To strengthen bilateral academic and cultural exchanges and cooperation with the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), His Excellency Representative Tu visited the Royal Irish Academy on 7 February and was warmly welcomed by the Chief Executive of the Academy, Ms Laura Mahoney. Representative Tu and Ms Mahoney exchanged views on bilateral academic, cultural and artistic development and international exchanges and cooperation between Ireland and Taiwan.
Representative Tu remarked that Ireland has a very long history that is extremely rich in literary and artistic creation. The number of Nobel Prize winners from Ireland has been enviable. The Taipei Representative Office in Ireland is committed to promoting bilateral academic and cultural activities between Ireland and Taiwan. Throughout the year, the office organised many artistic and cultural activities in Ireland including the Taiwan Film Festival, the National Day Reception, a Traditional Cookery Demonstration and the “Taiwan Pavilion” at the Holiday World Show in Dublin. In the academic field, the "Academia Sinica" (Taiwan’s top academic research institution) is looking forward to cooperating with the Royal Irish Academy on future projects.
Ms Mahoney was appointed Chief Executive of the Royal Irish Academy in 2013. She is the second woman to be appointed curator of the Academy in its 230 year history. Ms Mahoney was born in Leicester in the United Kingdom and graduated with a Degree in History from Sussex University before receiving her master's degree from University College Dublin in 1996. The Royal Irish Academy curates one of the largest collections of Irish books and documents in the world, and is renowned in particular for its collection of 13th century Irish Manuscripts. In addition, various seminars on academic research topics are held regularly in the Academy. These seminars provide important research and information that is taken into account in government decision-making. The Taipei Representative Office hopes to strengthen academic cooperation with the research institutions of Ireland, including the Royal Irish Academy. The senior Academy Librarian, Ms Siobhán Fitzpatrick (who is also a former President of the Library Association of Ireland) guided Representative Tu on a tour of the fascinating collection of books and priceless Irish manuscripts. This rich collection of early Irish manuscripts and artefacts is a must-see for those fascinated by History.
- Representative Tu presenting a “Taiwan at a Glance” booklet to the Senior Librarian of the Royal Irish Academy, Ms Siobhán Fitzpatrick.
- The Reading Room of the Royal Irish Academy.
- The lecture theatre in the Royal Irish Academy
- A book compilation on the treasures of the Royal Irish Academy
