Last November, at Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Minister of State, Avril Doyle TD officially launched ‘Friends of Comóradh ’98’ and their flagship project, the reconvention of the Wexford Senate in 1998. She argued that the 1790s was the pivotal decade in the evolution of modern Ireland. It witnessed the emergence of popular Republicanism and Loyalism, of … Read more
Currently in pre-production, Poorhouse is a half-hour drama set during the period of the Great Famine. The film is co-written and directed by Frank Stapelton and adapted from a story by Michael Harding. The film’s plot concerns the relationship between an elderly gravedigger at the workhouse and a young pregnant woman who arrives there from … Read more
Efforts are under way in County Meath to have a new statue of StPatrick installed on the Hill of Tara. The original statue was removedlast year by the Office of Public Works for refurbishment but was foundto have deteriorated beyond repair. Rathfeigh Historical Society hasacted as secretary of a Tara Committee in negotiations with the … Read more
The Third Irish Genealogical Congress will take place on 22-28September 1997 in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. A number ofpresentations on the Famine are planned as part of the 150thanniversary. Another theme will be the seventy-five years work toreconstitute the records destroyed in the Four Courts fire in 1922, aswell as the usual round of excursions, … Read more
Tom Garvin (UCD) was ‘very uneasy about it’ while Brendan McGahon TDspoke of ‘lurid imaginings’. These comments were made in a Sunday Timesarticle rubbishing the as yet unreleased Neil Jordan film about MichaelCollins. The article was entitled ‘Hollywood’s rewrite of Irish historyclouds peace process’. Although the peace process has in fact not beenclouded by either … Read more