11:00 AM, 03 Feb 2020 - 0:00 PM, 03 Feb 2020, WW7, Main Quad

Poles in UCC after the Second World War

"They have been made to feel at home, and a homeless person can pay no higher compliment to his hosts than to say that."

Poles in UCC after the Second World War

In the first years after WWII, thousands of Poles who were refugees in Britain were transferring from army to civilian life.  They were pilots, who fought in the Battle of Britain, Polish Army soldiers and other political refugees and their families.  In 1945 Professor Alfred O'Rahilly offered places in UCC to a group of Polish students as he felt compelled to help them: "I think we should do all in our power to help, as the British nor the Americans are likely to do anything for these people."

Speaker Bio:

Dr Bozena Cierlik is a lecturer in the School of History, UCC.  Her area of speciality is Modern Polish history and East Central European history.  She closely coperates with organisations supporting integration and inclusion of Polish emigrant community in Cork and Ireland.  She is a recipient of the Polish President award "Outstanding Polish Person in Ireland". She was an EC expert evaluator in Framework Programmes - Challenges of EU enlargement; Access to digital collections of cultural and scientific content, and User-Centred design.

Free - all welcome. Organised by USWG

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