Mary Immaculate College holds the Decade of Centenaries history conference to explore Limerick’s revolutionary years

The Decade of Centenaries history conference to explore Limerick’s revolutionary years is held by Mary Immaculate College on September 1.

Mary Immaculate College holds the Decade of Centenaries history conference to explore Limerick’s revolutionary years

The Department of History at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) is hosting a free one-day conference for exploring the history of revolutionary years 1918-1923 in Limerick on Saturday, September 1 as part of the “Decade of Centenaries” programme.

The theme of this conference is “Limerick 1918-23: New Approaches”. It will bring together leading scholars to better understand this important period in Limerick’s and the country’s history.

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The Decade of Centenaries Programme provides an opportunity to focus on the development of access to historical records and primary sources from the time period, and for working with local and national cultural bodies to bring forward a series of exhibitions and public discussions. They also work with stakeholders from representative bodies and the community and voluntary sector to facilitate commemorative initiatives.

Taking local, national, and global perspectives, the conference will encourage conversations about new sources, research methodologies, and means of commemoration over the remainder of the ‘Decade of Centenaries’ in Limerick. 

Lecturer in the Department of History at Mary Immaculate College, as well as the conference organiser Dr. Brian Hughes said:”As we progress through the remainder of the ‘Decade of Centenaries’, this conference brings together scholars working with new themes, methodologies, and sources for history and commemoration of the Irish Revolution. ”

“The research that will be presented reflects some the most recent and innovative additions to our knowledge of the revolutionary period in Limerick and further afield. Contributors will use local, national, and even international perspectives to help us better understand the events of 100 years ago.’” he added.

The first session of the conference is bringing to the fore underused or neglected sources for the social and political history of the period. Jacqui Hayes from Limerick City and County Council and David Bracken of Limerick Diocesan Archives will highlight material available in local archives in Limerick, representing the upheaval of the period alongside the daily lives of people living in the city and county.

Papers by Anna Lively, a History and English Tutor from the University of Edinburgh and Síobhra Aiken, PhD candidate and Irish Language Lecturer at NUI Galway are going to examine the ways that those involved wrote about their experiences afterwards, in both memoirs and in novels, and how events like the Limerick Soviet have been remembered or forgotten in the final session. 

The conference keynote will be delivered by Professor Fearghal McGarry, Professor of Modern Irish History at Queen’s University Belfast to reflect on the history and commemoration of Ireland’s revolution in a global context.

Attendance for the conference is free of charge, but registration is necessary. Also, lunch and refreshments will be provided.

For more information on the Decade of Centenaries history conference, go here

For more stories on Mary Immaculate College, go here