Foreword

Foreword

Brollach

In this Decade of Centenaries 1913–1923, it is important that our local authority cultural commemorative programming, across our corporate, libraries, arts, culture, community and heritage reflect, at a very local level, on the important events that shaped our history during this period 100 years ago.

It is through programming relating to Ireland 2016 that we have an opportunity to participate in national programmes, develop local events, showcase our resources, facilities and venues and promote the history of the County. It is an opportunity to commemorate, recall and reflect on the events of 1916 and that period in our history, to encourage participation, provide public awareness, learning and information so as to fully understand the impact that the events had.

In the broad context of a decade of great change in our history, the County Roscommon Ireland 2016 programme reflects the many separate narratives at work on both the national and local stage. These include campaigns for social reforms, the suffrage movement and military conflict which went hand in hand with political events of the time.

County Roscommon, like all counties, provides its own setting and contribution to the history of the period; from the Great War 1914–1918 and the many soldiers from the County who served on the battlefield, to the Irish Home Rule & Government of Ireland Act (1914), the influence of Douglas Hyde and his resignation from the Gaelic League in 1915, to the Easter Rising in 1916 and the arrests in Roscommon in the aftermath of the rising.

I nDeich mBliana seo na gCuimhneachán 1913–1923, tá sé tábhachtach go dtugann cláir chuimhneacháin chultúrtha ár n-údarás áitiúla sa saol corparáideach, i leabharlanna, sna healaíona, sa chultúr, sa phobal agus i gcúrsaí oidhreachta, ar leibhéal an-áitiúil, léiriú ar na heachtraí tábhachtacha a chuir cruth ar ár gcuid staire sa tréimhse seo 100 bliain ó shin.

Is trí leagan amach cláir a bhaineann le hÉire 2016 atá deis againn a bheith rannpháirteach i gcláir náisiúnta, imeachtaí áitiúla a fhorbairt, ár gcuid acmhainní, saoráidí agus ionaid a chur ar taispeáint agus poiblíocht a dhéanamh ar stair an Chontae. Is deis atá ann comóradh a dhéanamh, cuimhneamh siar agus machnamh a dhéanamh ar eachtraí 1916 agus ar an tréimhse sin inár stair, rannpháirtíocht a spreagadh, feasacht phoiblí, foghlaim agus faisnéis a sholáthar ionas go bhfaighimid tuiscint iomlán ar an tionchar a bhí ag na heachtraí.

I gcomhthéacs leathan deich mbliana inar tharla athrú mór inár stair, léiríonn clár Éire 2016 Chontae Ros Comáin cuid mhaith de na hinsintí scéil ar leithligh atá le feiceáil ar an ardán náisiúnta agus áitiúil araon. Ina measc sin tá feachtais le haghaidh athchóirithe sóisialta, an ghluaiseacht maidir le cearta vótála agus coimhlint mhíleata a bhí ag tarlú ag an am céanna le himeachtaí polaitiúla na linne.

I gContae Ros Comáin, ach an oiread le go leor contaetha eile, tá a leagan agus a thionchar féin aige ar stair na tréimhse. Ón gCogadh Mór 1914–1918 agus na saighdiúirí go léir ón gContae a bhí ag troid ar an láthair chatha, go dtí Rialtas Áitiúil na hÉireann & Acht um Rialú na hÉireann (1914), an tionchar a bhí ag Dubhghlas de hÍde agus mar a d’éirigh sé as Conradh na Gaeilge i 1915, go dtí Éirí Amach na Cásca i 1916 agus na daoine a gabhadh i Ros Comáin tar éis an éirí amach.

The role of Castlerea native Fr Michael O’Flanagan in this period is recalled, as is the role and contribution of women involved in Cumann Na mBan, the election of Count Plunkett in the North Roscommon by-election of 1917, the first Dail Eireann in 1919, through to the War of Independence and on through to the very divisive Civil War. The birth, development and character of our own local government system from the period and the symbolic development and opening of the new Civic Offices in 2016 are all subjects that form and shape our planned programming for this period.

The programme has been developed out of a comprehensive community participation and engagement process and with over 50 events and with echoes of the language of the Proclamation itself, it is at its very core a “peoples programme”.

Tá clár cuimsitheach láidir forbartha agus curtha le chéile againn le haghaidh Éire 2016, agus tabharfar aghaidh ann ar gach ceann de na seacht snáithe náisiúnta den chlár. Is é an cur chuige a bheidh ann ná a chinntiú go dtabharfar léiriú ar stair na tréimhse, ar phearsana stairiúla, ar na healaíona, ar litríocht, ar cheol, ar théatar, ar thaispeántais, ar oidhreacht, ar ghné oideachasúil, ar rannpháirtíocht daoine óga agus ar imeachtaí áitiúla chun clár comórtha a chur i dtoll a chéile an chéad bhliain eile a rachaidh i gcion ar dhaoine go ceann fada.

Forbraíodh an clár ó rannpháirtíocht chuimsitheach an phobail agus ó phróiseas oibre agus le breis is 50 imeacht agus le macallaí ó fhoclaíocht an Fhorógra féin ó thaobh úinéireachta de, is “clár do gach duine” é thar aon ní eile.