Photo of the Memorial Garden at the University of Limerick
Thursday, 26 March 2026

The Locating Loss project (led by Dr Niamh NicGhabhann Coleman) had its first key event with an online meeting on 24 March, 2026. This meeting brought together researchers from a range of national and international research institutions, and from a range of disciplines. 

Participants included historians, creative writers, obstetricians, midwives, and folklorists. The meeting focused on issues of terminology and language around infertility and pregnancy loss. Participating researchers included Dr Kelly Fitzgerald (UCD), Dr Lisa Smith (University of Essex), Professor Kathryn Hurlock (Manchester Metropolitan University), Dr Jennifer Evans (University of Hertfordshire), Dr Beth Wilson (Cardiff University), Dr Sophie Cooper (QUB), Dr Maja Hultman (University of Gothenburg), Éabha Gallagher (TCD), Dr Marita Hennessy (UCC), Dr Laura Linehan (UCC), Professor Des Fitzgerald (UCC), Dr Sylvia Murphy Tighe (UL, project collaborator), Professor Laura Kelly (University of Strathclyde). 

The next project event will be the conference in UL on 27 May 2026. Locating Loss is funded by Research Ireland through the New Foundations funding stream, and is a collaboration with the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.