Professor Emilie Pine was announced as Villanova University’s 2024 Charles A. Heimbold Jr. Chair of Irish Studies. This esteemed position, inaugurated in 2000, is recognized as one of the most prestigious Irish Studies positions in the United States.
Professor Emilie Pine, a distinguished academic and author from University College Dublin (UCD), joined Villanova University for the prestigious appointment for the Spring 2024 term. She brought with her a wealth of expertise in Irish literature, theatre, and memory studies.
Emilie Pine is widely acclaimed for her contributions to academia and the arts. She is the author of the bestselling essay collection, Notes to Self, winner of the 2018 Irish Book of the Year award, and it is translated into 15 languages. Her debut novel, Ruth & Pen (2022), received the 2023 Kate O’Brien First Novel Award. Professor Emilie Pine's scholarly work includes The Politics of Irish Memory: Performing Remembrance in Contemporary Irish Culture and The Memory Marketplace: Witnessing Pain in Contemporary Irish and International Theatre.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the appointment, Professor Emilie Pine remarked, “It is a huge honour to have my work read and recognised internationally - perhaps because I am also an academic who studies other people's writing. Villanova University has an incredible record of writers taking up the post, so it is also slightly intimidating!”
The Charles A. Heimbold Jr. Chair of Irish Studies, hosted by the Villanova Center for Irish Studies, fosters interdisciplinary scholarship and cultural engagement. Throughout the spring semester, Professor Emilie Pine engaged with students and faculty, enriching Villanova's academic community with her insights into Irish culture and creativity.
Dr Joseph Lennon, Director of the Villanova Center for Irish Studies, welcomed Professor Pine's appointment, noting her impact on the academic community: “The Villanova University community greatly benefited from having Emilie Pine on campus as our 2024 Charles A. Heimbold, Jr. Chair of Irish Studies. She gave a reading as part of our Villanova Literary Festival, along with American writers such as Tracy K. Smith and Carolyn Forche. She taught in five courses and met with dozens of students, faculty, and community members about their writing and Irish Studies. It was wonderful to have such an esteemed scholar, professor, memoirist, and novelist with us.”
Remembering a partnership that started over 10 years ago, Emilie remarked: “Villanova students started coming to Dublin for a literary summer school. Dr Lennon invited UCD Drama students to apply to join the group, and together we led some classes on Irish theatre and trips to the Abbey. It was great to see UCD Drama students help the visitors settle into Dublin and to watch them become friends.”
Professor Emilie Pine's tenure as the Heimbold Chair promises to build upon UCD’s long standing partnership with Villanova University and their commitment to liberal arts education and global citizenship. She expressed her eagerness to engage with Villanova students, stating: "I would love to see more Villanova students on this side of the Atlantic, and in particular, I invite them to explore our MA programmes in creative writing. I know we would all get a lot out of sharing our practice further.”
For more information about UCD’s School of English, Drama, and Film, please explore here. The School of English, Drama and Film is ranked at number 40 in the world by QS World University Rankings in the subject area, English Language and Literature, as of 2024.
For more information about the Villanova Center for Irish Studies and the Charles A. Heimbold Jr. Chair of Irish Studies, please visit(opens in a new window) Villanova Irish Studies.