Irish Studies Seminar, Thursday, 22nd January at 4pm
Welcome back to the start of the new year!
We are delighted to have Maitiú MacCárthaigh (Hardiman Scholar, PhD in Irish Studies) with us next week to deliver the first of our seminars for 2026, entitled, ‘Good Queers? The Sexual Politics of Irish Rural Futures – a research-led creative practice.’
The seminar will take place in-person at 16.00, Thursday 22 January, in the Seminar Room, Centre for Irish Studies, 4 Distillery Road, University of Galway. If you wish to attend online, please email me directly for a zoom link. As usual for our doctoral presenters, especially those at early career stages, we usually keep the zoom attendance limited to ensure a positive experience for all.
Biography
Maitiú Mac Cárthaigh (they/them) is an artist and a first-year PhD in Irish Studies doctoral scholar at the Centre for Irish Studies, University of Galway, where their work is funded by a Hardiman Doctoral Scholarship. As an interdisciplinary practitioner, their research explores the intersections of Queerness and rurality in Ireland. In 2025, they were awarded the Visual Artist Bursary by the Arts Council of Ireland and the Emerging Visual Artist Award by Cork County Council. Their work, which is part of the Irish State Art Collection, was selected and exhibited in Person, Presence, Perception, a touring all-island exhibition with the O.P.W. and NI DoF in 2024.
Seminar
Maitiú’s current work is concerned with rurality as sexed space, focusing on the practices of cruising and Artificial Insemination (AI). In this seminar, Maitiú will share creative work in progress, exploring how these practices shape our perceptions of rural space as utopian or regressive and are influenced by our connection to the ecological. They will present speculative fiction and audio elements of their work, which follow a lonely cis-gay male annoyed by the eco-sexual commune living next door.
Also check out other Workshops in Galway, Arts events in Galway, Exhibitions in Galway.
