University’s Irish Studies Students Visit Houses of Parliament

Students and lecturers from the postgraduate MA Irish Studies programme at St Mary’s University, Twickenham recently visited the Houses of Parliament. Arranged by Programme Director Dr Ivan Gibbons and Chris Ruane MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on Ireland, the visit was a reunion for those who went on the field trip to the Western Front in March and was a chance to follow-up on some issues raised during that particular trip. During the Parliament visit, the group saw the monumental paintings of The Death of Nelson and the Battle of Waterloo by Daniel Maclise, and went to the War Memorial at the top of the stairs in Westminster Hall commemorating all MPs who died in the First World War. Dr Gibbons said, “I am grateful to Chris Ruane MP for hosting the event. It brought home to our Irish Studies students the sacrifice made by so many Irish MPs, both nationalist and unionist, who lost their lives fighting in the British Armed Forces during the First World War.”