This talk will examine the relationship between VR media and the “body genre” of melodrama, so-called by film theorists (Clover, 1987; Williams, 1991) for its tendency to elicit tears from audiences, ones generally assumed to be female. Gender is central to critical responses to film melodrama, yet it is often an under-theorised element of research into VR and other immersive technologies. In line with this, while there is already a growing body of literature on virtual reality horror and pornography, both also classified as body genres, research into the melodramatic nature of various VR experiences has so far gone unexamined. In this talk, I aim to go beyond simplistic classifications of melodramas as “tearjerkers” to examine how their often-gendered melancholic affect relates to contemporary discourse around VR’s emotive and empathetic potential (e.g. Herson, 2016; Mitchell, 2017; Bollmer, 2017).

The Film Artist in Residence role, based in the School of Film, Music and Theatre, is jointly funded by the Arts Council and UCC and is now celebrating 11 years of successful residencies. The scheme is designed to provide a film artist of distinction with a unique opportunity to develop their practice in a university environment, while offering students and staff of Film & Screen Media the opportunity to engage with a practising artist in a meaningful way during the course of their studies.

Dr. Síle Denvir, renowned singer, harpist, and scholar, will deliver this year’s Seán Ó Riada Memorial Lecture at UCC. A lecturer in Irish at Dublin City University, Síle’s work bridges the worlds of traditional music, language, and culture. A native of Conamara and founding member of the acclaimed group Líadan, she is celebrated for her contributions to Irish traditional music and her insightful scholarship. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of Ireland’s leading cultural voices.

Fandango Duo: A Journey Through Sound

Formed by two of Ireland's most exciting and versatile guitarists, David Keating and Colin McLean, Fandango Duo is an electrifying instrumental guitar duo that weaves together influences from Latin, jazz, classical, and pop music. Drawing inspiration from their travels and concerts across the globe, David and Colin create dynamic soundscapes that tell compelling stories through their music.

ghOstMiSt performs “Shadows of Migrants”

ghOstMiSt* comprises of Dewa Ayu Eka Putri (dance) and Putu Tangkas Adi Hiranmayena (music) performing reflexive improvisation of Balinese arts. Using Balinese gamelan, effects pedals, and experimental traditions of dance, this piece interrogates the repercussions of growing neo-colonial settlements and digital nomad culture in Bali, Indonesia. That which casts shadows of cultural stereotypes imposed on Balinese bodies. The opacity of active idealism hides in the transparency of social commotion. ghOstMiSt lives in the contradictions of identity but fights for epistemic justice.

*capitalizations of OMS denote various manifestations of cosmological greeting.

Title: “Dordán”

In 2012, Quiet Music Ensemble commissioned a work from one of Ireland’s most radical contemporary composers, Jennifer Walshe. The resulting piece, Dordán, was premiered at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2013. In 2022, QME recorded the piece and commissioned renowned Irish experimental film maker Maximilian Le Cain to create a film version. This was not to be a documentation of a performance, but an artwork in its own right: the film was released by Diatribe Recordings in November 2024. In this Seminar, John Godfrey, artistic director of QME, and Maximilian Le Cain discuss the ensemble for which the piece was composed, the composition and the film.

FUAIM Music at UCC is thrilled to announce the Spring 2025 series of Friday lunchtime concerts, which once again brings an eclectic mix of musical talent to the heart of campus. Featuring a diverse array of performers, this season offers something for everyone. As always, all performances begin at 1:10pm and are open to the public and free of charge. We hope you can join us each week for a perfect Friday midday musical escape!

“an unnecessary stain on silence”

Founded in 2024, entr’acte comprises four of Cork city's most exciting artists: John Godfrey (musician, UCC Department of Music, Quiet Music Ensemble, Icebreaker, Crash Ensemble), Irene Murphy (Sound Artist, Strange Attractor, Domestic Godless, Cork Artists Collective, The Guesthouse), Mick O’ Shea (Sound Artist, Quiet Club, Strange Attractor, Domestic Godless, The Guesthouse) and Karen Power (composer/sound artist, creative field recordist, DAAD award winner, Natural Creators).

Contemporary jazz quintet

A successor to the celebrated ensemble, CEO Experiment, the band co-led by pianist Leopoldo Osio that brought a refreshing new voice to the Irish music scene nearly a decade ago and collaborated with influential American guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel at the peak of their work, Next Experiment is an impressive ensemble of musicians from around the world gathered by pianist and composer Leopoldo Osio – featuring his long-time collaborator, Irish-based bassist Peter Erdei from Hungary, Argentinian saxophonist Gianni Gagliardi, Spanish drummer Gonzalo del Val, and the exceptionally-talented Cork-based trombonist Paul Dunlea.

This paper will demonstrate how operations relating to land ownership and management are problematically informed by patriarchal ideological discourses, which have endured in Ireland for centuries and have been variously co-opted by both colonial powers and the Irish State.