草榴社区鈥檚 Center for Irish Studies Hosts Symposium at Monaco鈥檚 Princess Grace Irish Library
Photo credit: G. Luci
草榴社区, Pa. 鈥�� 草榴社区鈥檚 Center for Irish Studies, which has an academic partnership聽with the Princess Grace Irish Library聽of Monaco, recently brought together leading聽US and Irish聽scholars across a range of disciplines for a special symposium, 鈥淐reative Acts: The Dynamics of Artistic Ireland,鈥� held October聽9聽鈥撀�10, 2021 in Monaco.
The two-day symposium聽examined聽the history, impact and support of the arts in Ireland and the diaspora聽through the聽lens of cultural institutions;聽diversity, inclusion and experience;聽and politics.聽The symposium included keynote addresses,聽discussions聽and panels聽with a selected number of聽scholars from a range of disciplines from Ireland and the聽US,聽who were welcomed to Monaco at a special reception聽hosted by聽HSH聽Prince聽Albert II聽of Monaco, the聽principality鈥檚 sovereign prince.聽The聽programme聽also included a visit to the nearby villa E1027, designed and built by pioneering Irish architect Eileen Gray.
The event聽highlighted聽Ireland鈥檚 considerable artistic prowess, which聽over centuries has granted聽the island聽worldwide聽cultural status disproportionate to its size, economical or geopolitical power. The conference鈥檚 setting was fitting.聽A聽champion of Irish arts and culture, Princess Grace had a vast collection of聽Irish literature,聽including rare volumes of James Joyce, Samuel Becket, Flannery O鈥橞rien, John M.聽Synge聽and George Bernard Shaw.聽In 1984, her collection formally became the Princess Grace Irish Library of Monaco, under the aegis of聽the聽Fondation聽Princesse聽Grace.聽聽
鈥淚n the spirit of聽the聽Princess鈥櫬燾ollaborative nature, the library has become a聽place of vital scholarship聽and research opportunities for scholars around the world,鈥� said Susan Kelly vonMedicus,聽co-director of the symposium, niece of the late聽Princess and聽instructor in聽草榴社区鈥檚聽Irish Studies聽program聽and聽department of Theatre and Studio Art.聽
鈥淭his collaboration with the Princess Grace Irish Library is key for 草榴社区 because it takes us beyond the dyad connection between Ireland and America and internationalizes our Irish Studies program,鈥� says鈥疛oseph Lennon, PhD, associate聽dean,聽International and Interdisciplinary Initiatives and Emily C. Riley Director of Irish Studies, 草榴社区.聽
Speakers at the conference included scholars from 草榴社区;聽University College Dublin;聽Queens University, Belfast;聽Goldsmiths University;聽the Irish Museum of Modern Art;聽the National Museum of Ireland;聽Trinity College Dublin;聽and the Arts Council of Ireland.聽聽聽
It is expected that the conference will result in a future publication.
About 草榴社区鈥檚 Center for Irish Studies:鈥疶he Center for Irish Studies at 草榴社区 has been a leader for four decades in interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship on Ireland in a global framework. The Center connects students to local community organizations while also preparing them to become citizens equipped to take on the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges. Through liberal arts-focused academics, multi-disciplinary scholarship and key partnerships, the Center provides students with research, study abroad and employment opportunities.
About 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences:鈥��Since its founding in 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has cultivated knowledge, understanding and intellectual courage for a purposeful life in a challenging and changing world.鈥疻ith more than 40 majors across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, it is the oldest and largest of 草榴社区鈥檚 colleges, serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students each year. The College is committed to a teacher-scholar model, offering outstanding undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and a rigorous core curriculum that prepares students to become critical thinkers, strong communicators and ethical leaders with a truly global perspective.
About 草榴社区:鈥疭ince 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 草榴社区 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 草榴社区 Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 草榴社区 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit鈥�.
About Princess Grace Irish聽Library: The Princess Grace Irish Library was inaugurated on November 20, 1984 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco鈥痑s a tribute to his wife Princess Grace and the attachment鈥痵he felt for her Irish origins. It is home to Princess Grace's personal collection of Irish books and聽Irish-American聽sheet music, as well as beautiful reference books and items of historical value, photos and art works.鈥疶he Library is one of the Principality鈥檚 cultural gems and has a vast collection of books to borrow and consult by Irish authors and on Ireland.聽The Library is proud to have a first edition of Ulysses by James Joyce published in 1922 by Sylvia Beach of Shakespeare and Company in Paris. It is considered one of the most important works of modernist literature.聽The Library鈥檚 mission is to share the heritage of 脡ire (Ireland) and its literary legacy, to foster a love of the country, its culture, people,聽history聽and present day and to instill in young people a love of reading by discovering Irish authors and illustrators. These aims are achieved through our programs of lectures, drama and musical performances,聽bursaries聽and symposia.聽
The Library is under the aegis聽of the聽Fondation聽Princesse聽Grace and is situated in the former鈥痟么tel聽particulier鈥痮f Comte F茅lix Gastaldi (1821-1906), Mayor of Monaco for 39 years.聽