2024 Hooker Lecture: Conversations of Compassion, Challenges and Comfort with Pádraig Ó Tuama

On October 30, 2024, the McMaster University Department of Family Medicine (DFM) hosted the 2024 Hooker Lecture with Pádraig Ó Tuama, an Irish poet, theologian, conflict resolution mediator and author with interests in language, violence, power and religion.

The very successful event drew over 100 attendees — some traveling from as far as Thunder Bay — to join DFM at the David Braley Health Sciences Centre in downtown Hamilton. Over 100 more joined online from across Canada and the US.

Ó Tuama’s talk touched on the role of poetry and language in health, relationship and importantly, caring for ourselves. Following the deeply engaging lecture, attendees had the opportunity to join in conversation, asking Ó Tuama for his pointed insights on topics near to them. Participation by the diverse audience of clinicians, poets, academics and community members fostered thoughtful discussions about health care, peace, compassion and much more.

The following morning, DFM held a workshop with Ó Tuama for faculty and staff. Through a set of poetry exercises, he encouraged participants to look at language more deeply during interactions with each?other and with patients.

Ó Tuama’s expansive body of work includes, Kitchen Hymns (2025), Being Here: Prayers for Curiosity, Justice, and Love (2024), Poetry Unbound (2022), Feed the Beast (2022), Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community (2017), In the Shelter (2015), Sorry for your Troubles (2013), and Readings from the Books of Exile (2012), which was longlisted for the 2013 Polari First Book Prize.

Pádraig has graciously given us permission to share a recording of the event online until the new year.