Testimonials

The author reading by Helen Cullen about her book The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually was a great experience for me. The opportunity to ask an established writer questions is rather rare - therefore, I am thankful that we had the chance to do so. I especially enjoyed listening to Helen when she told us about her struggles as a young writer. I found her thoughts about writing very inspirational and encouraging. I think that often, authors are some out-of-reach characters for us, which is quite sad. The author reading made it possible to reach out and connect and I would certainly visit an author reading again!
Anna Lena Seitz, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Helen Cullen's author reading from her novel The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually was a brilliant mix of reading, discussion and introduction to context and her thoughts. Her novel was one of the most delightful, yet moving texts I read for a class in a long time and I enjoyed being able to connect the novel to class content. Cullen took us on a very personal journey of her life and her writing process, leaving an equally emotional imprint on me as her novel did. Thank you for the lovely event, I cannot wait for the next author reading!
Lea Fröhlich, student of English-Speaking Cultures, University of Würzburg

Reading good books and discussing them with interesting people is always special, but the author reading with Helen Cullen on The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually made the experience with the book truly extraordinary. Helen Cullen's insights on her writing process as well as her personal connections to the book unlocked a new rich layer of understanding Irish literature and culture, making the event both inspiring and memorable. ​​​​​
Elisa Raab & Laura Maier, founders of A Little Book Club, University of Würzburg

Brian Ó Conchubhair and Samuel Fisher’s workshop on Irish poetry gave me valuable insights into a field of studies in which I had no prior knowledge, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about their latest anthology and the process of creating it. As an aspiring teacher myself, I found it particularly interesting to hear about their approaches to teaching Irish poetry and the challenges that come with it.
Felicia Folmers, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

I really enjoyed Brian and Samuel’s workshop. The workshop gave really interesting insights into the world of Irish language poetry and its link to the Irish state, its culture and history. As I have already studied the history of the Irish language in different contexts, I found the role of the Irish language in poetry particularly interesting - especially how it was used to exclude certain groups of people - even though Irish was the oppressed language. Thank you so much for the informative workshop!
Merle Möllers, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Brian Ó Conchubhair and Samuel K. Fisher's worskhop "When Poems and History Rhyme: the Politics and Poetics of the Irish Poetic Tradition" was an incredibly insightful event to learn about both the longstanding tradition of Irish poetry and, something we as students do not necessarily have on our radar, the challenges of publishing an anthology, regarding contributions as well as the intended audience. I particularly enjoyed the interdisciplinarity of the project and how their anthology makes clear that Irish poetry does not automatically equal poetry from the island of Ireland. It was impressive to see how poetic traditions have changed and are changing and that new modes of delivery in the 21st century implicate a revival of oral performances. Thank you for this great event!
Lea Fröhlich, student of English-Speaking Cultures, University of Würzburg

I  enjoyed this thought-provoking guest lecture and would like to thank Professor Anne Fogarty for sharing her insights and vast knowledge of these important writers. Also thank you to the organising committee, for arranging this online so I could be part of this stimulating event.
Deirdre F. Brady, Lecturer of Education, Mary Immaculate College Thurles/Limerick

I participated in the guest lecture given by Prof. Fogarty and I enjoyed the lecture. Generally, the opportunity to attend a lecture given by a professor from Ireland is very beneficial and a great chance to experience a more in-depth analysis of Irish literature. The lecture was really interesting, especially because Prof. Fogarty was clearly an expert on the topic and I quite enjoyed listening to her. It was great to hear more about authors most people only know the names of and maybe one of their most famous works and to listen to the Professor's takes on their works and their relationships with each other. The lecture really highlighted the importance of Synge, Joyce, and Ibsen and how they shaped theater. I am really grateful to have had the opportunity to participate and I am looking forward to any upcoming guest lecture in the future!
Sophie Stangler, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Congratulations to ISWÜ for all the great work I have been following in the past few months. Listening to Prof Fogarty was as pleasant as it was informative. I participated in James Joyce Summer School Dublin; this time, Joyce's relation to Modernism, Synge, and Ibsen was another exciting and great talk. I am looking forward to the upcoming events and talks!
Maryam Najafi, Assistant Professor of English and American Literature, Haliç University Istanbul

I'm glad I got the opportunity to attend Prof. Anne Fogarty's intriguing lecture "Inventing Modernism: Synge, Joyce and Ibsen" to gain a deeper understanding of the three authors, their works and their connections with each other. I found it exceedingly enriching to hear directly from a professor at University College Dublin and hope for many more events of this kind! Many thanks to Prof. Anne Fogarty and all those involved in organizing the lecture!!​​​​​​
Amelie Kubach, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

The symposium has been a unique opportunity to dive deeply into the manifold meanings that imagined animals in Irish literature carry. The conjunction of literary animals and real animals, i.e., viewed from a cultural studies perspective, has been immensely beneficial for a greater understanding of how Irish identity and animals are entangled.
Dilâra Yilmaz, PhD researcher English Literature, Kiel University

I would like to congratulate you for organizing a wonderfully stimulating and convivial conference.
Síle Ní Mhurchú PhD, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Modern Irish, University College Cork

I immensily enjoyed the ISWÜ Symposium "The Animal in Ireland, Real and Imagined." The symposium was perfectly organised and brought together a variety of scholars from different research areas. The reading, the talks and the keynote lectures were very thought-provoking and I would like to highlight the high quality of all the contributions by established as well as emerging scholars. Besides, I would like to thank all organisers and participants for the great atmosphere and the interesting discussions!   
Dr. Alessandra Boller, Faculty of English Literary and Cultural Studies, University of Siegen

I very much enjoyed this symposium—it was marvelously interdisciplinary, and thought-provoking, Many, many thanks!
Kate Costello-Sullivan, Professor of Modern Irish Literature, Le Moyne College

Thoroughly enjoyable and very welcoming time at The Animal in Ireland this week! Very thankful to have been awarded a travel grant to attend with Pearse. I look forward to returning to Germany. Go raibh míle míle maith agaibh a chairde!
Maureen DeLeo, PhD researcher School of English, University of Galway

The organization of the symposium was absolutely perfect. Congratulations.
Laurent Daniel, Lecturer English and Applied Languages, University of Southern Brittany

Maureen O'Connor's guest lecture "Haunted Nature in the Fiction of Edna O'Brien" was a perfect introduction to the works of one of Ireland's most brilliant women writers as well as to the connections between Irish history and its folklore, religiosity, its people, and their connection to the nature. I also particularly enjoyed the insights on Edna O'Brien’s biography and the consequences her "insider-outsider perspective" had for her life as an author. As a student in Maureen O'Connor's seminar, it was a pleasure to be able to draw solid connections to the other works read in class and to deepen the knowledge we have already gained during the semester. Thank you for the great event!
Lea Fröhlich, student of English-Speaking Cultures, University of Würzburg 

The talk about Edna O'Brien by Maureen O'Connor was truly inspiring! Even though I read O'Brien's novel In the Forest, I, unfortunately, did not know anything about her as a person and her background. Hearing Maureen O'Connor talk about Edna O'Brien made me appreciate and understand her fiction in new ways. Moreover, it is always inspiring to learn more about a woman who had such a great impact on the literary world. Thank you so much for organizing this great event!
Elisa Raab, student of English-Speaking Cultures, University of Würzburg

Guest lectures are always a much appreciated opportunity and Dr. Maureen O’Connor’s talk on "Haunted Nature in the Fiction of Edna O'Brien" was no exception to that. With just the right amount of information on Edna O’Brien and a deeper dive into her work "In the Forest", I as attendee was able to appreciate O'Brien's literary legacy in a more profound way. Thank you for organizing this very inspiring event!
Laura Maier, student of English-Speaking Cultures, University of Würzburg

On November 30, 2023, I had a perfect opportunity to attend the ISWÜ Guest Lecture "Haunted Nature in the Fiction of Edna O'Brien" by Prof. Dr. Maureen O’Connor (University College Cork/University of Würzburg). This event was very remarkable for me because it made me think about human self-identity formation influenced by the natural surroundings, haunted myths, and spirits, which have always accompanied my self-identification and development in the transnational context. Prof. Dr. Maureen O’Connor has inspired me to draw parallels between natural and unnatural, feminine and masculine, as well as think about the importance of finding one's perfect place in life. Thank you, dear ISWÜ Team, for this fantastic event!
PD Dr. Nataliia Lazebna, TEFL Methodology, University of Würzburg

I really enjoyed the guest lecture “Northern Irish Songs in the EFL Classroom” by Michelle Zirkel (University of Bamberg, Germany). It was very refreshing with many opportunities to participate. Since Ireland is included as a topic in the curricula (Lehrplan PLUS), it was very helpful to learn different and creative teaching ideas of how to integrate Northern Irish songs into the classroom. Thank you Michelle Zirkel for the interesting lecture and the great variety of different Northern Irish songs! I also want to thank Irish Studies Würzburg for organizing this event.
Karina Mößle, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Monica Brandis´ Vortrag hat dieses nahezu vergessene Kapitel des irisch-deutschen Miteinander so nahe am Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs nach oben gebracht. Selbst im Rahmen der deutsch-irischen Commuity gibt es kaum Kenntnis dazu. 
Leider ist es so, dass durch den großen zeitlichen Abstand die Zeitzeugen dieser Operation in der Regel die 80 überschritten haben und es abzusehen ist, dass es in einigen Jahren gar keine von Ihnen mehr geben wird. Es wäre schön, wenn Frau Brandis die Gelegenheit bekäme, Ihre Forschungen hierzu weiter zu vertiefen.
Einerseits war es schade, dass er nur „online“ dargebracht werden konnte, da so der direkte Kontakt zu einem Publikum fehlten. Andererseits konnten auf diese Art und Weise auch zusätzliche Interessierte daran teilnehmen.
Hier noch einmal meinen großen Dank an Irish Studies Würzburg für diese Veranstaltung. Mein großer Dank geht natürlich (und nicht zuletzt) auch an Monica Brandis, die in mühevoller und zeitaufwändiger Kleinarbeit diese Kapitel der Menschlichkeit erarbeitet und hervorragend präsentiert hat.
Peter Dietsch, ehemaliger Präsident der Deutsch-Irischen Gesellschaft in Bonn

This is a little-known chapter of recent Irish history: “Operation Shamrock“, initiated by Dublin paediatrist Dr. Kathleen Murphy, started when Europe was in ruins after World War II and aimed at supporting traumatised German children by providing temporary care for them in Irish families. Monica Brandis followed the children’s traces and contacted a considerable – and still growing – number of them. She curated an impressing exhibition of portrait photographs with biographic notes of the former “Children of Operation Shamrock“ in order to let them tell their stories. The exhibition has been displayed at a number of places both in Germany and Ireland, including the Würzburg Town Hall in 2017. Many thanks to Monica Brandis who gave us a very personal and touching approach to the children’s experiences and stories in her talk!
Matthias Fleckenstein, Chairman, German-Irish Association of Würzburg
 
The talk by Monica Brandis opened a window onto a different Irish world for me. I was aware of Germans who fled the Nazi regime, and came to Ireland, but not of this 1946 operation sending 450 German children from North Rhine-Westphalia to Ireland to stay with Irish families. It was poignant to learn the children’s individual stories, and shocking to hear that there was neither vetting, nor a systematic follow-up with the families. What those children experienced and remembered was down to individual luck, and sometimes even to individual looks. In general children in need can count on help, but inevitably, there will be misunderstandings with their benefactors, and clashes of lifestyles, personalities, or expectations. Although Operation Shamrock happened 76 years ago, experiences of wartime displacement are universal, as we see today, with refugees seeking shelter in the EU again. So, Monica Brandis’ interviews can teach us a lot today. While going about our daily business, we might meet people who have gone through similar experiences, and Monica reminded us of that.
Beatrix Faerber, CELT Manager and Editor, University College Cork

For me, the integration of literature into TEFL reminds me of unwrapping a colorful piece of cloth. Narratives of authors from different parts of the world are bright accents on this background of literature masterful pieces created. Broadening the horizon of our students, modern teachers appeal for their critical thinking and analytical processing of knowledge gained. Irish Studies for me is something new and mysterious, mythical and urbanistic, a tiny thread, which knits a global patchwork decorated with historical narratives and puts the present in a critical perspective through lenses of the past.
PD Dr. Nataliia Lazebna, TEFL Methodology, University of Würzburg

Although I was a bit disappointed when hearing that the symposium would take place online, I very much enjoyed it either way with many cups of tea at home. Listening to so many different approaches over a short time span was admittedly demanding but also very much broadened my view on the subject. I likewise noticed the informal and welcoming atmosphere in the room amongst those who were present and I am very much looking forward to taking part in a purely face-to-face symposium  sometime!
Marie-Isabell Hennicke, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

I really enjoyed the style of presentation of Prof. Hickey’s talk. He managed to present historical-sociolinguistic research procedures and findings in a very approachable way. Original audio files as well as some captivating personal stories were seamlessly incorporated, and turned the talk into a memorable experience. In addition, the organizers are to be applauded for enabling the hybrid (Zoom/live-on-campus) format.
Dr. Patrick Maiwald, English Linguistics, University of Würzburg

Working with historical data is as a much a challenge as an opportunity and with his fascinating talk about ego documents Prof. Hickey managed to illustrate exactly that. He was able to show how sociolinguistic research can provide insights into the socio-historical background of Irish immigrants in an interesting and comprehensible way without distorting the limitation of such approaches. I would also like to thank the organisers for offering a hybrid format which allowed me to attend the guest lecture online.
Lisa Lehnen, English Linguistics, University of Würzburg

This thrilling lecture is ever inspiring. Its integral nature, which combines both literature excerpts, relevant flashbacks of the lecturer and critical interpretation of Prof. Dr. Patrick Lonergan (NUI Galway, Ireland) introduces the world of John Millington Synge brilliantly. Relevant correlations between literature heritage of the author enriches perception of the readers and outlines further possible interpretations of the writer's works. There is always a way for global melting pot and a will to get the best multifaceted intellectual product.
PD Dr. Nataliia Lazebna, TEFL Methodology, University of Würzburg

This was wonderful and absolutely incredible. I’m writing a senior thesis on Irish Environmentalism, and this made me even more excited to start researching, exploring, and writing!
Emma Yakscoe, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

I was very pleased by the lecture by Prof. Dr. Lonergan. Especially the combination of photos and text and quotes were illuminating to me. Thank you for letting me have that online experience.
Moni Reinwand, Fürth

This lecture on John Millington Synge by Prof. Dr. Patrick Lonergan was brilliant and fascinating. I was previously unfamiliar with J.M. Synge's works but the informed and insightful commentary helped to really dive into his world. Especially the perspectives on Irish culture and its connection to matters such as global warming were thought-provoking. I will definitely remind myself of this lecture and its approaches in the future.
Dominik Kraus, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

For all friends of Irish films Prof. Dr. Lance Pettitt's lecture "Irish Cinema: A (Short) Screen History" provided a concise and valuable overview of a century of films and filming. A variety of facets like films in the Irish language, American productions filmed in Ireland, (early) documentaries and feature films, period films produced with different backgrounds - both Irish and British - and TV productions but also a bit of social history of cinemagoing were presented in a very attractive way including a few film clips as practical examples. I really enjoyed this inspiring lecture, it made me look forward to my next Irish film. Würzburg's Irish partner region of Wicklow is a centre of Irish film with two major studios - Ardmore in Bray and Ashford Studios - where productions like Braveheart or more recently The Tudors or Vikings were filmed. And Irish films are regular features at Würzburg's Filmwochenende, so what would suit better than a lecture about Irish Cinema?! Many thanks to Prof. Pettitt for this enjoyable afternoon!
Matthias Fleckenstein, Chairman, German-Irish Association of Würzburg

I thoroughly enjoyed Prof. Dr. Pettitt´s insightful talk on Irish cinema and its history. What really struck me was the degree to which Ireland and especially its cultural image - after centuries of British rule and colonialism - actually continued to be shaped and determined by other (bigger) countries like the U.S. on the movie screen, with the first Irish film studio opening only in 1958. Considering this history and its implications, it doesn´t seem surprising that Irish cinema is still grappling with questions of national identity as we have seen through the multiple movie examples given during the talk, e.g. with "Yu Ming Is Ainm Dom" (2003). It seems to be much like Irish director Jim Sheridan pointed out: “Identity, identity, identity. It’s like a mantra in this country. I think the real reason we’re so concerned about identity is because we’re worried that we haven’t got one.” I definitely have a few new movies on my what-to-watch-next-list now.
Anne-Sophie Hornung, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

In the dark of our second pandemic winter, ISWÜ called us together to consider ecopoetics with Maureen O'Connor, and the workshop's bounty was rich and nurturing. Spending time among like minds drawn from different disciplines to contemplate big ideas and beautiful words is one of the unique joys of academic life, and I am deeply grateful to the ISWÜ team and to Maureen O'Connor for bringing us together in this way to nourish new possibilities for the environmental humanities, for Irish Studies, and for our own work.
Hannah Nelson-Teutsch, M.A., PhD candidate, Graduate School of the Humanities, University of Würzburg

I quite enjoyed listening to Prof. Coleman's presentation on the topic of "feline form". As a cat lover myself I found it fascinating how much more there is behind the term "cat". The presentation showed how much poets interacted with each other in the past, sending out secret messages to each other or positioning themselves in a hierarchy of poets. It also vividly showed us how much the real world is intertwined with the world of poetry.
Luca Machacsek, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

I really enjoyed participating in this online event. I liked the organization of listening to and joining the discussion with four individual lecturers. All of them gave a concise impression of their presented topics. In particular, the comparison between Irish and Eastern German identity constituted a new viewpoint to me. It expressed that, although we are living in different cultural areas, we can still experience very similar events. Also concerning the talk about St. Patrick, I reconsidered for myself that one individual does not necessarily hold only one identity. It is the places and people that characterize one's identity and culture. These impressions were also confirmed by the talks about the novels ''TransAtlantic'' and "Brooklyn". Thanks to all lecturers for the very instructive and interesting day!
Anke Pickert, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

I enjoyed the study day. It was an interesting event with a lot of opportunities to gain new knowledge about different aspects of Irish studies. The speakers presented the topics clearly and illustrated their effects on modern times. The wide range of topics was especially great.
Rupen Kaupert, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

The Study Day "Journeys Across the Waves: Discovering Irish Identity" offered multiple texts and topics for us to engage with and learn about. In particular,  the lecture on Derek Scally's The Best Catholics in the World and the entailed conversation about memory culture and its importance and difficulties were insightful elaborations on different possibilities of dealing with the past as well as the necessity to do so. More generally, however, the diversity of perspectives and knowledge brought to us through the four presentations and discussions built an event that nicely illustrated the interconnectedness of the topics discussed as well as the richness of adjunct themes and approaches these topics (and Irish Studies in general) have to offer. Lastly, I think it is worth mentioning how the four-part structure allowed us to sit back and listen to one section and engage a bit more actively with another, thus giving everyone a space to participate depending on their individual interests or knowlegde. 
Nina Wintermeyer, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Many thanks to Dr Niamh NicGhabhann for her very interesting talk about "Religious Spaces in Transition". The examples of Irish religious architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries are familiar landmarks around the country but with today's changing society many of these religious spaces have also entered a state of transition, some of them have even completely vanished. The talk highlighted this development from different angles, including historical, socio-cultural, and religious aspects. Niamh NicGhabhann's remarks provided interesting information for students as well as other listeners interested in Irish subjects. I enjoyed the talk very much!
Matthias Fleckenstein, Chairman, German-Irish Association of Würzburg

I highly enjoyed Dr. Niamh NicGhabhann’s insightful guest lecture “Religious Spaces in Transition”. Her tour through Ireland’s ecclesiastical architecture demonstrated not only a fascinating variety of architectural styles but also pointed to the varying conditions of these sites. With great enthusiasm, NicGhabhann highlighted the cultural value of neglected ruins and recognized architectural gems alike. The given examples illustrated the meaning of these sites as affective environments and communal spaces. Of particular interest were the creative instances of alternative uses of former ecclesiastical sites. NicGhabhann’s passion for her work shone through her talk and she effectively sparked awareness for both the need for preservation of historical sites as well as the embracing of change. Thank you, Dr. NicGhabhann, for extraordinary insights into Ireland’s material heritage culture and for providing food for thought long after the guest lecture. 
Sophie Renninger, M.A., PhD candidate, Graduate School of the Humanities, University of Würzburg

The lecture of Prof. Reinfandt from the University of Tuebingen provided by the Irish Studies Würzburg has given me a great insight into the world of Sebastian Barry’s The Secret Scripture (2008). Prof. Reinfandt presented Barry’s novel with great care and understanding for the characters and the cultural and literary background of the novel’s story. Prof. Reinfandt also managed to give the novel cultural relevancy due to the immediacy of the scandal of the “Magdalen laundries” which links into Roseanne’s tragic story as well. All in all, the lecture provided a deeper dive into the literary style of the novel as well as its emotional story. 
Anna-Lena Kamm, student of English Literatures and Cultures, University of Tübingen

I enjoyed the lecture and the discussion of Sebastian Barry's book by Prof. Reinfandt very much! This lecture has been a refreshing and exciting event, which gave a lot of interesting insights into the inspirations and themes of the book.
Marc Stoyanopoulos, student of English, History and Philosophy, University of Tübingen

I thoroughly enjoyed Elke D’hoker’s very rich lecture – I thought it was wonderfully inspiring and thought-provoking. I’d read Spill Simmer Falter Whither a few years back after attending a reading by [Sara] Baume here in Leuven, and now I can’t wait to get into A Line Made by Walking.
Phyllis Boumans, doctoral researcher, Faculty of Arts, KU Leuven

I really enjoyed listening to the guest lecture on "A line made by walking". What I liked in particular was her approach to art as it is depicted in Baume's novel and the link to nature. D'Hoker provided an insightful way to read the novel and included scholarily works as well. All in all, it was a great online event.
Bianca Minxolli, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Smooth delivery. Even after an hour the topics were still hot and spicy - or a more serious version if the first one should be too slackly: A really thought-provoking and varied lecture with refreshing supplements.
Brendan Arlt, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

I enjoyed the interesting talk about "A Line Made by Walking" and the different aspects which were analyzed very much. The presentation was very nicely done and good to follow. It really made me want to know more about the novel.
Sophie Schneider, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

The kick-off event was, for lack of a better word, wonderful. I especially loved it when Colette Bryce and Jan Carson read excerpts from their works. […] I am very much looking forward to […] more events and guest lectures on Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Irish-American connection throughout history.
Leonie Vogel, student of English and American Studies, University of Würzburg

Thank you very much […] for a most enjoyable event […]. I really appreciated your efforts and the fact that the University of Würzburg is now part of the EFACIS network […]. This is particularly special for me as the former Mayor of Bray, Co Wicklow - the Stadtpartner von Würzburg, […] who signed the twinning agreement in 1999 with the City and as someone who is active in our twinning programme. It was great to see many of the German-Irish community in Würzburg taking part and to have the support of the City. I look forward to many more events […].
David Grant, former Mayor of Bray, Co Wicklow, Ireland

It was indeed a very enjoyable event; reflective, passionate and full of insights. In this era of "Zoomification" and, more or less, non-existent air travel it also made me feel a bit homesick! Although the German word Heimweh is better, I think, denoting a longing or a sense of (nostalgic?) pain rather than a sickness. I am certain that the Centre for Irish Studies at Würzburg, with all of its historical Irish associations, will be at the vanguard of academic Irish Studies  in Germany for many years to come. Who knows, it might also help the odd German-based Irish person, whether an academic or not, with their longing for home.
PD Dr. Fergal Lenehan, Erasmus Coordinator and Research Assistant at Intercultural Studies and Business Communications, University of Jena

I enjoyed the evening very much […]. The mixture between lecture and music, readings and discussions, information and entertainment made for a lively event. The impressive attendance also testifies to the attractiveness and relevance of Irish Studies.
Prof. Dr. Engelbert Thaler, Chair of TEFL Methodology, University of Augsburg

I am very excited that the expansion of close cultural cooperation is still possible in a European sense, in times otherwise associated with Brexit and Corona. I hope that many students at our university and at the schools in our region will be able to benefit from this new partnership.
StD Friedrich Frenzel, specialist consultant for English with the Lower Franconian representative of the Bavarian ministry of education for grammar schools

This was a truly lovely kick-off event! It showed the great interest in all things Irish in Würzburg, not only among academics but also among the general population. This was also the best thing about this event for me: it brought together Ireland enthusiasts from near and far, from academia and from beyond the ‘ivory tower’. This was a great taste of (Irish) things to come!
Prof. Dr. Susanne Mohr, Associate Professor of English Sociolinguistics at the Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

It was a pleasure attending the kick-off event and hearing about the impressive developments around Irish studies that the university of my hometown currently undertakes. The kick-off event for ISWÜ was a delightful afternoon and evening that revealed the passion the organizers have for all things Irish. ISWÜ will surely bring vibrant discussions and cultural encounters to Würzburg, intensifing and re-shaping the ties the city and the university have to Ireland and the Irish diaspora. I am looking forward to the multifaceted events to come.
Marina Fleck, Research Assistant and PhD student of English Literature, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

Thank you very much for your great commitment in organising this extraordinary event. As a fan of the Republic of Ireland and its people, but also as an interested follower of the developments in Northern Ireland […], I did not think twice before I signed up. […] With the lectures of Dr. Bracken and Prof. Dr. Achilles I got further insight into the historical background and relationship between Ireland and Würzburg as well as into the influence some outstanding people of this island at the edge of Europe have exerted on the Continent and on many other parts of the world. Thank you also for inviting Colette Bryce and Jan Carson. Both impressed me very much, as they have firsthand experience and processed it so well in poems and prose.
OStD Sieglinde Herbst, English teacher at Gymnasium Steigerwald-Landschulheim Wiesentheid

First of all let me congratulate you on the fantastic organisation of the event - I can only imagine how much thought and creativity, time and energy went into the project. And I could feel your heart was in it. Your enthusism was pulpable. You did a great job!
I thoroughly enjoyed the evening - it was so interesting to listen to all the different speakers; each one of them was excellent and inspiring. 
All in all I found the event highly successful and am very much looking forward to many great lectures and events in the future.
[…] I am absolutely delighted that both of you had the wisdom and courage to start such a wonderful project. Looking forward to many more events and wishing you every success […].
Roswitha Böhne, English and PE teacher and Oberstufenbetreuerin at Gymnasium Münchberg