NATIONAL NATIONALCOMMEMORATION 2014 COMMEMORATION 2014 Strokestown Co. Roscommon 2nd - 11th Bealtaine / May 2014 1 NATIONAL NATIONAL The Strokestown estate How did the local community react to during the Great Irish Famine the clearance of thousands of people? COMMEMORATION 2014 COMMEMORATIONWho 2014benefited from these clearances? How did those who emigrated fare in It is a great honour and privilege for County of starvation, evictions, emigration, disease and In the social memory of the Great Famine Roscommon to be chosen to host the National death. Remembering and commemorating the at Strokestown, the assisted emigration their receiving communities? Was there Famine Commemoration in 2014.The Great Irish complex story of the famine is being undertaken of 1,490 people to Canada, the murder a dislocation of country house life during Famine was one of the most catastrophic events through a comprehensive programme taking place of Major Denis Mahon in 1847 and the the Famine or did it continue relatively in Irish History. The famine altered the demographic, from 2nd to 11th May 2014. With Strokestown Park subsequent clearance of 3,000 ten- unaffected. The existence of the economic, social, political, cultural and House and the Famine Museum at the centre of the psychological development of modern Ireland. commemorations the programme includes events ants from the estate from 1848-1849 Strokestown Famine archive, now on loan The impact and repercussions of the famine in ranging from the literary festival, famine exhibitions, predominates. While, it is certainly true to NUI Maynooth, and on deposit in the circumstances where one million people died and a library displays, lectures, talks and readings , that the emigration schemes and the OPW-NUIM Archive and Research Centre further one million emigrated left an indelible mark children’s workshops, schools’ art exhibition, clearances caused considerable unrest, at Castletown House, allows for a that is still evident today in each and every parish in genealogy centre , street theatre, wreath laying systematic analysis of events as they the country. We, as a local authority, with a strong and commemorative famine wall unveiling. which contributed to the murder of Denis sense of our cultural, historical, heritage and I would like to acknowledge the support and Mahon, social memory, if left untested, unfolded and provides answers to these community identity are committed to fostering contribution of all partners including the Department can hide many other complexities of how and many other questions. an appreciation and understanding of events that of the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Roscommon the Famine played itself out at a local shaped our County and recognize the opportunity County Council, Strokestown Park House, Strokestown level. The existence of the Strokestown In Autumn 2014 Dr Ciaran Reilly will this National Famine Commemoration presents to Community Development Association, NUI Maynooth highlight the very real impact of the famine in County and the local community, who have all worked Famine archive highlights that there are publish a monograph, Voices of the Great Roscommon. Between the years 1841 – 1851 the together to ensure the success of the programme still major questions to be answered in Irish Famine: The Strokestown Archive population of County Roscommon decreased by over and provide a very warm welcome to all visitors relation to the greatest social calamity in Revealed. This will offer a microcosmic 80,000 people, representing the highest to the county for the occasion. modern Irish history. insight into how the Great Famine population loss (31%) of any county in the country. Martin Connaughton MCC unfolded at local level. Within that ten year period lies the very real tragedy For example, how widespread and Mayor of County Roscommon effective were local efforts to alleviate the plight of the impoverished? Cuimneachán Náisiúnta ar an nGorta Mór chun cuimhne agus a chomóradh i bhfoirm clár Réamhfhocal/Réamhrá an Chathaoirligh cuimsitheach a bheidh ar bhun ón 2ú -11ú Bealtaine 2014. Ar an gclár, a mbeidh go leor de ar bun i Is mór an onóir agus an phribhléid do Chontae Ros dTeach Páirce Bhéal na mBuillí agus i Músaem an Comáin gur roghnaíodh é chun an Cuimhneachán Ghorta Mhóir, beidh féile liteartha, taispeántais Náisiúnta ar an nGorta Mór a óstáil in 2014. Bhí an ar an nGorta, taispeántais leabharlainne, léachtaí, Gorta Mór ar cheann de na tubaistí ba mhó i stair na cainteanna agus léitheoireacht, ceardlanna do hÉireann. D’fhág an Gorta athrú ar dhul chun cinn leanaí, taispeántas ealaíne scoile, ionad ginealais, déimeagrafach, eacnamaíoch, sóisialta, polaitiúil, amharclannaíocht sráide, bláthfhleasca á leagan cultúir agus síceolaíoch Éire an lae inniu. D’fhág agus balla i gcuimhne ar an nGorta a nochtadh. an Gorta, inar bhásaigh milliún agus a ndeachaigh Ba mhaith liom aitheantas a thabhairt don tacaíocht milliún eile ar imirce, marc go deo ar Éirinn agus tá a agus don obair a rinne na páirtithe ar fad lena shliocht le brath inniu i ngach paróiste sa tír. n-áirítear an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Mar údarás áitiúil, a bhfuil tuiscint ar leith againn Gaeltachta, Comhairle Chontae Ros Comáin, Teach ar ár gcultúr, ár n-oidhreacht agus ar an bpobal, Páirce Bhéal na mBuillí, Cumann Forbartha Pobail féachaimid le meas agus tuiscint a chothú ar na Bhéal na mBuillí, Ollscoil na hÉireann Má Nuad agus himeachtaí a mhúnlaigh an Contae agus aithnímid an pobal áitiúil a d’oibrigh as lámh a chéile lena an deis atá againn leis an gCuimhneachán Náisiúnta chinntiú go n-éireodh leis an gclár agus le fáilte ar an nGorta Mór an tionchar a bhí ag an nGorta ar chroíúil a chur roimh na gcuairteoirí ar fad chuig an Ros Comáin a léiriú. Idir na blianta 1841 – 1851 gcontae don ócáid. tháinig laghdú 80,000 duine ar dhaonra Chontae Ros Comáin arbh ionann sin agus an laghdú is mó (31%) Martin Connaughton MCC ar dhaonra in aon chontae sa tír. Sna deich mbliana Méara Chontae Ros Comáin Thanks to the co-operation of all the providers and promoters all the events sin bhí ocras, díshealbhú, imirce, galair agus bás sa chontae. Déanfar scéal casta an Ghorta a thabhairt are FREE to the public. We look forward to your participation. 2 3 NATIONAL NATIONAL COMMEMORATION 2014 COMMEMORATION 2014 OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF FAMINE Friday Saturday SCHOOLS FAMINE ART COMMEMORATION WEEK EXHIBITION Friday May 2nd | 7.30pm STROKESTOWN STROKESTOWN Saturday May 3rd | 3pm The launch will take place in association INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL Opening of the School’s Famine Art with Strokestown International Poetry POETRY FESTIVAL POETRY FESTIVAL Exhibition and prize giving. All welcome Festival, Roscommon County Council, Friday May 2nd | 6.45pm Saturday May 3rd | 10am Hosted by Roscommon County Council Strokestown Park House and Strokestown Primary and Secondary Schools Poetry 10am Poetry readings by Noelle Lynskey VENUE: The Hub Community Development Association and Awards. 2.00 Tour of Strokestown Park Gardens TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 CSHIHE. 8.30 pm Percy French Comic Verse Prize 3.00 Ogham Writers Group VENUE: Percy French Hotel VENUE: Percy French Hotel 4.15 Readings by Dedalus Press Poets Hosted by Strokestown Poetry Festival TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361794 FAMINE WALK OF VENUE: Strokestown Park House STROKESTOWN FAMINE IN COUNTY TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361794 Saturday May 3rd | 5pm THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE A walk around all the Famine sites ROSCOMMON EXHIBITION MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC in Strokestown, Roscommon Saturday May 3rd - 17th 2014 Exhibitions Friday May 2nd | 11am - 5.30pm THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE Hosted by the County Roscommon This exhibition will run simultaneously in MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC With a display of rare Famine documents. Historical and Archaeological Society. five libraries: Strokestown, Roscommon, Saturday May 3rd | 11am - 5.30pm VENUE: Strokestown Park House MEETING: at SCDA Offices, Bawn Street Boyle, Ballaghaderreen and Castlerea. A collection of rare Famine documents TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 The individual exhibitions relate to the will be on display. TEL: Shane Lynskey 087 7796575. areas in which they will be held. See VENUE: Strokestown Park House local areas for opening times of various libraries. MUSIC BY COMHALTAS, TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 VENUE: Strokestown Library, Roscommon ADULT GROUP Library: Boyle Library; Ballaghaderreen Friday May 2nd | 10pm SLATE ART WORKSHOP Library; Castlerea Library. Hosted by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Saturday May 3rd | 12pm - 2pm Exhibitions to run during normal Library VENUE: Percy French Hotel Opening Hours. For 6 to 12 year olds who will be taught TEL: Patricia Rogers 086 8848444 slate art skills based on a Famine theme. Hosted by Roscommon County Council Creations will be displayed in The Event TEL: Richie Farrell 090 6637271 Tent for Commemoration Week - before going home to their Creators. Hosted by SCDA VENUE: The Hub TEL: Audrey Murphy 086 314 7517 4 5 NATIONAL NATIONAL COMMEMORATION 2014 COMMEMORATION 2014 Saturday Sunday Monday LAUNCH OF EXHIBITION Monday May 5th | 8.30pm LECTURE ON THE IRISH STROKESTOWN PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP The Famine Irish: Lecture by Dr Ciarán LUMPER POTATO INTERNATIONAL Monday May 5th | 12pm - 2pm Reilly (CSHIHE, NUI Maynooth’ and POETRY FESTIVAL Saturday May 3rd | 7pm Photographic display of Famine sites exhibition launch of ‘The Famine Irish: Sunday May 4th | From 10am Faces from County Roscommon’. Lecture: “Prátaí na hÉireann/”The story of in Strokestown