On Monday the 10th February 2025, Maynooth University (MU) was delighted to host the in-person workshop “Digitally Transcribing and Editing Medieval Sources,” by Dr Bernhard Bauer from the University of Graz. Included in the event were introductions, hands on tutorials, and a Q&A session for all participants. As a partner university of the Arqus Alliance MU were thrilled to host this event with a member of faculty from the University of Graz in Austria.
Dr Bauer is Assistant Professor for “Digital Historical Linguistics” at the Department for Digital Humanities at the University of Graz. He also leads the ERC-Consolidator Grant project “Celtic and Latin glossing traditions: uncovering early medieval language contact and knowledge transfer” (GlossIT) which focusses on exploring the origins of early medieval language and intellectual exchange in Western Europe. His research interests are Early Medieval Glossing Traditions, Digital Humanities, Language Contact and Comparative (Celtic) Historical Linguistics.
About the Workshop: ‘Digitally Transcribing and Editing Medieval Sources’
Prof. David Stifter, Professor of Old and Middle Irish at Maynooth University, who hosted the event offers a valuable perspective of the event from the Department of Early Irish:.
“The time-honoured scholarly art of reading, editing and studying ancient and medieval manuscript sources is undergoing a rapid transformation in its theory and practice because of the rise of easily available digital tools and technologies. Through the award of a series of high-calibre digital humanities projects since 2015, funded by the ERC, IRC and SFI, and Research Ireland, the Maynooth University Department of Early Irish has been making an important contribution to the application of digital technology especially to medieval Irish sources in two and three dimensions. With this workshop by Dr Bernhard Bauer, which brings a former researcher in Early Irish back to Maynooth, the Department of Early Irish strengthens and further develops its collaborative ties via the Arqus Alliance with the University of Graz, a centre for research in digital humanities in Austria, with the aim of facilitating the flow of cutting-edge techniques in both directions in the future.”
A Successful Exchange
Dr. Bauer expressed a great outlook on the exchange with MU. “The connection of my home institution and Maynooth University via the European University Arqus Alliance is special to me. Not only because I have long-standing shared research interests and collaborations with the staff of the department of Early Irish, but also because I was working at the department from 2015 to 2021 myself. The workshop on digitally transcribing and editing should function as a kick-off event for future exchange and collaboration between our universities, and indeed our departments, on the intersection of digital humanities and historical linguistics.”
The workshop’s success exceeded all expectations, with large numbers resulting in a change of venue.
Ben Finnegan Arqus Alliance Manager at Maynooth University commented: "It is fantastic to see faculty at Maynooth actively engaging with colleagues from the Arqus community and inviting them to participate in meaningful and impactful events on campus. These type of initiatives are prime examples of how we can tap into the network of the Arqus Alliance and provide learning and networking opportunities for our own faculty, staff and students."
To explore similar exchanges with Maynooth University, please visit our website or contact the MU local office at [email protected].