Emily Mark-FitzGerald
@emilymfg
Professor of Art History & Cultural Policy at University College Dublin (UCD). Irish studies; art history; museums; photography; cultural omnivore. Angeleno by birth, Dubliner by choice. Mildly interesting at times.
I am very much not a classicist, but saw the Odyssey this afternoon (superb in 70mm at the @irishfilminstitute.bsky.social) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Matt Damon was better than expected in the lead, and the cinematography, music and sound design were brilliant. 3 hours flew by!
This is how I’ll remember Glen Hansard - in front of a huge crowd of Dubliners, singing ‘Fairytale of New York’ last December. Glen organised the Christmas Eve Busk every year in aid of homelessness and the Simon Community. Such a terrible and untimely loss - hope he’s up there jamming with Shane 💔
Get a daylight alarm clock, they said. It will be more relaxing and gentle to wake up to
La Traviata at the Arena di Verona 😍 spoiler: it did not end well
Treasures of Brescia - a much overlooked city, with phenomenal museums, especially its ancient Roman artefacts and medieval churches! We spent hours and hours there today, and only scratched the surface…!
Not the kind of band we’re used to hearing on the 12th of July
A stunning day exploring Sirmione on Lake Garda - its fortified castle, and the incredible expansive Roman ruins at the Grotte di Cartullo
Ordering a cheese & salami board for two in Bergamo, Italy and being utterly defeated
A very civilised way to spend a Saturday afternoon, hatching plans and setting the world to rights, at the lovely Delgany Wine Cottage in Co Wicklow
Portland airport is ace - they have some regulation that prices for food/shopping can’t be higher than off-airport; and they have a tiny cinema showing local short films by Oregon filmmakers while you wait for your flight
Absolutely superb visit to the National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles, OR - with our guide & exec director of the museum David. The museum is housed in a historic Elks Lodge, and home to a phenomenal collection amassed by David over the years (who is a neon maker and historian of the practice!)
not too shabby for a morning view with coffee - overlooking the Columbia River in WA/OR
A moving visit to the Leadville Irish Paupers’ Memorial in Colorado, by delegates to the annual American Conference for Irish Studies - marking 1300 graves, the majority of which were impoverished Irish migrants @acirishstudies.bsky.social
An incredible day yesterday, spent with a major U.S. collector of stereoscopy who is downsizing. He has generously donated four full travel sets of Irish stereoviews (totalling 400 images), plus c100 more, to University College Dublin. These are extraordinary photos, dating from the 1880s-1900s.
I’ll be speaking on instantaneous and surveillance photography in 19th century Ireland, incl the influence of Kodak and detective cameras on tracking ‘seditious’ activity 👀📸
Away for a work trip, at a 7 hour time difference - perhaps not the best message to wake up to from your kid 😑
Absolute cracker of a show @gatetheatredublin.bsky.social - brilliant sets, costumes and performances - and a sting in the tail of this one!