DkIT’s annual Dorothy Macardle Humanities Lecture reflects on the experiences of refugee children and young people in contemporary Ireland
The Department of Humanities at DkIT recently hosted Dr. Muireann Ní Raghallaigh, Associate Professor of Social Work at University College Dublin (UCD), to give the annual Dorothy Macardle Humanities Lecture at DkIT. The lecture was titled 'Complex lives in complex times: Reflections on the experiences of refugee children and young people in contemporary Ireland'.
Dr. Ní Raghallaigh, originally from Carrickmacross, attended secondary school at Coláiste Rís in Dundalk. She primarily teaches on the Professional Masters in Social Work, as well as coordinating an undergraduate module on Refugee Displacement. During the lecture, Muireann discussed her experience as a social worker with unaccompanied refugee children
She also shared some of her research which is mainly focused on the lived experiences of refugees and international protection applicants, looking at topics such as foster care experiences of unaccompanied refugee children; refugee family reunification; transition from the direct provision system; and the needs of refugee children. Muireann is currently working on two research projects, one focusing on the care experiences of unaccompanied refugee children in Ireland and the other focused on inequality in housing among refugees and international protection applicants across Europe.
Each year DkIT brings a leading academic to DkIT to present a public lecture for students and faculty based on a theme related to Macardle’s many with a focus on identity, place and community in the area of humanities. Dorothy Macardle, born in Dundalk in 1889, was a teacher, political activist, successful novelist, playwright, critic, historian and social campaigner for women’s and children’s rights, with a particular interest in refugees.
The lecture is kindly supported by Dundalk Credit Union. Speaking at the event, Frankie Watters, Director at Dundalk Credit Union said:
"This is now the third Dorothy Macardle event and the credit union is delighted to be involved and help support the event."
