Féile na Carraige – Lá 5 – Léacht Harry Holland
Don léacht bhliantúil in ómós an fhir phobail Harry Holland, roghnaigh muid téama na mban de bharr go bhfuil comóradh céad bliain Chumann na mBann ann i mbliana. Bhí “Reabhlóidithe Docheansaithe – Athchuairt” mar teisdeal an léacht agus bhí Dr Margaret Ward i mbun léachta.
Is staraí feimineach í an Dr Margaret Ward. I measc a leabhair, tá Unmanageable Revolutionaries: women and Irish nationalism, chomh maith le 
beathaisnéisí Maud Gonne agus Hanna Sheehy Skeffington. Ba stiúrthóir í ar an Women’s Resource and Development Agency ó 2005-2013 agus is anrá ar cuairt i Stair na hÉireann ar Ollscoil na Banríona. Luíonn suim taighde s’aici faoi láthair i nGluaiseacht na Sufráigéidí Ulaidh agus tionchar an Chogaidh Mhóir ar na mná Feirsteacha.
Le linn na léachta, rinneadh macnamh ar luathbhlianta Chumann na mBan sa léacht seo. A bhuí le habhár nua-aimsithe ó na cartlanna, cothaíodh tuiscint níos fearr maidir le ról na mban poblachtánach.
I ndiadh an léachta a bhí fíor shuimiúil, bhí ceol againn ó réimse ceoltóirí tallánach lena n-airítear Aaron agus Liam óg atá ag foghlaim an ghiotáir le seacht mí anuas agus ag iarraidh go hiontach leo. Maith sibh leaids!
For this year annual lecture in memory of community giant, Harry Holland, we icked a theme looking at women due to the centenary of Cumann na mBan. Unmangeable Revolutionaries was the title and Dr Margaret Ward was our guest lecturer for the evening.
Dr Margaret Ward is a feminist historian. Her books include Unmanageable Revolutionaries: women and Irish nationalism, and biographies of Maud Gonne and Hanna Sheehy Skeffington. She was Director of the Women’s Resource and Development Agency from 2005-2013 and is now a Visiting Fellow in Irish History with Queen’s University. Her current research interests include the Ulster Suffrage Movement and the impact of the Great War on women in Belfast.
This lecture considered the early years of Cumann na mBan, using newly released material from the archives which greatly added to the understanding of the role played by republican women.
After the lecture, we had an array of musicians including Aaron and Liam óg who are learning guitar with Glór na Móna for the past seven months and doing brilliantly. Well done lads!
