Newsletter 2016 – 2017
Events Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens Day School 2016: Recreating the Ancient Past
Dr Frank Lynam at the IIHSA Day School demonstrating the use of virtual reality techniques in the study of the ancient world, with the assistance of Leaving Cert. student Oscar McHale
International Byzantine Greek Summer School Trinity Classics was delighted to host the International Byzantine Greek Summer School in Dublin. We very much hope that this will become a regular event! The programme ran for a month under the direction of Dr Anthony Hirst, building on 15 years previously at the University of Birmingham (2012-15) and Queen’s University Belfast (2002–2011). Offering both beginners’ and more advanced courses, the programme attracted an international cohort of enthusiastic and talented students from as far away as China, Russia, Turkey, Australia, North America, and Europe. As well as Dr Hirst, the teaching staff comprised Dr Cosetta Cadau, Seán McCrum, Patrick Sammon and Adrian Saunders. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Classical Association (U.K.) and the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies for student bursaries for this year’s IBGSS course.
Honorary Degrees Highlights The year was marked by special ceremonies. Winter Commencements were a celebration of Human Rights with individuals such as Dame Graça Machel, Father Peter McVerry, Senator David Norris, Rory O’Neill aka ‘Panti’, Tomas Reichental being acknowledged. A special ceremony in the Summer welcomed Joe Biden, Vice President of the U.S., who addressed the graduands with a memorable speech on their role in shaping the future. The ordinary Summer Commencements were everything but ordinary, honouring among others Professor Peter Higgs, Nobel Laureate. 4
It was the turn of Trinity Classics to host the annual Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens (IIHSA) Day School which was held in the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts & Humanities Research Institute. This year’s theme invited reflection on the myriad of ways in which the past can be ‘recreated’ in the present. The wide-ranging papers took the audience from the reception of classical themes into modern cultural forms to more modern forms of recreation such as replication work in archaeology and the digital worlds of virtual reality and 3D representations. Trinity researchers were well represented in the lineup of speakers by Dr Frank Lynam, Dr Suzanne O’Neill and Charlie Kerrigan.
Lecture on Economic Development and Ancient Athens
Professor Ober with Brian McGing and Ph.D. student Barry O’Halloran
In a series of exciting studies (most recently The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece), Professor Josh Ober (Stanford University) has argued the case for economic growth in ancient Greece, against the prevailing view of a static and impoverished ancient economy, and maintains that the institutions of Athenian democracy were a cause of this growth. This is controversial territory – the data are far from secure – but even if the case is only partly correct, it still carries the possibility of providing important lessons for modern democracy. In a scintillating lecture, Is Development Uniquely Modern? Athens on the Doorstep, delivered under the joint auspices of the Classics and Political Science Departments, Professor Ober set out his stall, demonstrating, at the very least, how modern political and economic science can be enriched by consideration of ancient Athenian democracy, and ancient government in general.
Classics and Irish Politics, 1916–2016
Speakers at the Classics and Irish Politics conference: Brian McGing with alumni Fiachra Mac Góráin and Cillian O’Hogan
In June we were delighted to work in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame to host a conference on Classics and Irish Politics 1916-2016. It afforded us the opportunity to work with and welcome back a former student Dr Isabelle Torrance (Ph.D. 2004). The conference involved scholars from Ireland, the U.K. and North America, and Trinity Classics was particularly well represented with papers presented by Brian McGing, Christine Morris, Siobhan Hargis and Sue O’Neill and Ph.D. student Charlie Kerrigan. As well as Isabelle, we were also able to welcome back a number of former colleagues and students including Professor Damien Nelis (now Geneva), Dr Cillian O’Hogan (British Columbia), Dr Fiachra Mac Góráin (University College London), Dr Donncha O’Rourke (Edinburgh), Dr Siobhán McElduff (British Columbia) and Dr Diana Spencer (Birmingham). Proceedings were brought to a close with a reception in the Classics Department.
Classics Administrator Winifred Ryan (whose planning expertise ensured that the conference ran like clockwork), with graduand Sana Sanai (TSM Latin)