Seamus Heaney Lectures 2008/2009

The first two lectures in the current Seamus Heaney Lecture Series were very successful with large attendances for both lectures. The series opened with inputs from Rosaleen McDonagh, Amel Yacef, Kathleen O’Neill and Dr Livingstone Thompson in the first lecture on 20 October which was chaired by Dr. Pauric Travers, President of St. Patrick’s College. Each speaker discussed the problematics of negotiating and experiencing marginally positioned identities in contemporary Ireland from their unique and diverse perspectives. The insights that they gave made a significant contribution to the debate in this area.

The second lecture was delivered by Professor Jim Cummins of the University of Toronto who is a renowned authority on the area of applied linguistics.

Jim critically examined the international research evidence on effective policies and pedagogies for minority ethnic and minority language students. He offered a penetrative insight into present policies in Ireland and posed many challenges for the future among which was his description of ‘inspirational pedagogy’.

The series continues on Monday 1 December with inputs from Professor Mary Hickman and Dr. Abel Ugba in a lecture entitled Irish Migrant Experiences and Diasporic Identities. An audio recording of the first two lectures will also be available on the website shortly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Thursday February 26 2009