May Day May Day

national | history and heritage | event notice Monday April 25, 2011 14:34 by Upkildare - May Day labour history school upkildare at gmail dot com

Great free event

This year's May Day labour history school is very exciting. From a celebration of the Canal Navies to the great Jimmy Kelly (brother of the late Luke), from an exhibition of rare canal worker's archive to a History Ireland Hedge School debate... What ever happened to the Citizen's Army

Following the success of last year’s event the organisers of Athy’s May Day Festival have decided to extend the festival into a two-day event, beginning on Saturday 30th
April of the May Public Holiday weekend and continuing into Sunday 1st May.
This year’s event combines music, a photographic exhibition and a History
Ireland Hedge School, exploring the radical leftist/republican tradition in Irish History.
On the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Inland Barrow Navigation scheme,
we also look at the life of the original Irish Navvy, with particular focus on the impact
of the opening-up of the Grand Canal on Athy and its surroundings. Music will be
provided on Saturday night by Jimmy Kelly (Luke’s much acclaimed younger brother)
and Tom Crean. All are welcome to the picturesque town of Athy where you will be sure to meet a most eclectic bunch, enjoy the activities and celebrate the dawn of the summer.
SATURDAY 30th APRIL
12pm-4.00pm:
A photographic Exhibition commemorating the
workers who built the canals and the boatmen
who transported the goods throughout the canal
network.
2pm-2.15pm:
Official Opening of the Festival by the Mayor of
Athy
2.15pm-4.00pm:
A series of talks examining the socio-economic
and cultural impact that the opening of the
canals had on provincial life. The typical life of
the early Navvies and boatmen will be brought
to life, and the struggle for improvement in conditions
leading to early Trade Union formation
will also be explored.
8.00pm:
A concert of Labour and Workers’ songs,
featuring two of Dublin’s well-known balladeers,
Tom Crean and Jimmy Kelly. The concert will be
preceded by a Wine Reception at 7.30pm.

SUNDAY 1st MAY
3.00pm:
History Ireland’s Hedge
School: ‘Whatever
Happened to the Citizen
Army?’
We have the pleasure of hosting History Ireland’s
successful Hedge School series. The round table
discussion will trace the history of the radical Left
Republican tradition in Irish history.
The panel will consist of:
Brian Hanley:
St pat's, Drumcondra (co-author of The Lost
Revolution: A History of the Workers Party
and the Official IRA)
Eoin O’Broin:
Sinn Fein
Fergus Whelan:
ICTU (author of Dissent into Treason)
Jack O'Connor:
President of SIPTU.
The panel will be chaired by Tommy Graham
of History Ireland.