This year’s New England ACIS Conference, held at University of New Haven (UNH), proposed an engaging and thought-provoking theme that enthused presenters and attendees alike: “Celebrity, Status, and Reputation.” The two-day conference, held on the 20th and 21st November 2015, encouraged an interdisciplinary conversation on the nature of the historical, cultural, and sociological implications of being an Irish “celebrity,” examined the significant contributions of historical and present-day Irish and Irish-American figures, and considered how these frameworks could contribute to the field of Irish studies. Sixty-four individuals attended the conference.

The first day of the conference (Friday, November 20th) warmed up the scholars, students and other interested parties to the weekend’s overall themes and issues. The panels focused alternatively on individual celebrities and legacies, the Irish in America, stage and film performances, and queer voices and reinventions. After a sociable dinner at which students, organizers and academics alike were given the opportunity to meet and greet one another, the conference organizer, Christopher O’Dowd (Lourdes Alvarez Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, UNH), gave his welcoming remarks. The Dean was followed by a heart-warming speech from Martin O’Connor (M.Div, J.D., UNH) about the significance of Ireland and of UNH in his own life.

The following day included four panels, twelve themes, and nearly forty papers in total presented from America, Ireland, and Canada. The morning panels included a number of evocative and intriguing papers on political celebrities, literary icons, Irish ancestry, the revolutionary role of Irish music, and broadcasting the Irish on television and radio. These were followed by lunch, at which an update on ACIS Libraries and Archive Working Group was given by Kathleen Williams (Boston College), and a business meeting for NEACIS was held at which Ellen Scheible was elected President and John Roney was elected Treasurer. It was also at this point that keynote speaker Diane Negra of University College Dublin presented her plenary paper on “Forms and Functions of Irish Celebrity Autobiography.”

The final panels of the day continued the topic of understanding celebrity, reputation and distinction from different perspectives, with themes including leaders, heroes and remembrance, historical and contemporary literary legacies, horrors of the Irish imagination, and public identities and public life. Suffice to say the weekend was a major success. Students and scholars were given the opportunity to publicize and develop their research as ideas were shared and new approaches were encouraged. The conference demonstrated the vast range of work that is ongoing across the arts, humanities and other disciplines in relation to Irish studies, and highlighted the importance of the work of ACIS in bringing this research together in one space. Early, mid- and late-stage researchers were allowed to build up their profile and publicize their work, and the academic community across Ireland, America and beyond made important contacts for their career and life.