Sacred Heart University’s Dingle campus will host the inaugural Rural Futures / Todhchaí na Tuaithe:
Social and Environmental Justice in Ireland conference from June 8–10, 2026
The three-day event will explore dimensions of rural life in Ireland, centering on how social justice, the environment, culture, and communities intersect in Ireland’s rural spaces.
The conference will feature keynote speaker Nessa Cronin (University of Galway), and a plenary conversation on the future of rural Irish literature with authors Belinda McKeon (Maynooth University) and Mike McCormack (University of Galway).
Key topics will include:
Rural demography, identities, and intersectionality
Literary traditions, contemporary rural writing, and publishing
Sustainability, conservation, tourism, and heritage in rural settings
Social justice, activism, and equity in rural communities
Environmental futures and ecological thinking
Coastal communities, and fishing
Rural arts (music, theatre, film)
Technological, political, and cultural transformations in rural Ireland
Call for Proposals
Scholars, writers, artists, and practitioners working in rural contexts are invited to submit proposals for papers, panels, or roundtables. Submissions might address any aspect of rural Irish experience — from ecology to literature, from heritage to community development.
Deadline for proposals: January 10, 2026
For more information or to submit a proposal, click here