Flags, failure and fighting climate change — the Arts & Humanities Research Festival has it all!

Posted on: 16 September 2025

Trinity’s annual Arts and Humanities Research Festival returns from 22-26 September with a week-long programme of talks, panel discussions, and performances.   

Is it a ‘crime’ to watch True Crime? Why is the Irish President important? Do we need another flag? Can Arts and Humanities fight the climate crisis? And, what are the ‘hidden’ wonders of Trinity’s Library? These are just some of the questions the Festival proposes to answer as staff and students from across the Arts and Humanities disciplines join to celebrate research with members of the public. 

Organised by the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, the programme will feature a range of talks, interactive panel discussions, and performances across five days. 

All events are free and open to the public, but some require advance booking. See the festival website for more information. 

Highlights:

Behind the Headlines:

• The Irish Presidency: The Trinity Long Room Hub's popular ‘Behind the Headlines’ series presents a discussion on the Irish Presidency. The panel is chaired by David Kenny (Law) and features Etain Tannam (Peace Studies), John Walsh (Education), Gail McElroy (Political Science) and Declan Leddin (History). [Mon 22]
• ‘The Evidence of Things Not Seen’: Ethics and the True Crime Industry: Why are we so drawn to true crime? What are the ethical stakes behind the stories? Join popular literature experts Clare Clarke and Bernice Murphy, novelist and short-story writer Una Mannion (English), Ailise Bulfin (UCD) and chair Eve Patten (English). Audience participation is encouraged! [Mon 22]
• The Arts and Humanities on a Warming Planet: How can the humanities help us understand climate change and achieve a liveable planet? Jacob Erickson (Religion) chairs this discussion with Karen Wiltshire (Climate Science), Jonathan Hodgers (Music), Katja Bruisch (History), and Timothy Stott (History of Art & Architecture). [Tues 23]
• Festival Concert: Irish Composers in Focus (Senior common room): This lunchtime festival edition of the Trinity Centre for Music Composition Series will showcase an exciting programme of contemporary Irish music performed by Darragh Morgan (violin) and Mary Dullea (piano), hosted by Evangelia Rigaki (Music). Featuring works by Gerald Barry, Deirdre McKay, Gráinne Mulvey, and Raymond Deane. Limited availability. [Wed 24]
• Exploring Contemporary Choral Music: Audience members will experience an open rehearsal with the award-winning Mornington Singers and conductor Orla Flanagan (Music) as they delve into the sounds and textures of contemporary choral music. [Weds 24]
• Trinity Library Quick Picks: Library staff share favourite finds from current projects — from autumnal windmills and apples to cartoons, maps and Michael Davitt’s favourite colour. Come along for a celebration of the unexpected wonders in the archives. [Thurs 25]
• The Flag That Doesn't Exist Yet?: Re-Imagining Symbols in Northern Ireland and Ireland: Should Northern Ireland, or Ireland, have a new flag? David Michell and Etain Tannam (Peace Studies) will explore this long-debated idea in what will be a timely conversation on identity, representation, and national symbols. [Thurs 25]
• Fail Worse: Hosted by Krzysztof Rowinski (Polish Studies) and Nick Johnson (Drama Studies), this long-table discussion will invite the audience to reflect on the cultural and narrative impulse to redeem failure. Rather than treating it as a step on the road to success, failure will be explored as a phenomenon in its own right. [Fri 26].
• Science, Public Policy, and the Humanities: Government Science Advisor, Aoife McLysaght, will join Hub Director Patrick Geoghegan for a conversation on bridging research and public policy. Drawing on her career as a geneticist and public communicator and adviser, she will reflect on how Science and the Humanities can work together to shape understanding and create impact. [Fri 26]

The Trinity Arts and Humanities Research Festival is taking place in association with Trinity’s START (Start Talking About Research Today) European Researcher’s Night on Friday 26 September.

Launching the festival programme Professor Patrick Geoghegan, Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, said: “As we welcome people back to the Hub for the third annual Arts and Humanities Festival, I am struck by the creativity and innovation in research being presented by colleagues across all our partner Schools and by the Library.  

“Each year the Festival finds new ways of tackling some of our greatest challenges, bringing new perspectives from experts across the Arts and Humanities. From how the humanities can offer new ways of cooling a warming planet, to the ethics of the True Crime industry, we will be offering new perspectives and new ways of thinking.  We look forward to sharing our research with friends old and new, and we look forward to hearing your questions and contributions.”

More information here: https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/events/trinity-arts-and-humanities-research-festival/

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