A Castleisland father and son will play leading roles in an innovative, historical roadshow which is coming to Killarney on Saturday morning. Joe and Tommy Martin will play Eamonn De Valera and Michael Collins respectively.
Both men, and indeed the Martin family in general, have travelled widely through the war-time sites of Ireland and Europe and Tommy has written extensively on the Irish involvement in the various wars down through the years. His book: The Kingdom in the Empire was launched in January 2007 by RTE broadcaster, Donnacha Ó Dulaing.
They’re both members of The Island Players Drama Group at the Castleisland based Ivy Leaf Art Centre.
‘The event is aimed at anyone who has an interest – whether personal or familial – in the history of the ‘revolutionary decade’ in modern Irish history, 1913 1923, which includes such defining events as the 1916 Rising, the First World War, the War of Independence, and the great causes of the time, such as the labour movement and female suffrage.’
©Photograph: John Reidy 26-1-2007
The School of History, University College Cork, the Trustees of Muckross House, Kerry
County Museum, and Kerry County Council are inviting members of the public to the School on Saturday 29 March 2014, from 10.30am 3pm.
The event – which is free, open to all and for which no pre-registration is required– follows
on from the success of previous roadshows which were held in Cork city and county and
which attracted international attention as a result of the discovery then of the last known photographs of Michael Collins, taken just minutes before his death in west Cork on 22nd of August 1922.
The event is aimed at anyone who has an interest – whether personal or familial – in the
history of the ‘revolutionary decade’ in modern Irish history, 1913 1923, which includes
such defining events as the 1916 Rising, the First World War, and the War of
Independence, and the great causes of the time, such as the labour movement and
female suffrage.
Meet and Discuss
Anyone who has any documents (eg official correspondence, private letters, diaries,
pictures, etc.), stories, artefacts from this ‘revolutionary decade’ – or indeed are simply
interested the events that took place during it are invited to meet and discuss these with
professional archivists and expert historians in a friendly, informal setting.
Also present on the day will be a number of local and national historical groups specialising in this period, including: the Irish Volunteers Commemorative Organisation, the Irish Labour History Society and the Western Front Association – among others. Members of the public can browse their exhibits, purchase commemorative items,
register as members and so on. Other stalls will offer for sale books relating to the
period. Members of historical re-enactment groups, dressed in period attire, will also be
present, as members of the IRA, Crown forces etc., and will deliver short talks ‘in
character’ about their aims, their equipment, and so on.
Public Demand
Finally, there will be a special participatory session devoted to younger members of the audience.
“The event is being organised in response to public demand following the first roadshow. We are very keen to emphasise that the event is not just for the public, but it is by the public, for it is they – their memories, their artefacts, their documents, their interests – who are the stars of the show,” – according to the organisers.
‘Other stalls will offer for sale books relating to the period. Members of historical re-enactment groups, dressed in period attire, will also be present, as members of the IRA, Crown forces etc., and will deliver short talks ‘in character’ about their aims, their equipment, and so on.’
“In many ways Kerry was one of the epicentres of the ‘revolutionary decade’ in modern Irish history. It is no accident that many of the key individuals from that period came from the county, or had connections to it. So we wish to invite all the residents of the modern county to come and talk with us, and with each other, about the role of the people of Kerry during those momentous years in the life of the county, and the country,” they concluded.
The event will be opened at 10.30am by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht,
Jimmy Deenihan,TD. For more information contact Gabriel Doherty in the School of History, UCC, at 021 4902783, or g.doherty@ucc.ie
Patricia O’Hare, Muckross House Library: 064 66 70152 or email library@muckrosshouse.ie
