The centenary of the Irish Boundary Commission, the men who made the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima and the legacy of Daniel O’Connell are among subjects explored in this year’s Dublin Festival of History.
The festival, which is free, will have 250 events from September 26th to October 12th. It culminates with the Big Weekend in the Round Room at the Mansion House, on Saturday, September 27th and Sunday, September 28th.
Highlights include Cormac Moore speaking about his book, The Root of All Evil: The Irish Boundary Commission. Moore’s book is about how, in 1925, a leaked copy of the Boundary Commission report dashed nationalist hopes that a substantial part of Northern Ireland would be incorporated into what was then called the Free State.
Also on the big weekend is Iain MacGregor’s The Hiroshima Men, an exploration of the individuals behind the creation and deployment of the first atomic bomb which places survivors’ testimonies and personal stories to the forefront. There is also Kate Vigurs’ Mission Europe: The Secret History of the Women of Special Operations Executive. Vigurs shines a spotlight on the extraordinary women who risked everything behind enemy lines. Roger Moorhouse’s Wolfpack: Hitler’s U-boat War 1939–44, is a reconstruction of life aboard the German submarines of the Battle of the Atlantic
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Also featured are Jane Draycott’s Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome, bringing to life one of antiquity’s most remarkable women. Sam Dalrymple’s Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia, is a compelling retelling of how borders were drawn across the subcontinent with lasting consequences.
In her presentation on Great Irish Wives, author Nicola Pierce shines a spotlight on ten wives who were instrumental in their famous husbands’ success, including Matilda Tone, Mary O’Connell, Georgiana Yeats and Beatrice Behan.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Ray McAdam, said the festival is about a “shared love for history” which is evident in the city’s own history.
“Dublin has been shaped by the events, places and people of its past and this festival helps bring those stories to life over the course of the festival. Dubliners and visitors alike have a great opportunity to take in the wonderful history of our capital city,” he said.
Deputy city librarian Brendan Teeling described the festival as a “fantastic opportunity to experience history that Dubliners would not have previously known, to brush up on historical favourites and to delve deep into topics that are not widely spoken about.”
The Dublin Festival of History is funded by Dublin City Council and organised by Dublin City Libraries, in partnership with the Dublin City Council Culture Company.
All the events are free, but the public are encouraged to book in advance to secure their place. To see the complete list of events, visit https://dublinfestivalofhistory.ie/events/. Booking opens at 10am on Tuesday, August 26th.
