History of the Congress

It is 56 years since Brian Ó Cúiv organised the first International Congress of Celtic Studies in Dublin in 1959, and since then this four-yearly event has grown, as the discipline itself has grown, to become the largest academic conference devoted entirely to Celtic Studies. Subsequent events have been held in Cardiff (1963), Edinburgh (1967), Rennes (1971), Penzance (1975), Galway (1979), Oxford (1983), Swansea (1987), Paris (1991), Edinburgh (1995), Cork (1999), Aberystwyth (2003), Bonn (2007), Maynooth (2011) and Glasgow (2015).

Remaining true to the aims of the first Congress in 1959, the event continues to offer an unparalleled opportunity for all those working in the field, whether established scholars or up-and-coming research students, to meet and share and debate the fruits of their research. As with previous events, the geographical breadth of Celtic Studies is evident with scholars coming to Bangor to represent all the Celtic languages, from no fewer than 25 countries, and representing over 100 academic institutions and organisations.