Dear Members
I am delighted to confirm that we are now in a position to go ahead with the proposed Federation AGM this year. It will take place on Saturday 23rd October in the Kilcullen Heritage Centre (courtesy of Nessa Dunlea) starting at 10 am.
Guest speaker will be Dr Colum Kenny, Professor Emeritus, Dublin City University, and a regular contributor to Ireland’s national media. Author of many books, his latest [“Midnight in London: the Anglo-Irish Treaty Crisis 1921”] deals with the Treaty negotiations in London one hundred years ago, and the title of his address to the Federation will be “Fact and Fiction: Arthur Griffith’s leadership of the Treaty Delegation in 1921”.
We also hope to launch the reprint of the poems of Thomas Behan, internee in the Curragh Camp during the War of Independence, undertaken by the Local Studies section of Kildare Library services and featuring recordings of the readings of some of the poems by nominees of the Federation’s member groups.
Above all, there will be a chance to catch up with fellow historians whom we have not seen for some time and to have a chat on topics of common interest. We are delighted to be able to meet again in person and we hope you will all be in a position to join us for what promises to be a very happy occasion.
I would be obliged if you could let us know whether you and/or others from your group will be attending – so that we can plan in relation to numbers.
Many thanks and looking forward to seeing you all there.
Brian Mc Cabe
(Acting Chairman)