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Ireland, Wales, and the First World War: History, Myth, and Cultural Memory
Ireland, Wales, and the First World War: History, Myth, and Cultural Memory
An Interdisciplinary Conference hosted by the Wales-Ireland Research Network
September 10-12, 2014, Cardiff University
2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War (1914—1918) and events are already being held to commemorate the United Kingdom’s experience of the War. Yet such commemoration is never straightforward or uncontested. The cultural memory of the lives lost in the war has itself been a continuing source of conflict and debate.
While many of the commemorative events of 2014 will focus on a centralised, British view of the war, this interdisciplinary conference will offer an opportunity to examine the war from distinctively Welsh and/or Irish perspectives, focusing attention on the ways in which cultural memories, memorials, and mythologies are constructed in contested national contexts.
We are delighted that the opening of the conference will be marked by a special guest lecture from His Excellency Dr. Daniel Mulhall, Ireland’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Dr. Mulhall will be delivering his lecture ‘Secret Scripture: Two Irish war poets, Thomas Kettle and Francis Ledwidge’ at the start of the conference on Wednesday 10th September at 5.30pm.
Entry to this lecture is free, but attendance at the conference is charged.
See draft programme attached Wales_Ireland_WW1