October 2016 All roads lead to Galway for landmark Centenary event

Major national conference at NUI Galway with leading Irish and international speakers is centrepiece of The Centenary Conversations – a three day programme of talks, debates, exhibitions and performances

Leading speakers from Ireland and around the globe will gather in Galway from the 10^th to the 12^th of November to participate in The Centenary Conversations, a major initiative of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme. Details of the three-day Conference and Fringe programme were announced today (Friday 14^th October) by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD., Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys TD and Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton TD.

The centrepiece of the event is a major national conference, which is free to the public, titled ‘1916-2016 The Promise and Challenge of National Sovereignty’.  Hosted by NUI Galway and featuring a host of internationally-renowned academics, historians and special guests, the conference will explore and debate some of the most important issues and challenges facing us today.  The conference will be opened by An Taoiseach  and participants will include Minister Humphreys, Professor Roy Foster (University of Oxford), Professor Philip Pettit (Princeton University), Professor Louise Richardson (University of Oxford), Professor Clair Wills (Princeton University) and Professor Brendan O'Leary (University of Pennsylvania), as well as academics from across the entire third level sector in Ireland.

Speaking at the announcement of The Centenary Conversations, Galway An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD said: “One of our greatest national talents is storytelling, which we do through literature, drama, poetry and other art forms.  Most of all we do it through conversations, in large groups and small.  This year we are re-living the experience of 1916 through historical analysis but also through the power of the arts in storytelling.  The National Conference in Galway will facilitate the exchange of views and opinions about the past, and how our understanding of the past can help us shape the future.  The wide-ranging events around the conference will extend and enlarge the conversation, bring in new audiences and perspectives – and will make this a great event not just for Galway but for the entire country.”

Minister Heather Humphreys said: “2016 has been an extraordinary year for Ireland and for Irish people. As we come to the end of our year of reflection and remembrance, it is time for us to look to the future and explore ways in which we can build on the positive experience of our centenary year. Public participation and engagement, not just in the events of the Centenary Programme, but also in the discussions around our complex history, have been a hallmark of our approach to this year. Therefore, I am particularly pleased that admission to the National Conference is free and I would encourage everyone to attend, participate and enjoy this unique and exciting event.”

Minster for Education and Skills Richard Bruton TD said: “The participation and engagement by thousands of students, teachers and academics, in every education institution in the country, played a huge part in the success of this year's Centenary Programme.  Creating opportunities and access for everyone to discover, learn and debate our shared history and what it means to be Irish today speaks to the value and importance of education in all our lives."

In addition to the National Conference, a specially curated Fringe programme of talks, exhibitions, performances and special events will take place in NUI Galway and in venues across the city.

 Highlights of the fringe programme include:

• Ceann Comhairle, Hector Ó hEochagáin will convene a special sitting of the 2116 Parliament, where ten guest speakers will deliver a five minute motion to the Assembly, after which questions may be taken from the floor.
• Look beyond the headlines and seek out the complicated and sometimes inconvenient truth in The Experts Bite Back, where experts fact-checks claims by politicians and the media on recent controversial issues and in a mission to get to the truth of the matter.
• Award-winning 16 x 16 Next Generation artist Sian Ní Mhuirí presents 16 and Rising, the story of a secret revolutionary organisation of women and men who gather in a basement to plan an insurrection that will transform the city, and challenge the survival of the 32nd Dáil.
• Host of the popular Hedge School series, Tommy Graham comes to Galway with the History Ireland Hedge School: All Changed, Changed Utterly … from 1916 to Brexit. A discussion with a difference, and considerable good humour!

Details of The Centenary Conversations, Galway and the full 1916 – 2016 The Promise and Challenge of National Sovereignty Conference Programme as well as registration details are available now at www.ireland.ie

Admission to the National Conference is free but registration is essential.

ENDS

Gach bóthar ag déanamh ar Ghaillimh do mhórócáid Chomórtha Céad Bliain

Comhdháil náisiúnta ollmhór in OÉ Gaillimh le cainteoirí Éireannacha agus idirnáisiúnta mór le rá mar phríomhimeacht Chomhráití an Chéid - clár trí lá de chainteanna, díospóireachtaí, taispeántais agus taibhithe

Beidh cainteoirí mór le rá as Éirinn agus áiteanna ar fud an domhain ag teacht le chéile i nGaillimh idir an 10 agus an 12 Samhain chun páirt a ghlacadh i gComhráití an Chéid, mórthionscnamh de chuid Éire 2016: Clár Comórtha Céad Bliain. Rinne an Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D, an tAire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta, Heather Humphreys TD, agus an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Richard Bruton TD sonraí chlár na Comhdhála trí lá agus na Féile imeallaí a fhógairt inniu (Dé hAoine, an 14 Deireadh Fómhair). 

Is é príomhócáid na himeachta mórchomhdháil náisiúnta, atá saor in aisce don phobal, dar teideal ‘1916-2016: Dóchas agus Dúshlán na Ceannasachta Náisiúnta’.  Mar chuid den chomhdháil, a bheidh á hóstáil ag OÉ Gaillimh agus ina mbeidh slua d’acadóirí, staraithe agus aíonna speisialta a bhfuil cáil idirnáisiúnta orthu ag glacadh páirte, déanfar cuid de na ceisteanna agus na dúshláin is tábhachtaí atá romhainn inniu a chíoradh agus a phlé.  Osclóidh an Taoiseach an chomhdháil agus i measc na rannpháirtithe beidh an tAire Humphreys, an tOllamh Roy Foster (Ollscoil Oxford), an tOllamh Philip Pettit (Ollscoil Princeton), an tOllamh Louise Richardson (Ollscoil Oxford), an tOllamh Clair Wills (Ollscoil Princeton) agus an tOllamh Brendan O’Leary (Ollsoil Pennsylvania), chomh maith le hacadóirí as ar fud na hearnála tríú leibhéal in Éirinn.

Ag labhairt dó ag fógairt Chomhráití an Chéid, Gaillimh dúirt an Taoiseach Enda Kenny an méid seo: “ Is í an scéalaíocht ceann dár mbuanna náisiúnta is mó, agus baineann muid úsáid as litríocht, dráma, filíocht agus foirmeacha ealaíne eile leis na scéalta a insint.  Den chuid is mó, áfach, is trí chomhráití a dhéanann muid é sin, i ngrúpaí beaga nó sluaite móra.  I mbliana táimid ag déanamh iarracht taithí a fháil ar an saol i 1916 trí anailís stairiúil ach freisin trí chumhacht na scéalaíochta.  Leis an gComhdháil Náisiúnta i nGaillimh éascófar malairt tuairimí agus dearcthaí maidir leis an am a chuaigh thart agus conas is féidir lenár dtuisint ar an am sin cuidiú linn an todhchaí a mhúnlú.  Déanfaidh na himeachtaí fairsinge thart ar an gcomhdháil an comhrá a leathnú, agus meallfar lucht éisteachta agus meonta nua - agus cruthófar imeacht den scoth ní hamháin do Ghaillimh ach don tír iomlán.”

Dúirt an tAire Heather Humphreys: “Ba bhliain iontach í 2016 d’Éirinn agus do mhuintir na hÉireann. Agus muid ag druidim le deireadh na bliana seo de mhachnamh agus de chuimhneamh, tá sé in am dúinn súil a chaitheamh chun cinn agus bealaí a fhiosrú ina bhféadfaidh muid tógáil ar an eispéireas dearfach a bhí againn i mbliain chomórtha an chéid. Ba shaintréith dár gcur chuige i leith na bliana seo rannpháirtíocht an phobail, ní hamháin in imeachtaí an Chláir Chomórtha ach freisin sa phlé a bhí againn faoinár stair chasta. Mar sin de, tá áthas orm ach go háirithe go bhfuil cead isteach chuig an gComhdháil Náisiúnta saor in aisce agus mholfainn do gach duine freastal air, páirt a ghlacadh ann agus sult a bhaint as an imeacht uathúil spreagúil seo.

Bhi an méid seo le rá ag an Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Richard Bruton TD: “Bhí páirt mhór ag rannpháirtíocht na mílte mac léinn, múinteoirí agus acadóirí, i ngach institiúid sa tír, sa rath a bhí ar an gClár Comórtha céad bliain i mbliana.  Trí dheiseanna agus rochtain a chur ar fáil do chách lenár stair chomhroinnte agus an chiall atá le hÉireannachas sa lá atá inniu ann a fhiosrú, a fhoghlaim agus a phlé, léirítear luach agus tábhacht an oideachais inár saol.”

Chomh maith leis an gComhdháil Náisiúnta, beidh clár Imeallach, a coimeádadh go speisialta, de chainteanna, taispeántais, taibhithe agus imeachtaí speisialta ar siúl in OÉ Gaillimh agus in ionaid eile ar fud na cathrach.

Ar bhuaicphointí an chláir imeallaigh:

• Déanfaidh an Ceann Comhairle, Hector Ó hEochagáin, suí speisialta de Pharlaimint 2116 a thionól, ina gcuirfidh deichniúr aoichainteoirí tairiscint chúig nóiméad i láthair an Tionóil agus ina dhiaidh sin glacfar le ceisteanna ón lucht éisteachta.
• Féach ar an méid atá taobh thiar de na ceannlínte agus téigh ar thóir na fírinne casta, a bhíonn searbh go minic, le The Experts Bite Back, ina ndéanfaidh saineolaithe an méid atá maíte ag polaiteoirí agus na meáin i dtaca le ceisteanna conspóideacha le déanaí a sheiceáil ó thaobh fíricí de d’fhonn teacht ar fhírinne an scéil.
• Cuireann Sian Ní Mhuirí, ealaíontóir ar ar bronnadh an gradam 16 x 16 Next Generation, 16 and Rising i láthair, scéal faoi eagraíocht réabhlóideach rúnda de mhná agus fir a thagann le chéile in íoslach chun éirí amach a phleanáil a athróidh an chathair go hiomlán agus a chuirfidh dúshlán faoi shaol an 32ú Dáil.
• Tagann Tommy Graham, óstach na sraithe Hedge School, a bhfuil an-tóir uirthi, go Gaillimh le Scoil Scairte History Ireland: All Changed, Changed Utterly … from 1916 to Brexit. Plé as an ngnáth le go leor grinn!

Tá sonraí Chomhráití an Chéid, Gaillimh agus Clár iomlán na Comhdhála 1916 – 2016 Dóchas agus Dúshlán na Ceannasachta Náisiúnta, chomh maith le sonraí clárúcháin, ar fáil anois ag www.ireland.ie

Tá cead isteach chuig an gComhdháil Náisiúnta saor in aisce ach ní mór clárú lena haghaidh.

CRÍOCH