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Home of Beatified Cardinal Newman Open on Conradh na Gaeilge Culture Night

Dubliners will have an opportunity to go behind the scenes of one of Dublin's most historically important buildings by taking a guided tour of the Conradh na Gaeilge headoffices at Number 6 Harcourt Street as part of Culture Night 2010 on Friday, 24 September 2010 (going every 20 minutes from 5.00 - 11.00pm), and can learn about the connections some of the most important people in Irish history and politics had with the building.

The founder of University College Dublin (UCD), Cardinal John Henry Newman, formerly lived in the house at Number 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 and he will be beatified in his birthplace in the Archdiocese of Birmingham by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 19 September 2010. Newman opened the first Irish Catholic University in three separate buildings on 3 November 1854, Number 6 among them, and Newman's house was known as St Mary's.

The Sinn Féin bank was based in Number 6 Harcourt Street during the War of Independence and the main players of the 1916 Easter Rising were also associated with the current Conradh na Gaeilge offices. The tunnel through which Michael Collins and other senior members of the IRB escaped from British forces is still intact under the Number 6, and it was on the floors above that the first Department of Finance was founded under the Free State, where Michael Collins reigned as Minister for Finance from 1916 until he was killed in 1922.

Not only that but anyone with an interest in brushing up their cúpla focal of Irish will have the chance to sample Conradh na Gaeilge's dynamic and enjoyable approach to language learning by trying a free taster-class between 7.00 - 9.00pm on Friday, 24 September 2010. With over a hundred years of experience teaching Irish to adults at every level, Conradh na Gaeilge is renowned for providing classes of the highest standard throughout the country, and anyone who attends the Culture Night class will get a 10% discount if they register for one of the Conradh's 10-week Irish courses when the new term starts in Dublin on 28 September 2010.

According to Síne Nic an Ailí, Development Executive with Conradh na Gaeilge: "Conradh na Gaeilge is looking forward to creating a kind of urban Gaeltacht in one of the capital's most historic buildings when we open the doors of Number 6 Harcourt Street for Culture Night 2010. There will be something for everyone in the family on 24 September 2010 as more Irish-language organisations than any other year are taking part in this historic celebration and organising their own cultural events in conjunction with us this year - the cultural festivities in Conradh na Gaeilge's headoffices will be certainly be bigger and better than ever before!

"In addition to history tours and Conradh na Gaeilge's Irish class, there will be a poetry reading in An Siopa Leabhar as part of the Imram Irish-language literature festival, games as Gaeilge for the kids with Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta and Ógras, a dance class for young people with An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, the best of Irish-language short films shown in Club Chonradh na Gaeilge, Oireachtas na Gaeilge's photographic exhibition, a talk for parents with Comhluadar, Glór na nGael's conversation circle, a song-writing workshop with Seachtain na Gaeilge, and more. Buail isteach don Oíche Chultúir Ghaeilge, come along for some Irish culture!"

*All events are free of charge but pre-booking is essential by calling 01 4757401*

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Síne Nic an Ailí
Development Executive, Conradh na Gaeilge
01 4757401 / 087 6546673

Templebar Cultural Trust
www.culturenight.ie
01 6772255 / 01 8883610

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS @ CONRADH NA GAEILGE, 6 HARCOURT STREET, DUBLIN 2:

5.00 - 11.00pm
Every 20 mins Bilingual Guided Tours of the Historical Headquarters
Conradh na Gaeilge

5.00 - 11.00pm An tOireachtas: Spléachadh Siar
An exhibition of photographs taken by Clive Wasson at various Oireachtas festivals since 2004
Oireachtas na Gaeilge with Club Chonradh na Gaeilge

5.00 - 10.00pm Bargain Book Sale
An Siopa Leabhar

5.00 - 7.00pm Conversation Circle for Adults
Glór na nGael with Club Chonradh na Gaeilge

5.00 - 7.00pm Irish-Language Short Films
Club Chonradh na Gaeilge

6.00 - 7.00pm Games and Sport through Irish for Children (2 - 5 years)
Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta

6.00 - 7.00pm Games and Sport through Irish for Children (6 - 12 years)
Ógras

6.00 - 7.00pm Dance Class for Young People (12 - 18 years)
An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha

7.00 - 8.00pm Song-Writing Workshop
Seachtain na Gaeilge

7.00 - 9.00pm Beginners' Irish Class for Adults
Conradh na Gaeilge

8.00 - 9.00pm Language Transmission From Generation to Generation
Talk by Finlay MacLeod, CNSA, Scotland - organises Gàidhlig ‘san Dachaidh / Gaelic in the Home courses
Comhluadar

9.00pm Dance Exhibition
An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha with Club Chonradh na Gaeilge

9.30 - 10.30pm Poetry Reading
Joint poetry reading with Irish poets Colm Breathnach, Lorcán S. Ó Treasaigh, Dairena Ní Chinnéide and Ceaití Ní Bheildiúina
An Siopa Leabhar with Imram & Poetry Ireland

9.30 - 11.00pm Singing and Entertainment for the Night
Club Chonradh na Gaeilge with Oireachtas na Gaeilge

* PLACES MUST BE RESERVED FOR THESE EVENTS *

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Temple Bar Cultural Trust (TBCT) is a private limited company that works on a not-for-profit basis to support culture in Temple Bar in a variety of ways. TBCT organised the first Culture Night in Ireland in Dublin in 2006 and the celebrations have since spread across the country to Carlow, Cork, Galway, the Gaeltacht, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Letterkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow. www.templebar.ie

Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community working to promote the language. There are 200 branches of Conradh na Gaeilge and since its foundation in 1893, members of the Conradh have been actively promoting Irish in every aspect of life in Ireland and especially its use in their own areas. Conraitheoirí are at the forefront of campaigns to secure and strengthen the rights of the Irish language community. It is also possible to register as an individual member of the Conradh. www.cnag.ie

Cardinal John Henry Newman once lived in Number 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 and he played no small part in the founding of University College Dublin (UCD). The Catholic University opened its doors in three separate buildings on the 3rd of November 1854, Number 6 among them, and Newman's house was known as St Mary's. The Sinn Féin bank was also run from here during the War of Independence, and it is from this very building that the results of the 1918 elections were announced. Some of the most important people involved in the Easter Rising 1916 were also connected to the building, and the tunnel through which the likes of Michael Collins and other senior members of the IRB escaped from the British forces is still intact under the building. The first Department of Finance under the Free State was also founded on the floors above this tunnel in later years.

 

 

Conradh na Gaeilge

6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.
Phone: +353 (0) 1 475 7401, Fax: +353 (0) 1 475 7844, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.