Sophie Cooper
@sophcocooper.bsky.social
Social historian of gender, migration & public space | Nuns | Ireland & its diaspora | Senior Lecturer @QUBLiberalArts | Forging Identities in the Irish World @EdinburghUP 2022 | She/her.
Thanks so much to Sam and Melissa for taking our second-year Liberal Arts students around the Linen Hall Library and introducing them to some of the collections today. Bonus that as we were exploring, we bumped into one of our third years who is interning there at the moment!
November 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Thanks so much to Sam and Melissa for taking our second-year Liberal Arts students around the Linen Hall Library and introducing them to some of the collections today. Bonus that as we were exploring, we bumped into one of our third years who is interning there at the moment!
Remind me, is this the important democratic ally, the bastion of freedom in the area, the state with the "most moral army in the world" arresting its own chief prosecutors for investigating violence against Palestinian detainees? The ones that "investigate" themselves?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
November 3, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Remind me, is this the important democratic ally, the bastion of freedom in the area, the state with the "most moral army in the world" arresting its own chief prosecutors for investigating violence against Palestinian detainees? The ones that "investigate" themselves?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
I had such a great time chatting about architecture, art, and beauty today with my third years, esp. as I got to chat about St Josephat's Basilica in Milwaukee, its former life as the Chicago Custom House and Post Office, and the stories of female Polish congregants filling their skirts with rubble.
October 21, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I had such a great time chatting about architecture, art, and beauty today with my third years, esp. as I got to chat about St Josephat's Basilica in Milwaukee, its former life as the Chicago Custom House and Post Office, and the stories of female Polish congregants filling their skirts with rubble.
Congratulations to @conorbrockbank.bsky.social for a great @qubhistory.bsky.social seminar paper this afternoon! Not just entertainingly titled and delivered, but with some really interesting insights 🦎
October 17, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Congratulations to @conorbrockbank.bsky.social for a great @qubhistory.bsky.social seminar paper this afternoon! Not just entertainingly titled and delivered, but with some really interesting insights 🦎
Very glad to have (finally) bought the catalogue book for the @ulstermuseum.org Akihiko Okamura exhibition, The Memories of Others, especially after we got a tour of the exhibition last week @historylabplus.bsky.social. Gorgeously produced and the photos are wonderful!
September 29, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Very glad to have (finally) bought the catalogue book for the @ulstermuseum.org Akihiko Okamura exhibition, The Memories of Others, especially after we got a tour of the exhibition last week @historylabplus.bsky.social. Gorgeously produced and the photos are wonderful!
Also, so excited that the gates were open to Shankill Graveyard (original site of St Matthew's so not a cemetery) so I got to pop in there too. I hadn't realised just how old the cemetery was!
September 13, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Also, so excited that the gates were open to Shankill Graveyard (original site of St Matthew's so not a cemetery) so I got to pop in there too. I hadn't realised just how old the cemetery was!
Wonderful first day of #EHOD2025 in Belfast. I made it to the Union Theological College, St Stephen's Church (Millfield), St Matthew's Church, and the North Belfast Workingmen's Club. I've come away with so much information - and even more delight at what's hidden behind Belfast's doors!
September 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Wonderful first day of #EHOD2025 in Belfast. I made it to the Union Theological College, St Stephen's Church (Millfield), St Matthew's Church, and the North Belfast Workingmen's Club. I've come away with so much information - and even more delight at what's hidden behind Belfast's doors!
Went to see #InterAlia @nationaltheatre.org.uk tonight and Suzie Miller had done it again! Thankfully (for me) I wasn't quite as inconsolable coming out of this as I was with Prima Facie but, dear lord, what a show. The whole cast was excellent - and so many important conversations raised.
September 4, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Went to see #InterAlia @nationaltheatre.org.uk tonight and Suzie Miller had done it again! Thankfully (for me) I wasn't quite as inconsolable coming out of this as I was with Prima Facie but, dear lord, what a show. The whole cast was excellent - and so many important conversations raised.
It was brilliant to go down to Bedford Street this morning to chat to Annie about plans for the new UNTOLD: Stories of the Irish in the British Army Museum. The team are really trying to make this a co-created space and are keen to hear from people through their Community Feedback Network.
August 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
It was brilliant to go down to Bedford Street this morning to chat to Annie about plans for the new UNTOLD: Stories of the Irish in the British Army Museum. The team are really trying to make this a co-created space and are keen to hear from people through their Community Feedback Network.
Just back from an overnight stay on Rathlin Island and, oh my, if you get a chance to visit, you really should! (Also, it seems like a trek from Belfast by public transport but it all actually works brilliantly!)
August 14, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Just back from an overnight stay on Rathlin Island and, oh my, if you get a chance to visit, you really should! (Also, it seems like a trek from Belfast by public transport but it all actually works brilliantly!)
I had been sticking (reluctantly) to the no picking rhubarb during its first year, but as yesterday's storm damaged this stalk, I thought it was only polite to make some lunchtime rhubarb and apple crumble (with very early apples off the tree)
August 5, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I had been sticking (reluctantly) to the no picking rhubarb during its first year, but as yesterday's storm damaged this stalk, I thought it was only polite to make some lunchtime rhubarb and apple crumble (with very early apples off the tree)
Interspersing gardening with reading Olivia Laing's The Garden Against Time is a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon, I must say. Especially as the temperature has risen slightly and we're having moments of sunshine (unlike the rest of the week).
August 2, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Interspersing gardening with reading Olivia Laing's The Garden Against Time is a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon, I must say. Especially as the temperature has risen slightly and we're having moments of sunshine (unlike the rest of the week).
"I am not fielding questions on food from a time traveling Fenian."
Enjoying Conor Mulvagh's laying down of caveats in his interview with the Irish Literary Supplement (all the interviews are great!)
Enjoying Conor Mulvagh's laying down of caveats in his interview with the Irish Literary Supplement (all the interviews are great!)
August 2, 2025 at 1:16 PM
"I am not fielding questions on food from a time traveling Fenian."
Enjoying Conor Mulvagh's laying down of caveats in his interview with the Irish Literary Supplement (all the interviews are great!)
Enjoying Conor Mulvagh's laying down of caveats in his interview with the Irish Literary Supplement (all the interviews are great!)
And earlier in the day, I got to see two of our Liberal Arts students (well three but only two in person) awarded prizes at the AEL Awards Ceremony. Well done to everyone!
Pictured: Diana and Gracie being awarded certificates by Head of School, Kurt Taroff.
Pictured: Diana and Gracie being awarded certificates by Head of School, Kurt Taroff.
July 3, 2025 at 6:21 PM
And earlier in the day, I got to see two of our Liberal Arts students (well three but only two in person) awarded prizes at the AEL Awards Ceremony. Well done to everyone!
Pictured: Diana and Gracie being awarded certificates by Head of School, Kurt Taroff.
Pictured: Diana and Gracie being awarded certificates by Head of School, Kurt Taroff.
Most of these wonderful graduating Liberal Arts students started at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social the same year as me, four years ago. It's absolutely brilliant to get to see them graduate, having completed often truly impressive work and generally being inspiring people to know and teach.
July 3, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Most of these wonderful graduating Liberal Arts students started at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social the same year as me, four years ago. It's absolutely brilliant to get to see them graduate, having completed often truly impressive work and generally being inspiring people to know and teach.
Today's harvest from the garden - minus all the ones that I/the slugs/the birds ate. I really love what my garden gives me! And all in the lovely bowl I bought from the Savannah College of Art and Design earlier in the year.
June 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Today's harvest from the garden - minus all the ones that I/the slugs/the birds ate. I really love what my garden gives me! And all in the lovely bowl I bought from the Savannah College of Art and Design earlier in the year.
Thank you to Brian Crowley for an excellent public lecture on commemoration, objects, spaces, and the emotions that are held within them!
It really sets the scene for today's Dublin Feeling Sites of Commemoration workshop!
👏 @ria.ie @niamhroisin.bsky.social @dublincitylibs.bsky.social
It really sets the scene for today's Dublin Feeling Sites of Commemoration workshop!
👏 @ria.ie @niamhroisin.bsky.social @dublincitylibs.bsky.social
June 6, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Thank you to Brian Crowley for an excellent public lecture on commemoration, objects, spaces, and the emotions that are held within them!
It really sets the scene for today's Dublin Feeling Sites of Commemoration workshop!
👏 @ria.ie @niamhroisin.bsky.social @dublincitylibs.bsky.social
It really sets the scene for today's Dublin Feeling Sites of Commemoration workshop!
👏 @ria.ie @niamhroisin.bsky.social @dublincitylibs.bsky.social
So enjoyed our @ria.ie funded and @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social supported workshop on Feeling Sites of Commemoration today!
Pictured: the programme for today and the smaller group of walking tour attendees in front of QUB. Looking forward to our public lecture & the Dublin workshop!
Pictured: the programme for today and the smaller group of walking tour attendees in front of QUB. Looking forward to our public lecture & the Dublin workshop!
June 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
So enjoyed our @ria.ie funded and @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social supported workshop on Feeling Sites of Commemoration today!
Pictured: the programme for today and the smaller group of walking tour attendees in front of QUB. Looking forward to our public lecture & the Dublin workshop!
Pictured: the programme for today and the smaller group of walking tour attendees in front of QUB. Looking forward to our public lecture & the Dublin workshop!
From a BBC article on the campaign to stop people groping the Molly Malone statue.
This uncritical upholding of 'tradition' as 'just something you do, so you do it' says a lot about ritual in public space. Also, the 'we're not taking her clothes off'! point is rather redundant...as it's a statue.
This uncritical upholding of 'tradition' as 'just something you do, so you do it' says a lot about ritual in public space. Also, the 'we're not taking her clothes off'! point is rather redundant...as it's a statue.
May 6, 2025 at 12:38 PM
From a BBC article on the campaign to stop people groping the Molly Malone statue.
This uncritical upholding of 'tradition' as 'just something you do, so you do it' says a lot about ritual in public space. Also, the 'we're not taking her clothes off'! point is rather redundant...as it's a statue.
This uncritical upholding of 'tradition' as 'just something you do, so you do it' says a lot about ritual in public space. Also, the 'we're not taking her clothes off'! point is rather redundant...as it's a statue.
So many congratulations to @shannondevlin.bsky.social on launching her brilliant new book Siblinghood and Sociability in Nineteenth-Century Ulster! Such a great celebration of all your hardwork! Go buy it now (or order it into your library) from @livunipress.bsky.social
April 28, 2025 at 8:23 PM
So many congratulations to @shannondevlin.bsky.social on launching her brilliant new book Siblinghood and Sociability in Nineteenth-Century Ulster! Such a great celebration of all your hardwork! Go buy it now (or order it into your library) from @livunipress.bsky.social
I don't know how I feel about people in the workhouse in 1901 not having their names recorded. In some ways, I understand the need for discretion/anonymity but also, the fact that these people are only remembered in the record by their initials is heartbreaking.
March 25, 2025 at 10:34 AM
I don't know how I feel about people in the workhouse in 1901 not having their names recorded. In some ways, I understand the need for discretion/anonymity but also, the fact that these people are only remembered in the record by their initials is heartbreaking.
Based on the amount of shorts, you'd think it was warmer than 13 degrees, but it's *so* gorgeous today! We're so lucky to have such a great gardeners at QUB and Botanic next door!
March 24, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Based on the amount of shorts, you'd think it was warmer than 13 degrees, but it's *so* gorgeous today! We're so lucky to have such a great gardeners at QUB and Botanic next door!
I highly recommend reading these two one after the other! I mean, if you want to be a bit miserable but also intrigued and soothed.
March 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I highly recommend reading these two one after the other! I mean, if you want to be a bit miserable but also intrigued and soothed.
It was a pretty excellent day for a walk! Yes, I do spend a lot of time replaying scenes from The Last Kingdom whenever I'm up here...
March 8, 2025 at 2:25 PM
It was a pretty excellent day for a walk! Yes, I do spend a lot of time replaying scenes from The Last Kingdom whenever I'm up here...
A bit of delight to brighten your day!
March 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
A bit of delight to brighten your day!