Scottish Studies Virtual Lecture
Thursday, November 3, 2022
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT (Eastern Canada and US)
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. (UK)
Professor Fiona Edmonds will give a lecture that draws on the highlights of her book Gaelic Influence in the Northumbrian Kingdom: The Golden Age and the Viking Age, (Boydell and Brewer, 2019). Her book was awarded the Frank Watson Book Prize for the best book or monograph published on Scottish History in 2019 and 2020. The prize is awarded in odd-numbered years for the best monograph, edited collection and/or book-length original work on Scottish History published in the previous two years. It was established more than 20 years ago by Dr. Cicely Watson, a champion of educational reform in Ontario, in memory of her husband Dr. Frank Watson. Cicely and Frank were long-time supporters of the Scottish Studies Foundation and their association with Scottish Studies at Guelph dates back to 1968.
Fiona Edmonds (pictured above) is Reader in History and Director of the Regional Heritage Centre at Lancaster University and her book is the first full-scale, interdisciplinary treatment of the wide-ranging connections between the Gaelic world and the historic Northumbrian kingdom — the most northerly Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England.
Her book explores influences that emanated from the Gaelic-speaking world, including Ireland, the Isle of Man, Argyll and the kingdom of Alba (the nascent Scottish kingdom). It encompasses Northumbria's "Golden Age," the kingdom's political and scholarly high-point of the seventh and early eighth centuries, and culminates with the kingdom's decline and fragmentation in the Viking Age, which opened up new links with Gaelic-Scandinavian communities.
Political and ecclesiastical connections are discussed in detail and the study also covers linguistic contact, material culture and the practicalities of travel, bringing out the realities of contemporary life. This interdisciplinary approach sheds new light on the west and north of the Northumbrian kingdom, the areas linked most closely with the Gaelic world. Overall, the book reveals the extent to which Gaelic influence was multi-faceted, complex and enduring.
— REGISTRATION —
Early access to tickets for Scottish Studies Foundation members is open now and runs until Wednesday, October 5.
Starting Thursday, October 6, registration will open to the public and will be shared widely through our communities and Lancaster University.
The event is free and early registration is encouraged, as tickets are limited. To register please visit the Eventbrite site at:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/gaelic-influence-in-the-northumbrian-kingdom-tickets-428648658677
About 24 hours before the talk starts, a reminder containing the Zoom link will be sent to you via email. The link will also be posted on the Eventbrite site which can be accessed by logging on to https://www.eventbrite.com/ and clicking on "Tickets." Once there, click on "Go to online event page" associated with the appropriate ticket. This will take you to the page where the link will be posted.
