Join BAIS

NEWS: EFACIS Membership Offer

Current members of BAIS have been offered a one-year 'taster' membership of EFACIS (the European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies) for £13 (i.e. €15 as opposed to an individual membership of €30).

Details of EFACIS membership benefits provided by their President, Professor Hedwig Schwall are available on the right of this page. You might also like to look at their website.

If you wish to take advantage of this offer (in which membership will run for 12 months from March 2013-March 2014) then please complete the application form and send it to Prof Shaun Richards at the address provided with a cheque for £13.

Please note, only applications received by March 17th will be eligible as we need to arrange an en bloc transfer of membership monies to EFACIS.

Once the membership forms and funds have been transferred to EFACIS - i.e. after March 17th 2013 - then membership matters will be dealt with by EFACIS (details on the EFACIS web-site).

BAIS Membership

The British Association for Irish Studies is the national network for all those with an active interest in the study and development of Irish Studies.

While a significant part of the membership consists of people with a serious interest in things Irish, the majority of members are actively involved in teaching and researching at all levels, particularly within Higher Education. Funding has come from grants from the Irish government, charitable organisations and the subscriptions of members. The association is guided by a National Council of 15, elected by members every two years.

Benefits of Membership

Irish Studies Review – Members automatically receive this journal, published four times a year by Taylor & Francis. Over the years ISR has acquired international status as a leading journal in the field. It carries articles by new and established scholars from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds in which they share their latest research findings. There is also a large and lively review section.

BAIS News – This web-based news sheet normally appears three times a year. It carries news of BAIS activities and information about recent and forthcoming Irish Studies events.

Postgraduate Bursaries – Each year BAIS distributes up to £3,000 in Bursaries to assist research students working on an Irish topic and registered with British institutions of higher education. The Award Panel of distinguished scholars in Irish Studies can make awards to finance such expenses as travel, accommodation and costs incurred in consulting archives or conducting interviews. The Bursaries are presented at a ceremony in the Irish Embassy.

Postgraduate Essay Competition – This scheme invites postgraduates to submit an 8,000 word essay to the Award Panel. The prize, awarded in a ceremony at the Irish Embassy, consists of publication of the winning essay in Irish Studies Review and £500 worth of books from Cambridge University Press.

Conferences – In partnership with centres of higher education BAIS regularly holds seminars as well as one day and weekend conferences on aspects of Irish Studies. Recent topics have included Ireland Abroad (2005), Irish Protestant Identities (2005) and Science Ireland (2006). 2007 sees a conference on the theme of New Irelands, hosted by the Department of Politics at Salford University and the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool.