Lecture series gets a handle on local history

Banbridge District Council have announced plans to host a series of six shared history lectures aimed at promoting greater understanding and dialogue between people from different cultures within the Banbridge district.

The series, titled, ‘The Course of Irish History from Early Times through Plantation to Partition’, is delivered by Banbridge District Council’s Good Relations Programme which is part-funded through OFMDFM and has been organised by Good Relations Officer Dolores Donnelly with the help of renowned political historian and broadcaster, Dr. Eamon Phoenix.

The lectures will be held on Wednesday evenings from 8pm – 10pm at Iveagh Movie Studios, Banbridge.

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The first lecture takes place on February 12 with Ruairi O Baoill, leading archaeologist and author who will discuss ‘The Archaeology of Ulster: from the Black Pig’s Dyke to “the Plantation’.

Continuing on February 19 Dr Jonathan Bardon, historian and author of ‘A History of Ulster’ will give insight into ‘The Plantation of Ulster: from the Nine Years War to the Boyne 1600-1691’.

This will be followed on February 26 with a lecture delivered by Dr William Roulston, Research Director at the Ulster Historical Foundation, entitled ‘Ireland in the 18th Century: from the Penal Laws to the 1798 Rebellion’. Local historian Mr Horace Reid will also speak on ‘Montalto and the Battle of Ballynahinch’.

On March 12, at a venue to be confirmed, Dr Olwen Purdue, social historian and author from Queens University Belfast will discuss ‘Nineteenth Century Ireland: from the Union through the Great Famine to Home Rule: 1800-1870’. Plunkett Campbell, a local historian will talk about ‘Banbridge and District in the Nineteenth Century’.

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For the next lecture on March 19, Dr Eamon Phoenix, Stranmillis University College and Queen’s University Belfast will discuss ‘The Road to Revolution and Partition 1885-1925’ followed by Prof. Laurence Kirkpatrick, Union Theological College and Queens University Belfast who will deliver a talk on ‘The Protestant Churches and the Third Home Rule Crisis, 1912-14’.

The series will finish with a History Roadshow on March 26 at a venue to be confirmed. Chaired by Dr Éamon Phoenix, members of the public are invited to bring along their old documents, letters, postcards, artefacts and historical memorabilia for assessment. Everyone has something in the attic and you never know what treasures you may unearth!

All lectures are free of charge and offered on a first come first served basis. To reserve a place please contact Marion Mitchell, Leisure Services on 4066 0605 or [email protected]

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