It was International Women's Day yesterday and we celebrated over on Instagram and Twitter with posts on the many fantastic women who have been part of our Festival, as speakers, performers, volunteers and attendees since we started in 2017. They include (in no particular order) Professors Louise Ryan, Heather Jones, Caitriona Beaumont, Melissa Fegan, Claire Connolly and Marie Coleman, Drs Eve Morrison, Connie Kelleher, Tara McConnell, Gemma Clarke and Ida Milne, Rabbi Julia Neuberger, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Terri Kearney, Daisy Goodwin, Finola Finlay and musicians Jessie Kennedy, Tess Leak, Francesca Flowers, Diana Llewellyn & Susan McManamon. Many of their contributions can be seen over on our YouTube channel. Thank you all !
A fascinating article from Irish Heritage News on Archbishop Miler Magrath (c. 1523-1622) who took being ecumenical to a new level.
The Irish History podcast's Fin Dwyer discussed 'The Myth of Irish Neutrality in World War II' (after the adverts) with Dr Donal Ó Drisceoil here. And the History Show on RTE covered some great topics in the most recent broadcast, including the Diaries of Kathleen Lynn and a project to digitise the first Irish-language newspaper in the world, An Gaodhal founded in New York in 1881. Find out more about the project here (& the image above shows a copy of the paper).
An extraordinary article from the Irish Times about very recent history - the brutal Islamic State (also known as Daesh) and in particular the kidnap and murder of American journalist James Foley in 2014. His mother has written a book in collaboration with Irish journalist Colum McCann.
And in the Guardian, this about the exploration of HMS Terror and HMS Erebus which transported the ill-fated Franklin expedition of 1845. Our 2023 Festival concert was in part inspired by the expedition.
Finally, also in the Guardian, a long read about the science of history with the brilliant title 'Solar storms, ice cores and nuns' teeth' !
