University of Limerick alumnus and honorary doctorate recipient Professor Brigid Laffan is among the guest speakers that have been assembled for the Limerick Civic Trust Autumn Lecture Series, which is taking place in association with UL.
The world-leading academic and political scientist Professor Laffan, who was one of the very first students to attend UL – then the National Institute for Higher Education – will appear as part of the series taking place in Limerick this month and next.
The series of public talks, taking place in the People’s Museum, Number 2 Pery Square from October 12 to November 30, also feature Iranian-born legal anthropologist Dr Ziba Mir-Hosseini; Professor Rosabeth Moss-Kanter from Harvard, who is renowned for her expertise in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change; Rev. Peter Owen-Jones: An Anglican priest, author, environmental advocate, BBC TV series presenter and TEDx speaker; former Scottish Labour politician and UK energy minister Brian Wilson, CBE; former group chairman of HSBC Lord Stephen Green; and Shelley McNamara, co-founder of Grafton Architects, the firm who designed numerous buildings on the UL campus, including the School of Medicine.
The Civic Trust have called the series ‘Things Fall Apart; The Centre Cannot Hold’, words from WB Yeats which they say “express a feeling that afflicts many individuals in fast-changing societies, perhaps forebodingly”.
Limerick Civic Trust Chairman David O’Brien noted: “Indeed, the epoch Yeats was thrown into, much like ours, is distinguished by an acceleration in human evolution - societal, economic, religious, environmental and political. Just as that celebrated man-of-letters gave his contemporaries a poetic glimpse of a fast-approaching world - today, happily, we also hear other voices, now in prose, from diverse human disciplines which speak with the equal resonance of society's current changes, challenges and opportunities.
“To apprehend the thoughts of these contemporary voices, the Limerick Civic Trust, in association with University of Limerick, has arranged a magnificent line-up of seven public speakers for its Autumn Lecture Series so that Limerick people might hear them first-hand. You will be afforded an opportunity to put your questions to one or all of the visiting speakers.
“At any rate, the Trust is delighted that each speaker has accepted its invitation to visit Limerick – not just to feel the warmth of the City’s time-honoured embrace but to imbue it with their discrete and expert area of knowledge, especially when that sagacity maps onto Limerick’s cultural experience – one which our city shares with all communities beyond the metropolitan boundaries that define it,” he added.
UL President Professor Kestin Mey said UL was delighted to be asked to play a role in the autumn lecture series.
She explained: “A university is a centre of learning, exploration, research and the pursuit of knowledge. Being involved in this autumn lecture series is a privilege for us as an institution and I am delighted to see such an incredible line-up of guest speakers who are renowned in Ireland and internationally, covering a wide breadth of society and expertise. This is a wonderful opportunity for the public to hear from some great minds and leaders in their fields and I am excited to see how it turns out.”
The full list of lectures is below. Lectures start at 8pm in the People’s Museum, Number 2 Pery Square, and admission is €20 or concessions €10 per lecture.
Tickets and more information available from Eventbrite.
- October 12 - Dr. Ziba Mir-Hosseini: An Iranian-born legal anthropologist specialising in Islamic law, gender equality, and development.
- October 19 - Professor Rosabeth Moss-Kanter: A Harvard professor renowned for her expertise in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change. Repeatedly listed as one of the world’s most influential business thinkers.
- November 2 - Rev. Peter Owen-Jones: An Anglican priest, author, environmental advocate, BBC TV series presenter and TEDx speaker.
- November 9 - Professor Brigid Laffan: An Irish political scientist and Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute, Florence, known for her insights into European politics.
- November 16 - Brian Wilson, CBE: A former Scottish Labour politician and UK energy minister, with a wealth of experience in energy, international trade, Gaelic culture, and peripheral communities.
- November 23 - Lord Stephen Green: The former group chairman of HSBC and an Anglican priest who has written extensively on the importance of integrity and morality in business life and international trade.
- November 30 - Shelley McNamara: Co-founder of Grafton Architects, celebrated for their architectural achievements and recognised with prestigious awards including RIBA Prize, RIBA Sterling Prize and the Pritzker Prize -architecture’s highest award.