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Orthodoxies and Heresies: The New Ireland and its Sacred Cows
- Location: Ennistymon, Co. Clare
- Dates: 21 – 28 August 2004
- Director: Professor Jim Malone, Trinity College and St. James’s Hospital, Dublin
Programme
Saturday 21
- 17.00
- Registration at Falls Hotel
- 19.00 Reception
- 20.30
- Opening of School
- By Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
- 22.30
- Club Merriman — Dancing to the Four Courts Céilí Band
Sunday 22
- 12.00 Noon
- Clare/Polka Sets and Two-Hand Dances 1
- With Johnny Morrissey and Betty Mc Coy
- 15.00
- Lecture — Society and Culture in Contemporary Ireland
- With Kevin Whelan
- 20.30
- Lecture — The Culture and Politics of Health Care Delivery
- With Muiris FitzGerald
- Club Merriman — Dancing to the Four Courts Céilí Band
Monday 23
- 10.00
- Seimineár Gaeilge — An Dá Shaol 1
- Le Gearóid Ó Clérigh
- Cathaoirleach: Liam Ó Dochartaigh
- 10.00
- a) Renew your Irish 1
- Le hEoghan Ó hAnluain
- b) Local History 1
- 12.00
- Sets and Two-Hand Dances 2
- With Johnny Morrissey and Betty Mc Coy
- 15.00
- Lecture — Religion, Culture and the New-Age / Oriental Movements
- With Jack Finnegan
- 20.30
- Lecture — An tSeanchnámh riamh: Níor athraigh Éire puinn!
- Le Alan Titley
- Club Merriman — Dancing to the Four Courts Céilí Band
Tuesday 24
- 10.00
- Seimineár Gaeilge — An Dá Shaol 2
- Le Póilín Ní Chiaráin
- Cathaoirleach: Liam Ó Dochartaigh
- 10.00
- a) Renew your Irish 2
- Le hEoghan Ó hAnluain
- b) Local History 2
- 12.00 Noon
- Sets and Two-Hand Dances 3
- 15.00
- Lecture — Is it true that the Women are worse than the Men?
- With Olive Braiden
- 20.30
- Seminar — Modern and Complementary approaches to Medicine and Well-Being:
To be or not to be that is the question
- With Camillus Power & Seamus Lynch
- Club Merriman — Dancing to the Four Courts Céilí Band
Wednesday 25
- 10.00
- Turas — Guided tour to Kinvara
- 20.30
- An evening of music and dancing
- With Paddy Cole and his band
Thursday 26
- 10.00
- Seimineár Gaeilge — An Dá Shaol 3
- Le Andrea Nic Thaidhg
- Cathaoirleach: Liam Ó Dochartaigh
- 10.00
- a) Renew your Irish 3
- Le hEoghan Ó hAnluain
- b) Local History 3
- 12.00 Noon
- Sets and Two-Hand Dances 4
- 15.00
- Lecture — Sport and Society: Participation and Observation
- With Mary Davis
- 20.30
- Lecture —
When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now
: Ireland’s Aging Multicultural Economy - With John FitzGerald
- Club Merriman — Dancing to the Four Courts Céilí Band
Friday 27
- 10.00
- Seimineár Gaeilge — An Dá Shaol 4
- Le Seosamh Ó Cuaig
- Cathaoirleach: Liam Ó Dochartaigh
- 10.00
- a) Renew your Irish 4
- Le hEoghan Ó hAnluain
- b) Local History 4
- 12.00 Noon
- Sets and Two-Hand Dances 5
- 15.00
- Lecture — The Pleasures and Dangers of Orthodoxy
- Ciaran Benson
- 20.30
- Lecture — The Opal and the Pearl: Joyce in Defence of the Orthodoxy of Humanity
- With Mark Patrick Hederman
- Club Merriman — Dancing to the Four Courts Céilí Band
Saturday 28
- 11.15
- Poetry Reading
- Presented by Eoghan Ó hAnluain, Doireann Ní Bhriain et al
- Researched by Máire Ní Mhurchú
Speakers
- Ciarán Benson
- Professor of Psychology at UCD, author of The Cultural Psychology of Self, former chairperson of the Arts Council.
- Olive Braiden
- Chairperson of the Arts Council, Director of the Rape Crisis Centre for 10 years, member of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, appointed a Human Rights Commissioner in 2000.
- Noel Crowley
- Co. Librarian in Clare since 1975, Chairman of Clasp Press, Clare Local Studies Project and Ennis Sculpture Initiative, former member of the Arts Council.
- Mary Davis
- National Director of Special Olympics Ireland, CEO of the 2003 World Special Olympics, ESB / REHAB Person of the Year 2003, conferred with honorary doctorates from NUI, DCU and UL 2003/2004.
- Brian Farrell
- Broadcaster and political commentator. Emeritus Professor of Politics, UCD.
- Jack Finnegan
- Psychotherapist, priest, writer and lecturer on contemporary spirituality at Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Dublin.
- John FitzGerald
- ESRI Research Professor, published in a number of fields, member of the Group of Economic Advisors to the President of the European Commission, member of National Economic and Social Council, and Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation.
- Muiris FitzGerald
- Professor of Medicine at UCD / St Vincent’s Hospital, Dean of Medicine, UCD. Commentator on health service policy and former chairperson of Comhairle na nOspidéal.
- Mark Patrick
- Hederman Benedictine, Glenstal Abbey, a philosopher and monk. Editor and author of many books including Kissing the Dark (Veritas) and Tarot: Talisman or Taboo?
- Seamus Lynch
- Accupunturist, zerobalancer and yoga teacher. Former architect, actor and theatre director.
- Betty Mc Coy
- Long established dance teacher who has played a central role in the revival and popularity of set dancing.
- Frances Madigan
- Primary school teacher and local historian from Ennistymon. Completed an M.A. thesis on her great grandfather, Patrick Madigan, a Kilfenora stonecutter.
- Jim Malone
- Robert Boyle Professor of Medical Physics at Trinity College / St. James’s Hospital, Dublin.
- Diarmuid Martin
- Recently succeeded as Archbishop of Dublin following his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop in May 2003. Has held senior diplomatic Vatican Offices.
- Johnny Morrissey
- Dance master. Well-known teacher and participant in set dancing and a concertina player.
- Doireann Ní Bhriain
- Arts consultant and broadcaster and regular contributor to Merriman poetry readings.
- Póilín Ní Chiaráin
- Craoltóir, iriseoir atá lonnaithe i mBéal Feirste, colúnaí de chuid Foinse
- Máire Ní Mhurchú
- Joint compiler with Diarmuid Breathnach of the acclaimed Beathaisnéis series, recognised by NUI Maynooth with the degree of D. Litt. Celt in 2002. She has researched numerous Merriman poetry sessions.
- Andrea Nic Thaidhg
- Bhí ina Léachtóir le Gearmáinis in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Maigh Nuad. Spéis ar leith aici sna haistriúcháin ón nGearmáinis.
- Pat Nugent
- Lecturer in Historical and Cultural Geography / Modern Irish Language in The Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool.
- Gearóid Ó Clérigh
- File, aistritheoir, taidhleoir. Tréimhsí caite aige i Meiriceá, san Isiltír, sa Liobáin, sa Spáinn, sa Bheilg, san Eilbhéis.
- Seosamh Ó Cuaig
- Iriseoir, craoltóir, trodaí ar son cearta sibhialta sa Ghaeltacht; baint aige le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta ar feadh i bhfad agus toghadh ina chomhairleoir contae é i mbliana.
- Liam Ó Dochartaigh
- Stiúrthóir ar Scoileanna Geimhridh Chumann Merriman, 1998 – 2004. Cathaoirleach, Cumann Merriman, Stiúrthóir an Oideachais Idirnáisiúnta, Ollscoil Luimnigh.
- Eoghan Ó hAnluain
- Senior Lecturer in Irish, UCD. Directed Merriman Summer School 1992, and 24 Winter Schools (1969 – 1992).
- Camillus Power
- Consultant/Director of Pain Clinic, at Tallaght Hospital and Lecturer in Anaesthetics at TCD.
- Alan Titley
- Ceann Roinn na Gaeilge, Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach. Scríbhneoir bisiúil, colúnaí ar an Irish Times agus gach earnáil saothraithe aige — gearrscéalaíocht, úrscéalaíocht, drámaíocht, filíocht, aistriúchán, léirmheastóireacht.
- Kevin Whelan
- Smurfit Director, Keough-Notre Dame Centre Dublin, one of Ireland’s best known and widely published historians.
Press release
The 37th annual Merriman Summer School will be held in the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, Co. Clare, from the 21st to the 28th August 2004. This year’s theme takes up the challenges and contradictions facing the new Ireland in coming to grips with itself and where it has come from. While this is a big and a serious topic, it will be treated with a light touch: something that is a hallmark of Merriman Schools.
The Director, Professor Jim Malone of Trinity College and of St James’s Hospital in Dublin has provided a packed programme well suited to visitors and locals alike. There is a terrific line up of notable speakers who will address many aspects of the new Ireland, its sacred cows, and its inevitable orthodoxies and heresies. The fields they will cover include healthcare, economics, sport, religion, culture, personal lifestyles, complementary medicine and many other aspects of the day-to-day life of the people.
Speakers
The host of excellent speakers will be led off by the newly appointed Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, who will open the School. Others include Professor Muiris Fitz Gerald, who will discuss the culture and politics of healthcare delivery; surely relevant in Ennis. Mary Davis of Special Olympics fame will consider our changing attitudes to sport. Camillus Power, Director of the Pain Clinic at Tallaght Hospital, will lead a seminar on Complimenatery Medicine with Seamus Lynch, a practitioner. Olive Braiden will tell us if it is really true that the women are worse than the men. John Fitz Gerald of the ESRI will discuss the changes in population structure. Mark Patrick Hederman from Glenstall will tell us how he feels James Joyce got it right for humanity.
A relaxing School
All of this is embedded in a holiday atmosphere. Professor Malone, who is from Clarecastle, says: We are very conscious that most people coming to the school are on their holidays, and we take care to design the programme so that those attending will have a good time.
A day trip to Kinvara is included, and on Wednesday there will be an evening concert of music and dance with Paddy Cole and his Band. Tickets for this event are available in many outlets in County Clare. Information about where these outlets are is available from +353 (0)87 226 1889
This is Merriman’s 20th year to have Set Dancing on its programme twice every day. At noon there will be a workshop taken by Betty Mc Coy and Johnny Morrissey. In the evening we have a new experiment with the co-operation of the Falls Hotel: there will be set dancing, singing and traditional music in the bar of the hotel to which all are welcome. Professor Malone added: Merriman is a very welcoming organisation, and we invite all to come along for a day, an evening, or for as much of the week as they can manage.