IRISH STUDIES AROUND THE WORLD – 2024

Abstract

Let us begin by picking up some threads from last year’s round up of Irish Studies and related news! The big popular culture news of 2024 in Ireland, apart from a somewhat low-key visit from then-US-President Joe Biden, was Ireland’s success in the Olympics, appearing in the top 20 medal count for several days – quite an achievement for a tiny country. A star athlete who received a great deal of attention after qualifying for the games was Dubliner Rhasidat Adeleke, mentioned here last year, who has broken several Irish and world records, and is considered the fastest woman ever to have come out of Ireland. Another recurring favourite mentioned here previously is the Irish-language rap group Kneecap, whose eponymous rap comedy / mockumentary won seven BAFTA awards (British Academy of Film and Television Awards) this January, which many thought positioned the film for Oscar consideration, but it was not nominated. The rappers had a better result when in November 2024 they won a discrimination case against the UK government, which had blocked arts funding they had been awarded. They caused a sensation when band members arrived at court in a Land Rover painted to look like a police vehicle, flying Irish and Palestinian flags, and blasting music. A more painful loss for the group was the death in December of Gearóid Ó Cairealláin, the father of one member of the trio, Naoise Ó Cairealláin (rap name Móglái Bap).