Leading scholars of the Irish language from across Europe and North America gathered in central London last week for In ÉiNDí 2026, an academic seminar conducted entirely in the Irish language and hosted at Notre Dame London.
According to the seminar’s organizer, Brian Ó Conchubhair, professor of Irish language and literature at the University of Notre Dame, the gathering is an important moment for Irish-language scholarship in Britain.
“To our knowledge, this may be the first academic conference hosted in the UK that is conducted entirely through Irish,” said Ó Conchubhair, a faculty fellow of the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies in the Keough School of Global Affairs and a leader of the Irish Language Initiative in Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters. “It reflects the growing international community of scholars who use Irish as a language of research and intellectual exchange.”
Hosting the seminar in London reflects the global reach of Irish-language scholarship. As an international center for the study of Ireland and its language, the University of Notre Dame has long played a leading role in advancing Irish studies beyond Ireland. In ÉiNDí 2026 represents an example of this commitment, bringing scholars together in a global setting to strengthen Irish as a language of research and intellectual exchange.
The two-day seminar featured keynote lectures from leading Irish-language scholars, including Máire Ní Mhaonaigh of University of Cambridge, Pádraig Ó Siadhail of Saint Mary’s University Halifax, and James Little of the University of Cyprus. Presenters also included scholars from universities across Ireland and beyond, with representatives from every major Irish university participating in the program.
Beyond textual scholarship, the seminar also explored how Irish-language sources can be used for deeper understanding of broader social and historical questions. Presentations examined topics ranging from the emotional lives reflected in medieval texts to Irish-language responses to global political issues, including reactions to apartheid in South Africa. These topics show that the Irish language has always been a medium for responding to global human rights issues and internal psychological states.
The seminar also addressed contemporary concerns facing Irish-speaking communities. For example, sessions explored topics such as language use in health care settings and the ways in which Irish speakers navigate both Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) communities and the wider English-speaking world.
Discussions highlighted how the field is evolving to reach new generations of scholars and students. Digital tools and resources, such as the Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language (eDIL), are making centuries of Irish-language material more accessible, helping to connect traditional Irish studies with the research habits and expectations of a digital-native Generation Z.
“The timing of the event in 2026 is a significant milestone,” said Ó Conchubhair. “With sessions tracing the history of Irish programs from 1972 to 2026, the seminar offers a moment to reflect on more than 50 years of institutional progress. It is both a celebration of survival and an opportunity to think strategically about the future of the language in a globalized world, ensuring that Irish remains a vibrant, intellectual, and research-driven language on the world stage.”
Learn more about Irish Language Initiatives at Notre Dame.
Originally published by at london.nd.edu on March 17, 2026.