Atlanta and the Southeast 1916 Centenary Programme – April 2016
The Ireland 2016 centenary programme has a special focus on the United States, in recognition of the unique ties – both historical and contemporary – which bind our countries and peoples.
Ireland’s connections in America’s Southeast are deep and diverse. People from across the island of Ireland, including those with Scots-Irish heritage, have contributed to the special character of this region for more than 300 years.
There are many Irish Americans here, but for even larger numbers of Southerners their Irishness is one of several inherited ethnic identities. These connections and Ireland’s struggle for independence remain a source of fascination here. Irish people and Southerners also share an acute awareness of the power of historical memory. These factors make the South a particularly appropriate place for us to tell our 2016 story in its full complexity.
Professor Joe Lee will speak on "The Easter 1916 Rising in Ireland in Historical Perspective" at the College of Charleston, April 4th
This address by the Glucksman Chair of Irish History at New York University is presented by the Consulate General of Ireland and the College of Charleston’s Irish and Irish American Studies. The event will be open to the public and free to attend.
Keynote address by Professor Roy Foster, “The Making of a Revolutionary Generation in Ireland” at Georgia State University, April 14th
Plenary address by Roisin Higgins, “The Politics of Commemorating the Easter Rising”, April 15th
As part of the worldwide commemoration of the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, Prof. Roy Foster of Oxford University will speak on “The Making of a Revolutionary Generation in Ireland” at Georgia State University at 5pm. On April 15th at 2pm Roisin Higgins will deliver the plenary address entitled “What to Do with Their Lovely Past? The Politics of Commemorating the Easter Rising.” Both exceptional lectures will take place at the Speakers Auditorium, Student Center Building, Georgia State University, 44 Courtland Street, Atlanta 30303. They are free and open to the public and form part of the 2016 Southern Chapter meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies.
Special screening and discussion of Notre Dame’s 1916 - The Irish Rebellion, April 15th
The documentary is a key element in Ireland’s centenary celebration at home and abroad. This special evening, hosted by the Consulate General of Ireland in honour of the late Donald Keough, begins at 7pm at the Plaza Theatre. Speakers from the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame are the film’s creator, Prof. Bríona Nic Dhiarmeda, and executive producer, Prof. Christopher Fox, as well as film contributor, Oxford University’s Prof. Roy Foster. Tickets are free but seating is limited and must be reserved in advance.
Arís Theatre staged reading of The Plough and the Stars, April 26th and 27th
Arís Theatre will present a staged reading of The Plough and the Stars to mark the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. The performances will take place from 7.30pm at The Morris & Rae Frank Theatre in the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. A Q&A session will follow. Tickets will cost $ 10.00. http://aristheatre.org/
