03.03.2016
Remembering, Forgetting and Fulfilling 1916 – Major Conference Takes Place in Waterford
The Church of Ireland in Waterford is holding a major public conference to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. ‘Remembering, Forgetting and Fulfilling 1916: Can the future be built upon the untapped resources of the past?’ takes place in Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford, on March 18 and 19.
The conference has been planned by the Dean of Waterford, the Very Revd Maria Jansson, to bring together not just scholars and people enquiring about the founding events of our State but also the general thinking public interested in the manner in which we remember the events of the past, commemorate them but also ‘misremember’ or abuse them for political purposes. Over 2,000 books are in the public domain on the subject, so this conference will question the ways in which we ‘do’ and use history.
The Dean has brought together a panel of speakers of international and national standing. The keynote speaker will be Professor Charles Townshend, Emeritus Professor of International History at Keele University, whose most recent book The Republic: the Fight for Irish Independence (2013) was awarded the Christopher Ewart–Biggs Memorial Prize, 2015. He will speak on March 18 on The Complexities of Commemoration. The following day, Professor Ronan Fanning, Emeritus Professor of History at UCD, whose two recent publications Fatal Path: British Government and Irish Revolution 1910–22 (Faber and Faber 2013) and Eamon de Valera: a Will to Power (Faber and Faber 2015) have won widespread acclaim will speak on The Political Abuses of 1916. Dermot Meleady who wrote the hugely significant two volume biography on John Redmond will argue that the rebels of 1916 Misremembered History for political purposes.
Robin Bantry White, the retired Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross will give a lecture on Contrasting voices: Dr Kathleen Lynn and Professor Walter Alison Philipps, two Protestants, one an ardent supporter of Sinn Fein, the other utterly opposed to Home Rule. The conference will close with the response of Bishop Michael Burrows, Bishop of Waterford to the above presentations. He will also preach in the cathedral on Easter Day to mark the centenary of 1916.
There will be ample opportunity for participants to engage with the speakers in open fora and it is hoped that the event will generate much reflection and discussion.
To attend, register on line at www.christchurchwaterford.com/events/conference-1916, email: events.christchurchwaterford@gmail.com or phone +353 51 858958
The cost for full conference is €80 (which includes light lunch Saturday for those who pre–register). Concession €30 for retired people or on presentation of Student or Social Welfare Card.