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University College Cork hosts inaugural Chris Williams Memorial Colloquium
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- Leading researchers to explore the legacy and impact of Gerald of Wales.
- The colloquium will honour Professor Chris Williams and his outstanding contributions to historical scholarship.
University College Cork will host the first Chris Williams Memorial Colloquium on Ireland and Wales on 21–22 November 2025. The event, Gerald of Wales: Identity, Afterlives and Wonders, brings together leading scholars to explore the life, legacy and far-reaching influence of Gerald of Wales from the twelfth-century to today.
Gerald’s connection to Ireland stems from his family’s prominent role in the Anglo-Norman invasion and settlement of the country, as well as his extensive writings on Ireland, including the Expugnatio Hibernica and Topographia Hibernica.
The colloquium honours Professor Chris Williams, former Head of UCC’s College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. A historian of international standing, his career spanned Cardiff University, the University of Glamorgan, Swansea University and UCC. Known for his steady leadership, generous collaboration and influential work on political cartoons and modern Welsh and British history, he leaves a legacy that continues to shape scholarship in these fields.
The colloquium will open with a keynote address from Professor Huw Pryce, Professor Emeritus at Bangor University, whose work has shaped the study of medieval Wales and of Welsh history more generally. Professor Pryce’s keynote will explore the significance of the environment in Gerald's writings on Ireland and Wales.
Speakers will include Dr Diarmuid Scully, Dr Natasha Dukelow and Dr Damian Bracken (University College Cork); Dr Daryl Hendley Rooney (Little Museum of Dublin); Dr Jesse Harrington (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies); Dr Ben Guy (University of Cambridge) and Dr Caoimhe Whelan (University of Glasgow). Professor Anti Selart (University of Tartu) will deliver the closing keynote address
Dr Hiram Morgan, Head of UCC School of History, UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, said: “This colloquium is a meaningful moment for all of us at UCC. It celebrates the depth of scholarship that defined Chris’s career while bringing together researchers who are advancing the conversations he deeply cared about. Honouring his legacy in this way reminds us of the value of thoughtful inquiry, open dialogue and the close connections between Ireland and Wales that his work highlights.”
“I’d encourage students and scholars from diverse disciplines to join us for this event. Gerald of Wales’ writings touch on history, literature, language, identity and the politics of cultural exchange, and the conversations sparked here have the potential to open new avenues of collaboration. It’s a chance to engage with fresh research, connect across fields and contribute to a wider understanding of the ties between Ireland and Wales. The event will also be a timely engagement by UCC in the lead-up to the widely-advertised ‘European Year of the Normans’,” Dr Morgan said.
The colloquium is organised by Dr Natasha Dukelow, Dr Hiram Morgan and Dr Diarmuid Scully, UCC School of History.
Admission is free. View the full programme and register on the colloquium website.