Name: These Isles – with Brian Groom
Start: 2026-05-15T14:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-05-15T15:00:00+01:00
Location: Heritage Quay

$These Isles \u2013 with Brian Groom$

A rich and timely cultural, historical and social examination of the entwined histories of Britain and Ireland’s nations.
About this Event

From the bestselling author of Northerners comes a rich and timely cultural, historical and social examination of the entwined histories of Britain and Ireland’s nations – and the people who called them home.

In These Isles: A People’s History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, Brian Groom reveals a colourful and often contested story of the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans and others who have occupied these islands, along with their culture, languages and passions.

Groom explores the role of religion and the British Empire, international diasporas and internal migration, gender relations and war in this entertaining narrative.

With forays into popular culture, sport, music, language, literature and art, These Isles stretches from 800,000-year-old footprints on a Norfolk beach to the changing fortunes of the early 21st century. It offers a uniquely rich and kaleidoscopic vision of the shared stories of people across Britain and Ireland – past and present.

“Entertaining and informative. Groom keeps his history admirably down to earth.” The Times, Book of the Week

Brian Groom is a journalist and a leading expert on British regional and national affairs. His career was spent mainly at the Financial Times, where he was assistant editor. He is also a former editor of Scotland on Sunday, which he launched as deputy editor and which won many awards. Brian’s first book, Northerners, was a Waterstones History

Book of the Year and his second, Made in Manchester, was a Financial Times Book of the Year. He lives in Saddleworth.

Friday 15 May

2pm-3pm

Heritage Quay, Schwann Building, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH

£5, free for University of Huddersfield staff and students, and for Essential carers accompanying a ticket holder

Age guidance: 14+ (U16s should be accompanied by an adult)

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