Symposium: Death, Dirt and Decay
About this Event
Dundalk Institute of Technology will host a one-day interdisciplinary symposium exploring the cultural, creative and ecological themes connected to Samhain and Hallowe’en. The event, organised by the Creative Arts Research Centre in the School of Informatics and Creative Arts, will take place in The Carroll’s Building on Wednesday, October 21st, 2026.
Dr Lauren Cassidy, a Research Ireland Industry RD&I Postdoctoral Fellow with Maynooth University and the Museum of Literature, Ireland (MoLI), will deliver the keynote presentation. Dr Cassidy’s academic work has previously appeared in Literature Interpretation Theory and the Irish University Review. In 2025, she edited and released Quare Éire: An Anthology of Neo-mythmaking, a digital collection of creative writing and artwork. She has previously held teaching fellowships and research positions at University College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, and Mary Immaculate College.
The festival of Samhain, rooted in Celtic pagan beliefs, continues to inspire, provoke, and trouble us. Once a time to honour the dead, our continued fascination with Samhain, or Hallowe’en, has infiltrated all areas of social culture and inspired creative activity. We invite scholars across disciplines to present on the themes of ‘Death, Dirt and Decay’. This showcase opportunity encourages the submission of essays or creative formats, including music, performance, creative writing and media on the topic of Samhain.
Where is it happening?
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