Canada, Ireland, and Transatlantic Colonialism Conference
& Honouring the Indigenous Gift, 1847
May 28-30, 2024
Why You Should Attend
The CITC Conference is an international gathering of scholars who will discuss the relationship between Ireland and Canada, particularly with reference to migration, the apparatus of the British Empire, colonialism, religion, and Irish engagement with the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. Admission is free, and sessions are open to the public. The conference is co-sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland, and the University of St. Michael’s College and its Celtic Studies Program.
Keynote Speakers
The CITC Conference features distinguished speakers in Irish and Canadian history, Indigenous-Crown relations, and Irish literature and culture. They will cover themes such as settler colonialism, religious history, and new technologies.
Donald H. Akenson
A.C. Hamilton Distinguished University Professor & Douglas Professor of Canadian and Colonial History Queen’s University.
Heidi Bohaker
Associate Professor & Associate Chair, Undergraduate, Department of History, University of Toronto.
S. Karly Kehoe
Professor of History & Canada Research Chair in Atlantic Canada Communities. Saint Mary’s University, Halifax
Christopher Morash, MRIA, FTCD
Seamus Heaney Professor of Irish Writing, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin
Deirdre Raftery, PhD, FRHistS
Full Professor, History of Education, UCD School of Education,
University College Dublin, Ireland
IN FOCUS
Honouring the Indigenous Gift, 1847
Honouring Indigenous Aid
Honouring Indigenous Aid pays tribute to the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Wyandotte-Huron First Nations in Canada West (now Ontario) that contributed to Irish Famine relief in 1847 when they faced considerable hardship, broken treaty relations, and forced relocation.
Toronto researchers help uncover Ontario First Nations’ donations to Irish Famine relief fund
CBC News – Mar 17, 2024. Toronto sheltered 38,000 Irish famine victims in the summer of 1847. As CBC’s Talia Ricci reports, researchers have recently discovered archival records that reveal an important connection between Ontario First Nations and Ireland.
St. Mike’s in Ireland
The University of St. Michael’s College has a long-standing engagement with Ireland and all things Irish. In 1979, its pioneering Celtic Studies Program began an important mission to teach Irish history, culture, literature, folklore, and language to undergraduate students. Through the program, upper level students were also able to participate in special research courses that often took them to international conferences in Ireland and the United States. St. Michael’s also sponsors the “Boyle Seminar in Scripts and Stories.” Named in honour of SMC’s Irish-born and distinguished paleographer, Leonard Boyle, op, first year students are able to study mediaeval Irish manuscripts and the historical context in which they were created. Several classes have been able to make a special trip to Ireland. In an effort to establish lasting ties with the academy in Ireland, in 2023, St. Michael’s signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Maynooth University. This agreement will foster further academic cooperation, research, and exchanges between the two institutions.
Our Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors for your generous support.
