Myles Dungan and Vona Groarke for WAHS annual conference
Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society (WAHS) host their sixth annual conference in The Greville Arms Hotel this Saturday, April 1, and the theme is the Civil War with particular reference to Westmeath. It starts at 10am with a lecture by Michael Nolan entitled Lawlessness and crime – Westmeath 1922-23.
Historian Ruth Illingworth follows with an analysis of the social and political developments in Mullingar during the Civil War.
The renowned Irish poet Vona Groarke, who has Westmeath connections, will discuss her recent book ‘Hereafter: The Telling Life of Ellen O’Hara’, which explores the previously neglected role of Irish women who emigrated to the US and whose remittances home helped secure the foundations of a war torn country.
Myles Dungan, host of the History Show on RTÉ Radio One, will examine one of the most controversial aspects of the Free State response to the activities of the Anti-Treaty IRA. His talk is ‘Executions reprisals and extra judicial killings during the Civil War’.
The 18-pounder field gun used to bombard the Four Courts in 1922 symbolised the start of the Irish Civil War, and Robert Delaney has completed exhaustive research on the various iterations and engagements of that piece of ordinance – he also explains the subsequent history of the 18-pounder.
The conference marks the conclusion of the Decade of Centenaries lecture series organised by WAHS. It is supported by Westmeath County Council and the Dept of Tourism Culture Arts Gaeltacht Sport and Media. Admission is €30, including lunch and conference brochure.
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