Ambassador of Ireland to Japan Courtesy Call to President Ogawa
On July 26th, 2023, His Excellency Damien Cole, the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan, and others paid a courtesy call to President Hisao Ogawa. Also present were Prof. Toyofumi Mizumoto, Executive Vice President; Dr. Masahiko Ito, Dean of the Faculty of Letters; Mr. Kenji Kakuta, Executive Director of the International Affairs Department; and Dr. Kelly Hansen, Professor of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.Lafcadio Hearn, a great literary figure of the Meiji Era with roots in Ireland, taught English at the Fifth High School (Goko), the predecessor of Kumamoto University (KU), and his close ties to KU made this visit possible. During the meeting, President Ogawa welcomed the visitors and introduced the Center for Soseki and Hearn Studies in the Faculty of Letters. They then exchanged opinions on the promotion of education and research exchange with Irish universities and other institutions, as well as discussed the possibility of building partnerships.
Following the meeting, the Ambassador and others visited a relief commemorating the centennial anniversary of Hearn's passing away at Kurokami Campus. Afterward, the Ambassador gave a brief lecture on Irish culture and other topics to the students at the Memorial Museum of the Fifth High School. At the end of the visit, President Ogawa led the group on a tour of the Memorial Museum of the Fifth High School, where they were introduced to the history of Goko and the forerunners associated with the school.
President Hisao Ogawa receives a courtesy call from
His Excellency Damien Cole, the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan
His Excellency Damien Cole gave a brief lecture to the students of KU
His Excellency Damien Cole receives explanation from the researcher
Commemorative photo in front of the relief
of Lafcadio Hearn:
His Excellency Damien Cole (left),
President Hisao Ogawa (right)
His Excellency Damien Cole, the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan
His Excellency Damien Cole gave a brief lecture to the students of KU
His Excellency Damien Cole receives explanation from the researcher
Commemorative photo in front of the relief
of Lafcadio Hearn:
His Excellency Damien Cole (left),
President Hisao Ogawa (right)