Reviving the Literary Salon

In the heart of Dublin, where the architectural echoes of the 18th century meet the prevailing scholarly atmosphere, sits the O’Connell House. As the former home of Daniel O’Connell, and with a collection of written works by Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel’s library, and original literary portraits providing a material connection to Ireland’s scholarly past, the building provides a period-accurate setting that evokes the tradition of a literary salon.

Emerging in 16th- and 17th-century Europe as spaces led predominantly by women to merge literature, politics, and social reform, the literary salon was a crucible for intellectual engagement. Notre Dame Dublin and Department of English revive this tradition of interdisciplinary exchange through a series of curated conversations with visiting scholars, artists, and policymakers at O’Connell House. The sessions transcend traditional lectures, incorporating poetry, music, and movement to stimulate holistic intellectual exchange. The series launches with the Samhain Literary Salon in October and Winter Solstice Literary Salon in December.

The series continues during the 2027 Notre Dame Arts Biennial:

• Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day Literary Salon, February 4, 2027, at 6:00 pm GMT
• Bealtaine Literary Salon, Summer 2027

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Credits

Notre Dame Dublin

Notre Dame Dublin is part of Notre Dame’s global network across nine countries worldwide. These global locations create unique opportunities for Notre Dame to engage with the world and for the world to engage with Notre Dame through scholarly collaboration, undergraduate and graduate studies, and cooperative programs with governments, foundations, corporations, alumni, parents, and friends of the University.

Located in the historic O'Connell House on Merrion Square, Notre Dame Dublin is an embassy for the University's undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff who come to Ireland for study, seminars, colloquia, or research.

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Notre Dame Department of English

The Department of English at Notre Dame offers a rigorous undergraduate bachelor’s degree, a highly ranked MFA program in creative writing, a selective and rigorous Ph.D. in English, an M.A./J.D. program in collaboration with the Notre Dame Law School, and a Master's Program for Notre Dame and St. Mary's College undergraduate English majors seeking advanced training. Notre Dame English scholars receive training across literary historical periods, and in such modes as translation, religion and literature, literature and film, and book history.

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Funding & Support

This is a partner program of the 2027 Notre Dame Arts Biennial, supported with funding from the Notre Dame Arts Initiative.

This project is also made possible with funding from Notre Dame Dublin and the Department of English.