- English
- About the Department
- People
- Study
- Research
- News
- Media Gallery
- School Welcome Event 2016
- Edmund Spenser in Cork - School of English UCC
- Mary Breen: Pride and Prejudice
- MA in Irish Writing and Film
- Ann Coughlan: The Irish Influence on America's Greatest Abolitionist
- MA in Modernities: Romanticism, Modernism, Postmodernism
- MA in American Literature and Film
- MA in English Texts and Contexts: Medieval to Renaissance
- PhD in English
- Prof. Claire Connolly
- Tonio Colona - PhD in the School of English, UCC
- Prof Patricia Coughlan
- Mike Waldron - PhD in the School of English
- Ken Rooney and Heather Laird Book Launch
- School Welcome Event September 2014
- Contemporary American Trauma Narratives Book Launch
- Staged Transgressions in Shakespeare's England
- Seamus Heaney Memorial Event September 2013
- Creative Writing
- Current Students
- Student Achievements
- Research Seminar Series, Autumn 2024
- Digital Humanities
- Creative Writing
News
Celebrating Shakespeare 400: Performing Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Staged Reading in the Unitarian Church, Prince's St., Cork. 14th November, at 6pm
This year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and commemorations have been taking place around the world to mark the occasion. UCC will make a unique contribution to this commemorative programme through the “Celebrating Shakespeare 400: Performing Pericles, Prince of Tyre” project. Funded by the Irish Research Council New Foundations scheme, the project comprises a public staged reading of Shakespeare’s Pericles (c.1606) and a symposium exploring this critically-neglected play. Notably, as far as records can determine, the play reading will be only the second ever performance of Pericles in Ireland and the first in Munster.
Led by Dr Edel Semple, Lecturer in Shakespeare Studies in UCC’s School of English, the project involves actors from UCC’s Drama and Theatre Studies and the LittleShoes Productions drama group, as well as scholars from UCC, the UK, Switzerland, and USA. The play reading is directed by Sinéad Dunphy, a UCC graduate and Festival Manager of the Cork International Choral Festival. The staged reading is a free but ticketed event and takes place on Monday 14th at 6pm in the Unitarian Church, Princes Street. The symposium exploring the play’s sources and critical and performance history, will take place on Tuesday 15th November in UCC, and will conclude with a special public lecture by Dr. Peter Kirwan (University of Nottingham).
Dr Semple, the project leader, noted that: “Although unfamiliar to modern audiences, Pericles was hugely popular in Shakespeare’s day. The play is simply a great story that offers something for everyone – the adventures of a young prince, a brave heroine, shipwrecks, pirates, true love, magic! I’ve long been a fan of Pericles and I’m delighted that we can introduce the play to a new audience.”
Overall, through the staged reading and symposium, “Celebrating Shakespeare 400: Performing Pericles, Prince of Tyre” will explore and enhance our understanding of Shakespeare, introduce his drama to new audiences, and will make a distinctive contribution to the year-long global celebrations of Shakespeare’s life and work in 2016. For further info, please see the School of English website and social media, and for queries contact Dr Edel Semple (email e.semple@ucc.ie).
Tickets for staged reading of Pericles on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/shakespeares-pericles-prince-of-tyre-staged-reading-in-cork-tickets-29120580440?aff=es2
Detailed masterclass/symposium schedule (see event listed for 14-15th Nov.): https://www.ucc.ie/en/cacsss/grads/current_pastgrads/trainingmodules/pg7004/