Virtual Conference Free of Charge The War of Independence comes to North : March 1921

Date: Sunday 14th March 2021 Time: 1pm ~ 5pm © Photograpgh of the North Connemara Flying Column Where: Beo Facebook Page courtesy of Mary Roe The War of Independence Sunday 14th March 2021 | 1pm ~ 5pm comes to North Connemara: March 1921 | Virtual Conference

https://heritage.galwaycommunityheritage.org/content/category/ topics/the-war-of-independence-comes-to-north-connemara- march-1921

Date: Sunday 14th March 2021 Time: 1pm ~ 5pm Where: Galway Beo Facebook Page

© Main Street Clifden, courtesy of the National Library of Ireland The War of Independence Sunday 14th March 2021 | 1pm ~ 5pm comes to North Connemara: March 1921 | Virtual Conference Programme

1pm Opening Address Breandan O Scanaill, Chairperson, Clifden and Connemara Heritage Society

1.10pm 1921: towards endgame in the Anglo-Irish war by Professor Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh

2pm The execution of Thomas Whelan: Mountjoy Jail, March 14, 1921 by Professor Irene M. Whelan

3pm Clifden Town Ablaze: The aftermath of Thomas Whelan’s execution by Kathleen Villiers-Tuthill 4pm Men of the West; The West Connemara Flying Column and the Irish Independence Struggle, 1919-23 by Dr Conor McNamara

5pm Then Came the Tans; Events on the Renvyle Peninsula after the burning of Clifden from The Memoirs of Mary Little Kane (1912- 1996) by Verena Roe The War of Independence comes to North Connemara: March 1921 | Virtual Conference Biographies

Clifden and Connemara Heritage Society The Clifden and Connemara Heritage Society, was set up in the early 1990s to help preserve and promote the history and heritage of the area. It has worked over the years to make people aware of the rich history on our doorstep. It has been involved with various events over the years and has supported the work at the Marconi Station and landing site of Alcock and Brown. The Clifden and Connemara Heritage Society has also published a number of journals.

Sunday 14th March 2021 | 1pm ~ 5pm Thomas Whelan © Mary Whelan Pryce The War of Independence Sunday 14th March 2021 | 1pm ~ 5pm comes to North Connemara: March 1921 | Virtual Conference Biographies

Breandan O Scanaill Breandan O Scanaill, is Chairperson and co founder of the Clifden and Connemara Heritage Society. He is very involved in the various historical events which take place in the area, from the Clifden 2012 celebrations, to the various Alcock and Brown and Marconi events. He has written for a number of papers and published Historical Sketchbook, a look at protected structures in the area.

Professor Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh is Professor Emeritus in History at NUI, Galway. He has published extensively on modern Irish history.

Professor Irene M. Whelan Irene M. Whelan is Professor of History and Director of Irish Studies at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She specializes in cultural and religious history and is the author of The Bible War in Ireland. The ‘Second Reformation’ and the Polarization of Protestant-Catholic Relations, 1800- 1840. (Lilliput Press 2005). She is a native of Clifden and a niece of Thomas Whelan. The War of Independence Sunday 14th March 2021 | 1pm ~ 5pm comes to North Connemara: March 1921 | Virtual Conference Biographies

Kathleen Villiers-Tuthill Kathleen Villiers-Tuthill is an historian and writer based in Clifden. Her publications include Beyond The : A History of Clifden and District 1860-1923, The in Connemara and A Colony of Strangers: The Founding and Early History of Clifden.

Dr Conor McNamara Dr Conor McNamara has written extensively about the history of modern Ireland and the Irish revolution. He has won numerous national awards for his work, including the National Library of Ireland, History Fellowship (2011) and was appointed the NUI Galway, 1916 Rebellion, Historian- in-Residence in 2015. He is the author of a number of books including War and Revolution in the West of Ireland, Galway 1913–22 (Irish Academic Press, 2018).

Verena Roe Verena Roe is a local historian and lecturer who works with the Connemara West exchange programs affiliated with Aquinas College and Lourdes University in the U.S. She holds an MA degree in Irish Studies from NUIG. A native of Gorteennaglogh on the Renvyle Peninsula, she is a granddaughter of Mary Little Kane (1912-1996) and is currently editing her memoirs for publication. The War of Independence Sunday 14th March 2021 | 1pm ~ 5pm comes to North Connemara: March 1921 | Virtual Conference

This virtual conference can also be viewed on the Acknowledgements following website Thank you to all the lecturers and Clifden and Connemara Heritage https://heritage.galwaycommunityheritage. Society for their inputs with regards to this conference. Sincere org/content/category/topics/the-war-of- thanks to Mary Roe for giving permission to use the photograph of the independence-comes-to-north-connemara- North Connemara Flying Column; to the National Library of Ireland march-1921 for the reproduction of Main Street Clifden (Lawrence Photograph and Galway Beo YouTube channel. Collection); Mary Whelan Pryce for the photograph of Thomas Whelan To find out more about this conference please and Helen Mannion, Aughrim for use of the photograph of Constable contact one of the following: Thomas Sweeney, RIC. We would also like to thank Antoinette Lydon and Dave Collins, Heritage, Gráinne Smyth, Caroline Marie Mannion Hannon & Martina Creaven, ; Garry Kelly, Heritage Officer, Galway County Council. GK Media; Damien Goodfellow, Graphic Designer and Neil Carron, Phone + 353 (0)91 509198 | +353 (0)87 9088387 Commemorations Unit, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, or email [email protected] Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for all their help and assistance. or Gráinne Smyth Forward Planning, Galway County Council. This conference has been organised by Galway County Council in Phone +353 (0)91 509121 partnership with Clifden and Connemara Heritage Society. or email [email protected] This conference is funded by the Commemorations Unit, Department or of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Caroline Hannon Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries programme and Forward Planning, Galway County Council. Galway County Council. Phone +353 (0)91 509047 or email [email protected]

It is an action of Galway County Council’s Decade of Commemoration Strategy 2013-2023

2013-2023 Deich mBliana Cuimhneachán Chontae na Gaillimhe The County of Galway Decade of Commemorations