Let Rise till Hum Lit. Sleep (Finnegans Wake, 114.19)

The European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies (EFACIS) proudly announces the launch of its official journal, the Review of Irish Studies in Europe (RISE). In line with the remit of EFACIS —‘to promote expansion  of  Irish  Studies  throughout  Europe’ —and  its focus—‘the study  and debate  of  all aspects  of  society,  culture  and literature  of the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Irish diaspora within the humanities and social  sciences’ — this  new  peer-reviewed  journal is multi-disciplinary, and the range of areas  of  study covered within its  pages are limited only by the imaginations of its contributors. The journal has sprung into being without any prescriptive agenda concerning the subject matter, ideological standpoint or methodological approach of its prospective articles.

The acronym –‘RISE’ – calls to mind some of the many functions which the journal might have in the future: ‘a flight of steps’ (the steady progress and movement towards a goal); ‘a place from which to leap or soar upwards’ (publication leading to promotion or the attainment of greater knowledge); ‘a revolt or an uprising’ (the subjection to scrutiny of existing ways of reading and the inauguration of new approaches); ‘the appearance  of  the sun, moon, or a planet above the horizon’ (a beacon and guide for those interested in Irish Studies). We  hope that this new  journal  energises the various communities of Irish Studies scholars and that, in continuing to rise, ‘Humaniores Literae’ may never sleep.

While  the  acronym  stresses  activity  and  is  present-orientated (‘to spring up, come into existence’; ‘to be roused to action against an enemy or oppressor’), Roland McHugh, in glossing the passage from which the above quotation from Finnegans Wake comes, states that the author is asking ‘in this succession of writings from the past to the present, where exactly is the wisdom?’ Thus, in this first issue we begin by taking stock and looking back with fresh eyes at the past.