News & Events
22 Apr 2026
Death Rituals and Death Technologies: Questioning the Old and the New Symposium at University College Cork, 28-29 May 2026.
Death is the great unifying force for all life — human and non-human. Death shapes our experiences of life as it signals materially and culturally that our existence is finite. In response, human societies have developed complex death, disposal, and mourning rituals over millennia to cope with the temporal reality of death and the corpse it is represented by. However, we are living in a time of flux — environmental degradation, economic precarity, and migrating populations are all upending how we respond to and subsequently ritualise death and the dead body. So-called ‘new’ death technologies such as pyro- and hydro-cremation, body composting, eco burial, and cryopreservation are disrupting traditional concepts of deathly rituals. In the traditional narrative of society’s unilineal development, the role of ritual and history is framed as being antithetical to these new technologies (and vice-versa). This symposium disrupts this notion. Its aim is to locate the emerging rituals that come with new death technologies, as well as consider the unique value that new death technologies can bring to old rituals.
Read more
25 Mar 2026
UCC English Ranked 82nd in 2026 QS World University Rankings
We are delighted to share that English Language and Literature at University College Cork has been ranked 82nd in the world in the newly released 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject. This outstanding result places English among UCC’s top-performing subjects globally and reflects the continued excellence of our teaching, research, and international reputation. The QS World Rankings assess more than 6,000 institutions worldwide, drawing on indicators such as academic reputation, employer recognition, and research impact. To be positioned within the Top 100 globally is a significant accomplishment for our School and confirms the strength and visibility of English at UCC on the world stage. This year’s ranking also highlights the sustained commitment of our academic and administrative colleagues who contribute to this process annually. Congratulations to all colleagues in English—this global recognition is a testament to your dedication and excellence.
Read more
25 Mar 2026
Dr Heather Laird has been invited to contribute to a symposium on Land and Literature that will be held in Yale University on 27 March.
IWS & 20th/21st Century Colloquium:Land and LiteratureMarch 274:00pmLC 319 Please join the 20th/21st Century Colloquium and the Irish Worlds Seminar on March 27th at 4PM in LC319, where we will hear talks from Professor Heather Laird (Senior Lecturer in English, University College Cork) and Suvij Sudershan (PhD Candidate, Yale University) on the topic of Land and Irish Literature.
Read more
20 Mar 2026
3rd Symposium on Digital Art in Ireland
Registration is now open for the 3rd Symposium on Digital Art in Ireland. The symposium is a collaboration between Sample-Studios and University College Cork’s Department of Digital Humanities and Future Humanities Institute. Thanks to Sample-Studios Digital Art Partner Matheson and to the Arts Council of Ireland for their generous support.
Read more
School of English and Digital Humanities
Scoil an Bhéarla agus Ealaíona Digiteacha
Contact us
O'Rahilly Building, University College Cork, Cork. Ireland,