2004
Goldsmith in London
The Goldsmith Summer School reaches a very significant milestone in it’s proud history when the twentieth annual Summer School takes place on June 4th – 6th . This makes it the third longest running event of its type in the country bettered only by the Merriman Summer School and The Yeat’s Summer School. In those 20 years, it has established itself as one of the foremost and most highly respected schools of its type in Ireland . Taking place in various venues all over “Goldsmith Country” over the years all aspects of Goldsmith’s life, society, and writings have been explored. A huge variety of renowned critics and academics have featured and stimulated audiences over the last twenty years. The school has been one of the main driving forces behind the renaissance in interest in Goldsmith exemplified by the recent publication of a brand new edition of, “The Deserted Village”.
This year’s theme is “Goldsmith in London ” is a comparative look at the Irish experience of London in recent times vis-à-vis the latter half of the 18th century. Goldsmith is rightly celebrated in the Irish Midlands but this year’s theme will focus on Goldsmith’s London , because in common with many other Irish authors Goldsmith great contribution to Literature came when he had left Ireland and moved to London . The London of the late eighteenth century was Goldsmith’s world and this year’s summer school will attempt to put Goldsmiths writings in that context.
Goldsmith’s place in the literary history of London has already been cemented by the refurbishment project untaken by The Summer School this year, where Goldsmith’s grave was cleaned and restored and a commemorative plaque set in place beside his burial place. Click here for more info. The official unveiling of the new commemorative plaque took place last April at the Middle Temple in the heart of the London ‘s legal district. This was performed by the Ambassador of Ireland, Mr Daithi O Ceallaigh. A large crowd from the Longford-Westmeath area travelled over for the event. To mark the occasion the Ambassador also hosted a reception for the Committee and visiting dignitaries in the Irish Embassy. This was a marvellous event attended by many of the leading figures in the Westmeath and Longford communities in London .
The opening night of this year’s festival takes place in The Rustic Inn, Abbeyshrule. This will be chaired by James Downey, chief editorial writer of the Irish Independent. The Official Opening of the Summer School by Mr. Larry McCluskey will take place at 8.30. Larry McCluskey is CEO of Co. Monaghan VEC and a former member of the Arts Council . At 9.00: pm the Keynote Address “Writers, Rebels and Religion: A Partial History of the Irish in London ”, will be given by Jonathan Moore, a senior lecturer in Irish Studies at London Metropolitan University . He has also published extensively on Irish History and Politics in books, journals and newspapers and is a regular contributor for many publications and broadcasters including the BBC World Service and Sky News. His lecture will deal with the fact that millions of Irish people have followed in Oliver Goldsmith’s footsteps and taken the well worn path to London . The experience of The Irish in the English capital has been characterised as a history of exploitation, poverty and anti-Irish racism. This is however only part of the story. The Irish have indeed often been victims but they have also been successes and above all their history represents a multi faceted journey. Papers and beggars they may sometimes have been but also writers, scholars, priests, musicians and politicians. This lecture will explore some of the contradictory, fascinating and diverse experiences that have fashioned the Irish in London .
On Saturday June 5 th the venue moves to the Bog lane Theatre in Ballymahon. The first session at 4.00 pm will be chaired by Albert Horan and will feature Sal ly Mulready. She has been working with Irish Pensioners in London for the past ten years. She is founder of the London Irish Elders Forum, she has been the driving force behind the Irish Pensioners Movement in Britain that has been largely instrumental in raising awareness of the conditions of Older Irish people in London and in other large British cities with aging Irish populations. In 2003 she secured the first ever Prime Ministerial Reception for Irish Community leaders in the House of Commons, where the Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute to the historic contribution made by the Irish to the economic, social and cultural life of Britain. Her lecture will discuss the Conditions of Older Irish people in Greater London, a generation that left Ireland , who made their homes in Britain and who contributed to the social economic and cultural life of Britain over several decades. At 8. 00, pm there will be a dramatised reading of two of Goldsmith’s Essays by Michael Conlon, a well known actor with the Bog Lane Theatre . Finally at 9.00 pm there will be a Poetry Reading by Des Egan, who was born in Athlone, and now lives in Newbridge. Since 1987 Des has been a full-time writer. He has published 18 Collections of Poetry; two of Prose and two translations of Greek Plays and in 1983 he received The National Poetry Foundation of USA Award.
The final day of the Summer School, Sunday June 6 th , begins at Goldsmith’s memorial in Ballymahon with a tour of Goldsmith Country at 11.30. At 3.30 pm, events move to Goldsmith’s birthplace in Pallas. Chaired by Pauline Devine, there will be a Poetry Reading by children from schools in Goldsmith Country followed by a Poetry Reading by award winning poet, Noel Monahan who recently published his fourth collection, entitled, “The Funeral Game”.