October 2015 Minister Humphreys Launches NUI Galway 1916 Commemoration Programme as part of Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme

‘A Nation Rising: Commemorating 1916 and Beyond’

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD today launched NUI Galway’s 1916 Programme of Events, ‘A Nation Rising: Commemorating 1916 and Beyond’, as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.

The University will mark the centenary year with a host of exhibitions, conferences, publications and seminars, both in Irish and English. The programme features artistic, dramatic and musical performances with established and emerging artists. It will also reach out to the wider community, sharing knowledge through public talks, festivals and workshops.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Heather Humphreys said: “NUI Galway, as one of our foremost universities, will play a very important role in reflecting on the events of 1916 and the impact they had on the West of Ireland in particular. Our third level institutions are a vital element of next year’s commemorations; our universities in particular will provide a platform for discussion and debate for their students, staff, alumni, and indeed a national and international audience. I would like to thank NUI Galway for the strong partnership approach it has adopted in putting together this impressive programme for 2016, which includes one of the key national conferences to be held next year.”

Dr Jim Browne, President of NUI Galway, added: “The men and women who shaped the events of 1916 had different backgrounds, beliefs and ideas, but they shared a drive to create a better Ireland. As a nation joins together to commemorate their vision, so too does our diverse university community. I am delighted to see so many colleagues contributing to the programme from across many disciplines, in particular from the Arts and Humanities. The expertise, energy and passion they bring to the commemoration is a fitting tribute to the legacy of 1916. It gives me great pleasure to invite you to join us in reflecting on a remarkable year in the making of our nation.”

As part of the Commemorative Programme, NUI Galway will host the major national academic 1916-2016 conference in November 2016, with academic contributions from a broad range of Ireland’s universities and institutes of technology as well as from a number of leading international figures.

The University has appointed a 1916 Scholar in Residence to co-ordinate and curate many of the events in the University’s Commemorative Programme. Based in the Moore Institute at the University, Dr Conor McNamara will conduct research on the 1916 Rising and its context in Co. Galway and the West of Ireland. He will prepare a catalogue of resources, in English and Irish, from the University’s archives and elsewhere, with a view to facilitating future research on the revolutionaries of 1916-23. Throughout the year, he will also engage with local community groups across the country, and assist with a planned exhibition marking Galway’s role in the Great War and the Irish Revolution.

Dr Mary Harris, Senior Lecturer in History at NUI Galway and Co-ordinator of the University’s 1916 Commemorative Programme, noted: “The largest mobilisation outside Dublin in Easter Week 1916 took place in Co. Galway, where over 600 men and women rose. Many dreamed of a Republic, others were motivated by the prospect of land reform. In previous years, however, those involved in the Gaelic and Anglo-Irish revivals saw the West in a more romantic light, as the repository of authentic Gaelic culture. This commemorative programme examines the events of 1916 from a variety of perspectives at local, regional and national levels.”

For more information on NUI Galway’s events commemorating the 1916 Rising visit www.nuigalway.ie/anationrising.

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Seolann an tAire Humphreys Clár Comórtha 1916 OÉ Gaillimh mar chuid den tionscnamh Éire 2016: Clár Comórtha Céad Bliain

‘Éire á múscailt: Comóradh ar 1916 agus ar lean é’

Inniu sheol an tAire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, Heather Humphreys TD Clár Imeachtaí 1916 OÉ Gaillimh, ‘Éire á múscailt: Comóradh ar 1916 agus ar lean é’, mar chuid den tionscnamh Éire 2016: Clár Comórtha Céad Bliain.

Déanfaidh an Ollscoil comóradh ar an gcéad bliain le raidhse taispeántas, comhdhálacha, foilseachán agus seimineár, i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla araon. Beidh ealaíontóirí seanbhunaithe agus nua i mbun léiriúcháin ealaíonta, dhrámata agus cheolmhara mar chuid den chlár. Cuimseoidh an clár an pobal níos leithne chomh maith, áit a roinnfear eolas ag cainteanna poiblí, féilte agus ceardlanna.

Ag labhairt di ag an seoladh, dúirt an tAire Heather Humphreys: “Mar cheann de na hollscoileanna is iomráití sa tír, beidh ról thar a bheith tábhachtach ag OÉ Gaillimh agus muid ag féachaint siar ar imeachtaí 1916 agus an tionchar a bhí acu ar Iarthar na hÉireann go háirithe. Is cuid lárnach iad institiúidí tríú leibhéal na tíre de chomóradh na bliana seo chugainn; cuirfidh na hollscoileanna go háirithe ardán ar fáil do phlé agus do dhíospóireacht i measc mac léinn, comhaltaí foirne, alumni agus go deimhin lucht spéise náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh le OÉ Gaillimh as an gcur chuige láidir comhpháirtíochta atá glactha aici agus an clár iontach seo á chur le chéile do 2016; clár a áiríonn ceann de na mór-chomhdhálacha náisiúnta a bheidh ar siúl an bhliain seo chugainn.”

Dúirt an Dr Jim Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Is iomaí cúlra, creideamh agus tuairim éagsúil a bhí ag na fir agus na mná a bhí taobh thiar d’imeachtaí 1916, ach bhí siad ar fad meáite ar Éirinn níos fearr a chruthú. Agus an náisiún ag teacht le chéile chun fís na ndaoine sin a chomóradh, tá pobal éagsúil na hOllscoile tagtha le chéile chomh maith. Táim an-sásta an oiread comhghleacaithe as lear mór disciplíní a fheiceáil ag glacadh páirte sa chlár, go háirithe comhaltaí foirne sna Dána agus sna Daonnachtaí. Is iontach an meas d’oidhreacht 1916 atá á léiriú ag an saineolas, an fuinneamh agus an díograis atá acu i leith an chomórtha. Is mór an pléisiúr dom cuireadh a thabhairt daoibh féachaint siar ar bhliain chomh tábhachtach i stair ár náisiúin.”

Mar chuid den Chlár Comórtha, eagróidh OÉ Gaillimh mór-chomhdháil acadúil náisiúnta 1916-2016 i mí na Samhna 2016, áit a dtiocfaidh lucht acadúil le chéile as réimse leathan ollscoileanna agus institiúidí teicneolaíochta na hÉireann mar aon le ceannródaithe idirnáisiúnta.

Tá Scoláire Cónaitheach 1916 ceaptha ag an Ollscoil chun comhordú agus eagrú a dhéanamh ar go leor de na himeachtaí ar Chlár Comórtha na hOllscoile. Tá an Dr Conor McNamara lonnaithe in Institiúid de Móra agus tabharfaidh sé faoi thaighde ar Éirí Amach 1916 agus a chomhthéacs i gCo. na Gaillimhe agus in Iarthar na hÉireann. Cuirfidh sé catalóg acmhainní le chéile, i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge, bunaithe ar chartlanna na hOllscoile agus ar fhoinsí eile, d’fhonn taighde a éascú amach anseo ar réabhlóidithe 1916-23. I gcaitheamh na bliana, oibreoidh sé le grúpaí pobail áitiúil ar fud na tíre, agus cabhróidh sé le taispeántas a chur le chéile d’fhonn ról na Gaillimhe sa Chogadh Mór agus i Réabhlóid na hÉireann a cheiliúradh.

Dúirt an Dr Mary Harris, Léachtóir Sinsearach le Stair in OÉ Gaillimh agus Comhordaitheoir Chlár Comórtha 1916 OÉ Gaillimh: “Ba i gCo. na Gaillimhe a tharla an slógadh is mó lasmuigh de Bhaile Átha Cliath i rith Sheachtain na Cásca 1916, áit ar éirigh os cionn 600 fear agus bean amach. Ba é aisling na Poblachta a bhí mar threoir ag cuid acu, bhí cuid eile spreagtha ag leasú chóras na talún. Sna blianta roimhe sin, áfach, bhí íomhá níos rómánsúla d’Iarthar na hÉireann acu siúd a bhí bainteach le hathbheochan na Gaeilge agus leis an athbheochan Angla-Éireannach; dar leo bhí sé mar stór den fhíorchultúr Gaelach. Leis an gclár comórtha seo déantar scrúdú ar imeachtaí 1916 ó pheirspictíochtaí éagsúla ar leibhéal áitiúil, réigiúnach agus náisiúnta.”

Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi imeachtaí OÉ Gaillimh chun Éirí Amach 1916 a chomóradh téigh chuig www.nuigalway.ie/anationrising.

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