Tag Archives: Damien Shiels

A day of American Civil War events at the Hay/Kells Festival 25 June 2015 – www.hayfestival.org/kells 

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2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the cataclysmic American Civil War. Up to 200,000 Irish-born soldiers participated in this divisive conflict, on both sides. 150,000 fought for the Union in units like the Irish Brigade and Corcoran’s Irish Legion while 20,000 fought for the Confederacy – the most famous of these being Gen. Patrick Ronayne Cleburne, the highest-ranking Irish officer on either side of the conflict.

We will be marking this anniversary with a day of talks and music at the 3rd annual Hay/Kells Festival on 25 June. We are delighted that we have managed to get together the acknowledged experts in this field and will be putting them under one roof for the day – the roof in question is that of St. Columba’s Church of Ireland, Market Street Kells, host to the recent Gallipoli 100 weekend of commemorative events.

The line up for the day includes …

10am: Damien Shiels
Damien Shiels is author of the definitive and highly influential work The Irish in the American Civil War.

11am: Glen Gendzel
American historian Glen Gendzel talks about the story of California in the American Civil War.

12pm: Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle tells the story of Carlow-born Civil War veteran Myles Keogh on the anniversary of his death at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.

2pm: Myles Dungan
The presenter of the RTÉ Radio 1 History Show will highlight the life of Oldcastle Civil War veteran, the author and journalist Charles Halpine, and his hilarious creation Myles O’Reilly.

3pm: Tom Bartlett
Thomas Bartlett of Aberdeen University talks about President Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.

4pm: David Gleeson
David Gleeson (The Green and the Gray) looks at the Irish who fought for the Confederate States of America between 1861 and 1865.

At the same venue at 8.30 Myles Dungan combines forces with Matthew Gilsenan of the Celtic Tenors in The Blue, the Gray and the Green an evening of Irish music associated with the American Civil War. This will include classics like Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore, He is far from the land, No Irish Need Apply, Paddy’s Lamentation, Shenandoah, When Johnny comes marching home and many more.

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You can book for all the events on 046 9240055 / 9240081- or via the Hay Festival / Kells website here

If these guys could be there you can be sure they would …

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PHILIP ORR TO GIVE INAUGURAL FRANCIS LEDWIDGE MEMORIAL LECTURE AT GALLIPOLI 100 IN KELLS ON 24 APRIL

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As part of the Gallipoli centenary commemorations in Kells, Co.Meath – co-sponsored by the Hay/Kells Festival and RTE Radio 1’s The History Show – distinguished World War 1 historian will give the inaugural Francis Ledwidge Memorial Lecture on ‘Ireland and Gallipoli’ in St. Columba’s Church of Ireland Church at 7.30 on Friday 24 April.

Philip Orr is the author of The Road to the Somme an account of the experience of the 36th Ulster division on 1 July 1916 and Field of Bones, a narrative of the 10th (Irish) division at Gallipoli in August 1915.

Francis Ledwidge, poet and nationalist, was a member of the 10th (Irish) division during the Gallipoli campaign and died in Belgium in 1917.

The lecture will begin a weekend of commemorative events and lectures to mark the centenary of the start of the Gallipoli campaign where more than 4000 Irish lives were lost.

In future years the Francis Ledwidge Memorial lecture will form part of the annual Hay/Kells Literary Festival.

The weekend will also include an examination of the role of journalism and poetry in the war in a day of lectures entitled The first draft of history? Journalism and poetry in the Great War, a day of talks on Ireland and Gallipoli on Sunday 26 April and a concert of WW1 music and anti-WW1 songs from Declan O’Rourke at 8.00 on Saturday 25 April.

There will also be memorabilia and genealogical experts (Tom Burnell and Gordon Power) available for consultation and a WW1 tour of the town led by archaeologist and historian Damien Shiels.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONSULT THE RTE RADIO 1 HISTORY SHOW WEBSITE – http://www.rte.ie/radio1/the-history-show/

For tickets to all Gallipoli100 events phone 046-9240055

Gallipoli 100 is funded with the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Reconciliation Fund and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

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ASK THE EXPERTS AT GALLIPOLI 100 IN KELLS, 24-26 APRIL

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As part of the centenary commemoration of the start of the Gallipoli campaign – one of the most costly in terms of Irish lives in WW1 – the Hay/Kells Festival and RTE Radio 1’s History Show, co-sponsors of the event, invite the public to consult some of the country’s best-known military historians about aspects of the Great War that interest them.

Available for consultation in St.Columba’s Church of Ireland church on the afternoon of Saturday 25 April will be military genealogist Gordon Power. Gordon can guide you in your search for information on a family member who took part in the war and also has a vast fund of knowledge on WW1 artefacts, such as medals and uniforms.

On Sunday, at the same venue, from 2-6 pm will be military historian Tom Burnell who has written a series of works on the WW1 war dead of a number of different counties. You will have access to Tom’s detailed database if you want to trace an Irish ancestor who died in the conflict.

In addition military archaeologist / historian Damien Shiels will take members of the public on a World War 1 tour of the town of Kells, stopping off at places associated with the conflict. The tour is open to all comers and will begin from the gates of St.Columba’s church at noon on Sunday 26 April.

All the above events are be free of charge.

The weekend will also include the inaugural Francis Ledwidge Memorial Lecture to be given by Philip Orr on Friday 24 April, an examination of the role of journalism and poetry in the war in a day of lectures entitled The first draft of history? Journalism and poetry in the Great War, and a day of talks on Ireland and Gallipoli on Sunday 26 April and a concert of WW1 music and anti-WW1 songs from Declan O’Rourke at 8.00 on Saturdat 25 April.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONSULT THE RTE RADIO 1 HISTORY SHOW WEBSITE – http://www.rte.ie/radio1/the-history-show/

For tickets to other Gallipoli100 events call 046-9240055

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