Classics Education in Northern Ireland
by Helen McVeigh
Northern Ireland sits in a rather isolated position: not only geographically but also academically. It has been 23 years since I began my masters degree at Queen’s University Belfast. The 2002-03 academic year welcomed the last intake of Classics students. It has been even longer still since Ulster University closed its Classics department.
Nonetheless a small group of dedicated individuals is tireless in its efforts to keep Classics and Ancient History alive in the province. The Classical Association in Northern Ireland (CANI), chaired by Dr Katerina Kolotourou, works with schools to promote our subject as well as providing a lecture programme. We’re very grateful to Natalie Haynes for being CANI’s honorary patron.
CANI convenes an annual schools conference and work hard to keep up engagement with the schools which still teach Classics. Classical Greek in schools is rare, but there are a small number of schools which still offer Latin, Classical Civilisation and Ancient History. The challenges are many: lack of funds ensures that distance from the conference venue is an issue, both with regard to transport costs, and length of time students and teachers can be away from school. In addition, the low number of pupils likely to be interested and the willingness with which the school releases pupils to attend such an event are difficulties which we face every year. For these schools events, we are attempting to broaden appeal by providing lectures and activities relevant to politics and religious studies/theology school students and first year undergraduates.
Helen McVeigh and Sam Newington
I should at this point pause to mention Dr John Curran and Dr Peter Crawford, both founding members of the Classical Association in Northern Ireland formed in 2015. Dr Curran is both retiring from his post in Ancient History at Queen’s University Belfast and his position on the CANI board. John has been at the forefront of CANI’s success, holding the position of Chair and Treasurer. We are grateful for his leadership and for everything he has done to promote Classics and ancient History in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile Dr Peter Crawford has worked tirelessly, posting regularly on CANI’s social media accounts, writing blogs, and ensuring that the website is kept up-to-date. He leaves big boots to fill. Both John and Peter will be missed but we look forward to seeing them at CANI lectures.
In tandem with the work that CANI is doing in Northern Ireland, I continue to build a worldwide network of Classicists through my Greek, Latin and Classics online tutoring. I used to teach evening classes and provide 1:1 tuition in Belfast. But since moving online in 2020, I have discovered that interest in the ancient world and the ancient Mediterranean is global. H.M. Classics Academy is proud to have taught Classics to students in Europe, Africa, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, and Asia. The only continent missing from my student list is Antarctica! For those students located time zones far away from GMT, we provide recordings of classes, and guidance via email.
Our Greek and Latin online classes seek to plug the gaps that exist such as insufficient provision in school and perceived lack of encouragement towards university study. Many of my students have chosen to return to the study of classics in retirement. Last year one of my students received his GCSE Greek result on his 82nd birthday!
During the next few months, my daughter Naomi will be applying to university. While I’ve tried to encourage her away from Classics so she can find her own journey, a combination of Classics, Ancient History, and Classical Archaeology is what she has set her heart on. She has particularly enjoyed tagging along at the Classical Association conferences in Warwick (2024) and more recently the conference at St Andrews.
Naomi McVeigh at St Andrews Dept. of Classics
I’ve been attending CA conferences since I was a postgraduate student. Now as a teacher and independent scholar, it is particularly important for me to attend events such as the CA conference. Especially for those based in the harder-to-reach parts of the country, it provides a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and make new ones, and to meet Classics colleagues whom I’ve only ever met before online. As usual, the breadth and diversity of panels was outstanding: pedagogy, classics and class, reception, literature and history. Of particular interest to us were the panels on Alexander, Homer and ancient fiction. I hadn’t visited St Andrews before, but had been told that it was rather off the beaten track. Yes, it is, but so worth the journey. What’s not to love: the striking architecture of the town and breath-taking North Sea views. We left inspired by the academic papers, and by the town of St Andrews itself.
©HelenMcVeigh
