Trinity Long Room Hub Podcasts

Recorded April 23rd, 2026.

A special public event marking the Trinity European Laureate Award 2026, presented to Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to European business and economic thought.

Following the award presentation and laureate address, a distinguished panel of leaders in economics, finance, and European policy discuss the forces reshaping business today. From the economic consequences of Brexit to the rise of artificial intelligence, global conflict, and the shifting balance of international trade, the conversation explores how businesses and policymakers must adapt to an increasingly uncertain world.

Panel speakers include:
Dr Frances Ruane MRIA, former Director of the ESRI
Richie Boucher, former CEO of Bank of Ireland
Frances Fitzgerald, former Tánaiste, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, and Senior Advisor at Teneo.
Chaired by Conor Brophy, Managing Director of Teneo.

This timely discussion considers Ireland’s place within Europe’s evolving economic landscape and ask what lies ahead for business, policy, and society.

Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub

Recorded April 22nd 2026.

Can Ireland protect itself in an era of drone warfare, cyber-attacks and increasing global tensions and is Europe ready for the new security challenges it faces?

As Ireland prepares to assume the European Presidency, taking over from Cyprus on 1 July, the Government faces renewed scrutiny over the scale and preparedness of its own defence capabilities in the light of the war in Iran and increasingly fraught geopolitical challenges.

Recent changes, including increased defence spending, plans to modernise equipment, and an investment in cyber and maritime surveillance reflect a growing concern about hybrid threats and the protection of critical infrastructure such as undersea cables and airspace.

Our upcoming ‘Behind the Headlines’ panel will hear from His Excellency Louis Telemachou, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Ireland, on Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the EU, followed by a panel discussion on the challenge facing Europe at a time of rapid geo-political shifts. This event will be chaired by Professor Patrick Geoghegan, Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub.

Panel:
Caitríona Heinl, Executive Director of The Azure Forum for Contemporary Security Strategy and Adjunct Research Fellow at the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin.

Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, DSM, retired Irish Naval Service vice admiral and former Chief of Staff of Ireland's Defence Forces.

Dr Rory Rowan, Assistant Professor of Geography at Trinity College Dublin and political geographer and expert on the history of geopolitical thought and Irish neutrality.

This event is run in partnership with the Trinity Centre for Digital Security and Societal Resilience, a new multidisciplinary research centre designed to address the technological, economic, governance and societal challenges shaping Ireland’s digital future.

Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub

Recorded April 14th 2026.

Join Trinity’s Professor of English, Eve Patten, for a discussion on literary character formation with Professor James Chandler, William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of English, Department of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago; Professor Sharon Marcus, Orlando Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University; and Professor Claire Connolly, Chair of Modern English at University College Cork.

This event is organised by the Trinity Long Room Hub in association with the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University.

Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub

Recorded April 14th, 2026.

A public talk by Gabi Lombardo (European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities) organised jointly by the Social Sciences and Humanities Working Group of the Coimbra Group, Trinity Global and the Trinity Long Room Hub.

As negotiations for the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2028-2034) proceed, the EU must broaden its research priorities beyond economic output and tech-driven competitiveness to include the social dimension of progress. A more inclusive and sustainable research strategy is necessary to address the complex challenges that Europe faces and to secure its social model and global competitiveness.
This workshop will explore the debate around the contribution of the research community of social sciences and humanities into the design of European funding - to align EU research with citizen needs and democratic values, and better inform public policies and drive economic growth.

About the speaker:
Gabi Lombardo (PhD LSE), is Director of the European Alliance for SSH one of the largest advocacy and science policy organizations in Europe. EASSH advocates for an evidence-based approach to policy-making, and researchers’ inclusion in funding design. High-level experience in science policy research and implementation working in international organisations like London School of Economics, European Research Council and Science Europe. She is a member of the CoARA Steering Board and other organisations’ steering boards. She’s an evaluator for the EU, World Bank, and COST. Gabi received the Young Academy of Europe Prize in 2018.

Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub

Recorded March 21st, 2026.

The Irish Renaissance Seminar (IRS) brings together faculty, postdocs and postgrads from across Ireland working in the field of early modern literary studies. IRS meets twice a year for a one day conference. Trinity will be holding the spring meeting in 2026.

Keynote session (Chair Jane Grogan, UCD)

Emma Smith (Hertford College, Oxford)
Imperial Bibliography: The Shakespeare First Folio

Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub