Fingal Festival of History launched in Swords Castle
The third annual Fingal Festival of History was launched by the Mayor of Fingal Cllr. Eoghan O'Brien in Swords Castle on Tuesday September 17. The festival which comprises of a week of history talks and events organised by Fingal Libraries, takes place from September 30 until October 7.
This year’s programme features History at the Castle, a day of talks, story-telling and music celebrating Irish heritage on Saturday 5th October in the stunning Chapel of Swords Castle, a national monument and cultural attraction in the care of Fingal County Council.
- Join the Craobh Séan Treacy branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann at 11:15am for a narrated journey using music, song and stories to illustrate how Irish music and history have moved together through the ages.
- Listen to Sheanchaí Anthony Nugent tell tales from Irish mythology and to Dr. Pat Bracken’s talk on hurling in the 19th Century in Ireland at 2pm.
- To celebrate the centenary of the birth of Séamus Ennis, one of the most important figures in Irish traditional music in the 20th century, the Fingal Festival of History, in partnership with the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, presents an entertaining session of speech, song and music with Mise an Fear Cheoil. Ríonach uí Ógáin speaks about the daily life of the folklore collector in the 1940s. Róisín Elsafty, a celebrated sean-nós singer from the Conamara Gaeltacht, will perform songs which come to us from the Ó Caodháin collection and uilleann piper Peter Browne will play tunes from both Ó Caodháin and Ennis. This event will take place from 3-4pm.
County Librarian Betty Boardman said; ‘’The Libraries Department of Fingal County Council is delighted to present a very interesting programme of talks and events for our third Fingal Festival of History. The programme is a good mix of local historical topics and issues of national significance.’’
Talks will also take place in libraries throughout Fingal:
- Dr. Ruth McManus explores the forgotten world of life in ‘digs’ in her talk Lodgers and Landladies – Monday September 30 at 6:30 pm in Rush Library.
- Dr. Mary MacDiarmada examines Irish nationalism in London during the War of Independence - Monday September 30 at 6:30pm in Blanchardstown Library.
- Declan Brady looks at elections and local government in North County Dublin during the lifetime of the Rural District Council in his talk Voters and Politicians – Thursday October 3 at 6:30pm in Fingal Local Studies and Archives.
- Frank Whearity’s talk explores the rise and fall of John Spicer’s Model Bakery in Balbriggan – Tuesday October 1 at 6:30pm in Balbriggan Library.
- Dr. Angela Byrne looks at the diaries of John Lee (né Fiott) who embarked on a seven-month walking tour of England, Wales and Ireland in 1806 in her talk Impressions of a Visitor to Dublin in 1806-07 - Thursday October 3 at 6:30pm in Baldoyle Library.
- Glynis Casson and Claire Roche present Dauntless and Daring – Women of the Gael - a show telling the stories of six notable Irish women interspersed with songs related to their lives and accompanied with Claire Roche’s beautiful harp music - Thursday October 3 at 6:15pm in Malahide Library.
Speaking about the Festival, Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O’Brien said; “I am really looking forward to this Festival of History particularly History at the Castle which incorporates music, song & history in the wonderful Swords Castle setting.”
Admission is free to all talks and events however some do require booking. For the full festival programme, please contact your local library branch, or visit Fingal Libraries website: http://fingal.ie/libraries/
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Marguerite Drake - Tel: 01 890 5523
Orla Drohan - Tel: 01 890 5531
Fingal Libraries Events & PR