Irish historian Felix Larkin will outline the history of Irish cartoons (from Mathew Carey’s Volunteers’ Journal to Martyn Turner) and of cartoons about the Irish (from Daniel O’Connell to Brexit).

Cartoons such as those that will feature in this lecture are undervalued as a historical source. While good history – like good journalism – has to be nuanced, reflecting the complexity of the situation or issue under consideration, a cartoon cuts through the verbiage with a simple truth that overrides complexity and gets to the heart of the matter. Cartoons, therefore, can give us great insight into contemporary perceptions of past events, and the arguments – and passions – engendered by those events, as well as providing opportunities for historians to enhance their work with engaging images.

Felix M. Larkin, FRHistS, is a former chairman of the Newspaper and Periodical History Forum of Ireland, and has published widely on the history of the press in Ireland and other topics. He has essays in all three volumes of The Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press.

The evening will begin with a wine, beer, and hors d'oeurves reception at 5:00 pm in the Burns Library Irish Room. The lecture will follow at 6:00 pm upstairs in the Thompson Room. All are welcome.