Very specific, somewhat morbid query: can anyone suggest literary examples of force-feeding? Esp. where it draws attention to the gender politics. Not limited to hunger strike/suffrage context, though that is obviously relevant I'm already thinking of Han Kang's The Vegetarian and Goblin Market

Kind of depressing to see everyone stressing that this is bad because there was a rescue worker on board, as opposed to because there were human beings on board. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

The fact that the racist village with the twee publicity stunt is called 'Piddington' is just too English for me to read about. I feel like I need to take a shot of insulin to compensate for the overdose of Englishness

Dismayed (but not surprised) to hear Emily Maitlis and John Sopel stating confidently and repeatedly that Britain is the first European country to sanction illegal settlements. Of course, Ireland's Occupied Territories Bill has been pushed back and watered down in a way that's shameful, but...

The virgin "it's off the table" Andy Burnham and the Chad "casually backs Irish unification in an interview promoting his new book" Gordon Brown

The postdoc application cycle

PhD graduation for breakfast? Tis it St. Swithin's Day already?

Basil of the Boyne

In gorgeous Kilkee for a wedding with the Liverpool Irish Studies crew

Just back from a stimulating two days in Dublin at the conference 'Bad Feelings: Sadness and Gender in Contemporary Culture.' I presented on a panel dedicated to 'sad girl' novels in the talented company of @scaredofcustard.bsky.social and @dilarayilmaz.bsky.social

Delighted to have successfully defended my PhD thesis, 'Gluttons for Punishment: Food Consumption and Self-Starvation in Irish Fiction from Edna O'Brien to Sally Rooney.' Time to take a break from academic asceticism and indulge in some well-earned epicureanism!

"Are you wearing... " "Lord Byron's childhood orthopaedic boots? Yeah, I am."

So very excited to present at Senate House on Thursday along with @paddy-brennan.bsky.social - come around if you're in London! I'll be talking about Pádraic Ó Conaire's amazingly bizarre & fun novella Exile and metafictionality. @ies-sas.bsky.social ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...

ECR double header with Mikelyn Rochford (University of York) and Paddy Brennan (University of Liverpool)

ies.sas.ac.uk

Consumption and Self-Starvation in 20th and 21st Century Irish Fiction - Paddy Brennan @paddy-brennan.bsky.social @irishinstitute.bsky.social irishstudies.co.uk/2026/02/17/c...

Consumption and Self-Starvation in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Irish Fiction.

Next up is 2025 BAIS Bursary Prize winner, Paddy Brennan (University of Liverpool). Paddy utilised his bursary to attend and present at conferences and carry out archival research: The BAIS Bursary…

irishstudies.co.uk

I'm excited to be presenting on the late, great Edna O'Brien in her adopted home city later this month. Also looking forward to hearing from @mikelyn.bsky.social on Pádraic Ó Conaire

Irish Studies@LivUni@irishinstitute.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Near London on 19 February? The @ies-sas.bsky.social #IrishStudies Seminar ECR double header will feature our PhD Paddy Brennan on "Food Consumption and Self-Starvation in the Works of Edna O'Brien" as well as Mikelyn Rochford @york.ac.uk. FREE registration required: ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...

After four years and 100,000 words, it's finally time to send my child out into the world

I reviewed 'Irish Food History: A Companion' for the latest edition of RISE. Learnt a lot about bog butter reading this 🧈 risejournal.eu/index.php/ri...

Had a lovely time talking to @scaredofcustard.bsky.social about my research last year. (Nb. my Sally Rooney hot takes are now slightly out of date post-Intermezzo)

The Bibliography@thebibliopod.bsky.social · last yr.

As part of our transition to Bluesky from the other place we will be posting our back catalogue of episodes for any new followers! The first is 'Food, Fasting and Irish Fiction,' with the brilliant @paddy-brennan.bsky.social from @irishinstitute.bsky.social! open.spotify.com/episode/39KN...

Had a great time at the AEDEI conference, 'The Uses and Abuses of Irishness,' presenting on starvation and cannibalism as metaphors in Irish fiction (whilst also receiving some wonderful Andalusian food and hospitality 💃)

Excited to be here for the opening of the AEDEI conference, 'The Uses and Abuses of Irishness,' at @unihuelva.bsky.social

Very pleased to say I have a chapter on thinness and the politics of consumption in The Routledge Companion to Sally Rooney - available today from (some) good retailers! www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...

Thoughtful Faces and Sleek Bodies | 14 | Thinness and the Politics of

In a 2019 Irish Times article, Finn McRedmond criticises the work of Sally Rooney, arguing that her “wildly popular and accessible novels seem to glorify

taylorfrancis.com

Delighted to have been awarded a BAIS bursary and highly commended in their essay prize. Congratulations to all the winners! 🥂

British Association for Irish Studies (BAIS)@bairishstudies.bsky.social · last yr.

Highly commended is Paddy Brennan @paddy-brennan.bsky.social (@irishinstitute.bsky.social) : '"The Truly Gaelic Famine": Food as a Symbol of Chauvinism and Internationalism in Irish Culture and Literature.'