the project will be discussed, including the use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to enhance text discoverability. Since its launch in 2023, the collection has served as a valuable resource for scholars, genealogists, and the public, offering insights into the Irish diaspora’s experiences. The collection’s continued development, as well as recent artistic interpretations and prominent media features, highlight the collection’s cultural resonance and promising future.
Marie-Louise Rouget is a project digital archivist at the University of Galway Library. From Johannesburg originally, Marie-Louise has a special interest in death culture, cemeteries and the visual arts in South Africa. In 2023, she became a network scholar of the Cemetery Research Group (University of York), and published the research article ‘Grave Concerns: the state of public cemetery records management in South Africa’ (Archives and Records, 44:1, 73-94). She also releases a Substack newsletter titled ‘Morbid Musings’ to publish her ongoing research around these themes. Since 2023, she has been leading the digital-first project to make historian Kerby A. Miller’s collection of Irish emigrant letters and memoirs accessible to the public through the online portal, Imirce, which means emigration.
Date: Monday 10 February 2025
Time: 20:00/8pm
Venue: Harbour Hotel, Galway