The ninth Irish Conference of Medievalists took place in the usual venue of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth from 22 to 24 June 1995. It was preceded by a day-long review of the present position of the various disciplines—early Irish history, literature, language, archaeology, hagiography, legal and metrical material. It is intended that the proceedings will … Read more
Present day visitors to the Picture Gallery in Kilkenny Castle find a very large airy room decorated with a number of Ormonde family portraits. The atmosphere is of quiet contemplation of the works of art. On the 12 October, 1912 there was a very different atmosphere as a large number of people assembled for an … Read more
Speaking in the Houses of Parliament in 1886 T.P. O’Connor, one of Parnell’s closest associates, forecast what Ireland would look like under Home Rule. He described ‘a nation of small farmers—one vast universal petite bourgeoisie’. In support of his characterisation he goes on to exhort his listeners to Go to the Royal Academy and look … Read more
We’ll fight to the last in the honest old cause, And guard our religion, our freedom and laws. We’ll fight for our country, our king and his crown, And make all the traitors and croppies lie down. As the television documentaries, radio programmes and newspaper features marking the bicentennary of the French revolution rolled on … Read more
The foundation of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, in 1795 represented a revolution in the history of Irish Catholicism. The penal era was drawing to a close, but the French Revolution and the loss of the continental colleges threatened the supply of priests to Ireland; of 478 seminary places in Europe before the revolution, ninety per … Read more