On Saturday 17 January 2026 the Australian Irish-language Association is hosting a one-day symposium in Melbourne: Global Irish Language Culture • Cultúr Domhanda na Gaeilge. This rare opportunity to hear expert speakers will feature professor Louis de Paor from Galway and professor Brian Ó Conchubhair from Notre Dame, Indiana. This will be a bi-lingual event.

Both are travelling to Melbourne to take up six-week Nicholas O’Donnell Fellowships. They will be based at the Newman-St Mary’s Academic Centre at the University of Melbourne.

Louis de Paor will speak about recent research on Patrick Pearse’s Irish-language writings, accompanied by slides in English. Ó Conchubhair will conduct a dialogue with de Paor, Colin Ryan, Dymphna Lonergan and others about the experiences of people writing in Irish in Australia.

This symposium will be held at Kathleen Syme Community Centre, 251 Faraday Street, Carlton 3053. Light lunch provided.

For full details of the agenda and to book a ticket ($25) please visit Eventbrite.

On Sunday 18 January there will also be a free forum (in Irish) about the Irish language in Australia, including discussions with writers of poetry and prose: Tionól faoi Ghaeilge san Astráil.