Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD has launched a new exhibition for the Decade of Centenaries Programme, called ‘Burning the Big House: The Story of the Irish Country House in Revolution, 1920-1923’.
Details
The new exhibition was curated by Professor Terence Dooley, director of the Centre for the Study of Historic Irish Houses and Estates (CSHIHE), History Department, at Maynooth University, with support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The new exhibition is the culmination of years of research work by Dooley and introduces a new perspective to the Decade of Centenaries Programme – the experiences of the Irish aristocracy, or former landed elite, who found themselves caught up in the War of Independence and the Civil War.
Seen through the prism of the burning of country houses – more generally referred to in Ireland as ‘the Big Houses’ – the exhibition will present the stories of a broad sample of these Big Houses from across the country. It is the product of original research based on a wide variety of primary sources, challenging many commonly held misconceptions about this period in history. The exhibition will explore the extent and geographical location of the Big Houses burned, examining the political and social motivations for destruction. It will also address why many houses were not destroyed. The exhibition will explore the national context for these events and the impact of the Land Acts on the country houses.
The exhibition will be showcased in the Irish Architectural Archive, in Dublin, until 27 April, when it will relocate to Maynooth University – in time for the 20th Annual Historic Irish Houses Conference (10-11 May). It will then tour various locations around the country. When the exhibition run concludes, it will be digitised and made freely available online for everyone on the CSHIHE (Maynooth University) website.
A free weekly lecture series will be held online from 24 March to 19 May, in conjunction with the exhibition. Speakers will include Gemma Clark, Terence Dooley, Robert O’Byrne, Ann O’Riordan, Olwen Purdue, Christopher Ridgway, Glascott Symes and Jean Young, all of whom will address various themes relating to Big Houses during the revolutionary period.
Additionally, Professor Dooley’s new publication, Burning the Big House: The Story of the Irish Country House in a Time of War and Revolution, has been launched by Yale University Press.
Statement By Minister Martin
Minister Martin stated, “The burning of the Big Houses is one of the rarely discussed aspects of the Irish revolutionary period. As Minister with responsibility for leading the Decade of Centenaries Programme, my aim has been to support interesting and imaginative opportunities to encourage all of us to explore our shared history, in all of its complexity, in a respectful and supportive environment.
“This exhibition by Professor Dooley is the culmination of years of research into the destruction of our Big Houses. The exhibition, the accompanying lecture series, and Professor Dooley’s new publication will provide invaluable supports to everyone interested in gaining a greater understanding and new insights into this period in our history, grounded in the factual evidence and primary sources. I commend Professor Dooley and all involved in bringing this work to fruition.”
Statement By Professor Dooley
Professor Dooley stated, “I am deeply appreciative of the funding provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, which has enabled the design and presentation of this exhibition in the Irish Architectural Archive, which I hope will provide a new dimension to our understanding of the Irish revolutionary period in all its complexity.”
© 2022 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
