*Seamus O’Reilly will deliver a lecture ‘Heroes Without Laurels’ on the history of Clare hurling alongside Ollie Byrnes.
A HOST of free lectures and talks will bring the people of Clare back to their roots during History Week.
Ten of Clare’s libraries and museums will put a spotlight on the county’s history with a range of free talks, lectures, presentations and exhibitions.
Clare Libraries’ History Week will be launched on Monday at 12:00 in the Local Studies Centre and run until Monday October 10th.
Lunchtime lectures at de Valera library in Ennis are among the highlights of History Week. Local historians Dick Cronin, Jackie Elger, Ollie Byrnes, Séamus O’Reilly and Tony Kirby will be leading the discussions on themes including Clare hurling, Máire Rua, Kildysart Poor Law Union and Famine in the Burren. Antoinette O’Bryen from the Clare Heritage and Genealogy Centre in Corofin will give a talk in Ennis on Thursday followed by a series of one-one genealogy sessions.
Women’s history will be celebrated throughout the week. Author Nicola Pierce will give a talk on her bestselling book Great Irish Wives in Ennis Library and Jane O’Brien will give a free walking tour on Saturday based on the Women of Ennis. A Women of Clare exhibition will be held in Ennis Library including content on Biddy Early, Máire Rua and Clare Women in Politics, Sport and Music and others.
Kilrush library will hold a series of famine related events with lectures by eminent Famine historians Gerard Moran and Dr. Jason King. Shannon native, RTÉ journalist Rachael English will lead a Saturday session talking about her book A Letter Home, a Famine-related story based on West Clare and the ‘One County, One Book’ title for Clare Libraries throughout September. The documentary ‘The Garden Where the Praties Grow’ by Tommy Hayes will be shown in Kilrush and Ennis. Further talks will take place in Kilrush Library later in October.
William Smith O’Brien Library in Newmarket-on-Fergus will mark its Hickey connection to John F. Kennedy by displaying an exhibition on US250: Ireland and the Making of America and screenings of US250: the Irish Connection and the documentary by Mary Grogan and Conor Madden on the Hickeys in Newmarket. The links between Clare and America will also be examined at a Hedge School in Ennis Library with a panel of historians, this event is in conjunction with History Ireland magazine.
Shannon Archaeological and Historical Society will display an exhibition in Shannon Library and Ennistymon will display a National Library exhibition on Ireland through Maps.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, Clare County Librarian Cora Gunter stated that “The Local Studies and Archives section of Clare Libraries showcase the history and genealogy are of our county providing us with invaluable insights into our roots and the events that have shaped our world”.
Senior Executive Librarian Dolores Meaney further added “History Week at Clare Libraries hopes to encourage the public to engage with the county’s history and learn more about the stories of our ancestors”.
Clare Libraries History Week takes place from 3-10 October. History Week has been funded by the Dept of Culture, Communications and Sport. Further information from history@clarecoco.ie.
Saturday 3 October
- Kilrush Library at 11am – Talk by Rachael English on her book ‘The Letter Home’. Clare Libraries promoted the book as their One County, One Book title – the Famine story is based in West Clare and the fictional area of Clooneven was based on Kilkee and ‘Two Months at Kilkee’ by Mary John Knott (1836) and research on the famine using online resources from Clare Libraries.
Monday 5 October
- Online at 11am – Talk: Collections in Clare Local Studies and Archives by Local Studies Librarian Michael Talty and Archivist Ciara Fahy
- Ennis Library at 1pm – Talk: Heroes without Laurels: Clare Hurling History by Séamus O’Reilly and Ollie Byrnes
Tuesday 6 October
- Online: From Archives to History: Glynn Family Archive by Dr. Paul O’Brien
- Ennis Library at 1pm – Talk and film screening: Máire Ruadh…Fact or Fiction by Dick Cronin
- Ennis Library at 6.30pm – Talk: Great Irish Wives by Nicola Pierce, her book includes 10 Irish women including Mary O’Connell, Sinéad de Valera, Emily Shackleton and Matilda Tone
- Kilrush Library at 6.15pm – Documentary Screening: The Garden Where the Praties Grow by Tommy Hayes and Anthony Hughes, blending the power of traditional Irish music with a deep exploration of Ireland’s history
Wednesday 7 October
- Ennis Library at 1pm – Talk: The Irish language in print, 18th century Paris and some Clare connections by Patricia Moloney
- Ennis Library at 6.30pm – History Ireland Hedge School: Clare and America from the Famine to Parnell. This panel will be chaired by Tommy Graham of History Ireland with Bernadette Whelan, Kyle Kusch, Kieran Grace and Jane Halloran Ryan.
- Clare Museum at 7.30pm – Talk: Straw Mummers and Traditions in Europe by Éanna Byrt and Anna Scanlan
Thursday 8 October
- Online: From Archives to History: Barrett Family Archive by Dr. Paul O’Brien
- Ennis Library at 11am – Talk: Clare Heritage and Genealogy Centre, Corofin by Antoinette O’Bryen
- Ennis Library 11.30am-1pm – Genealogy Sessions with Antoinette O’Bryen – please book individual 15 minute sessions at history@clarecoco.ie
- Ennis Library at 1pm – Talk: Kildysart Poor Law Union Workhouse 1850-1922 by Jackie Elger
- Ennis Library at 6.15pm – Documentary Screening: The Garden Where the Praties Grow by Tommy Hayes and Anthony Hughes, blending the power of traditional Irish music with a deep exploration of Ireland’s history
- Kilrush Library at 6pm – Talk: ‘Slaughter Houses’: Life and Death in Kilrush Workhouse during the Great Famine, 1845-52 by Gerard Moran**
- Kilrush Library at 7pm – Talk: Tracing Irish Famine Orphans and Indigenous Aid in 1847 by Jason King
Friday 9 October
- Ennis Library at 1pm – Talk: The Great Hunger: Burren, Clare and Ireland by Tony Kirby
Saturday 10 October
- 1pm – Meet at O’Connell Monument, The Square, Ennis – Free Walking Tour: Walking in Her Footsteps: Women of Ennis Walking Tour with Jane O’Brien
Clare Museum from 12noon – 4pm – Straw Connect Cultural Gathering
Children’s Programme
- Ennis Library on Wed 7 October at 10.30am – Talk with author Nicola Pierce (prebooked primary school class)
- Clare Museum on Wed 7 October at 1pm – VR Artefact Photogrammetry workshop with Cliff Parrott (prebooked TY class)
Additional Event
- Kilrush Library on Tuesday 13 October at 6.30pm – Talk: Kildysart Poor Law Union Workhouse 1850-1922 by Jackie Elger
- Kilrush Libary on Tuesday 20 October at 6.30pm – Talk: The effect of the Famine on the Irish language by Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh
Exhibitions (from 3-10 October unless otherwise stated)
- Corofin Library – O’Dea Clan
- Ennis Library – Women of Clare
- Ennis Library – Máiréad Ní Ghráda
- Ennistymon Library – Ireland throup Maps (5-26 October)
- Killaloe Library – Picking Up the Pieces –Claims, Relief and Rebuilding after the War
- Kilrush Library – Photo Detectives (23 September – 13 October)
- Kilrush Library – Famine in Clare
- Miltown Malbay Library – Clare Lexicographers
- Newmarket-on-Fergus Library – Ireland and the Making of America, USA250
- Scariff Library – Electoral History of Clare
- Shannon Library – Fifty Years of Shannon Archaeological and Historical Society
- Sixmilebridge Library – Heroes without Laurels: Clare Hurling History
All events are free of charge
