Elinor Shepley
PhD Student and Postgraduate Tutor
School of English, Communication and Philosophy
Cardiff University


Ireland, Wales, and the First World War: History, Myth, and Cultural Memory

An Interdisciplinary Conference hosted by the Wales-Ireland Research Network

September 10-12, 2014, Cardiff University

2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War (1914—1918) and events are already being held to commemorate the United Kingdom’s experience of the War. Yet such commemoration is never straightforward or uncontested. The cultural memory of the lives lost in the war has itself been a continuing source of conflict and debate.

While many of the commemorative events of 2014 will focus on a centralised, British view of the war, this interdisciplinary conference will offer an opportunity to examine the war from distinctively Welsh and/or Irish perspectives, focusing attention on the ways in which cultural memories, memorials, and mythologies are constructed in contested national contexts.

We are delighted that the opening of the conference will be marked by a special guest lecture from His Excellency Dr. Daniel Mulhall, Ireland’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Dr. Mulhall will be delivering his lecture ‘Secret Scripture: Two Irish war poets, Thomas Kettle and Francis Ledwidge’ at the start of the conference on Wednesday 10th September at 5.30pm.

Entry to this lecture is free, but attendance at the conference is charged.

Keynote Speakers

* Dr Paul O’Leary (Aberystwyth University): ‘The Flower of the Dark: Joseph Keating Writes the Great War’

* Professor Sir Deian Hopkin (President, National Library of Wales): History and Myth: Remembering the First World War in Wales

* Dr Mary-Ann Constantine (Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies): ‘Robert Graves, Wales, Ireland and War’

The full programme is here – Ireland, Wales, and the First World War: History, Myth, and Cultural Memory.

For further information, to register for Dr. Mulhall’s lecture, or to book a conference place, please contact the conference organisers at: ireland-wales@cf.ac.uk

Or visit: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/encap/newsandevents/events/conferences/irelandwales/index.html

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