The Committee is supported by the 2016 Coordinator and also by the various in-house resources such as Heritage Officer, Conservation Officer, Arts Officer as well as Kilkenny County Council’s Local Library service. These resources will be deployed during 2016 to optimise the work of the Commemoration Committee and service plans for 2016 will complement the listed programme of events, which is heavily influenced by the themes which emerged from the extremely well attended, supportive and engaging public meeting held in April 2015, in City Hall Kilkenny.
The public meeting was followed up by direct contact with local interest groups to devise a programme of events reflective of the aspirations of those who participated in the consultation process.
Whilst the final programme was drafted in accordance with the seven strands designated under the national programme, a number of cross cutting themes also emerged, namely:
Legacy: It is the intention of the Committee to support projects which will last beyond 2016, leaving a legacy for future generations. The production of web based and printed material, together with new commissions will all assist in ensuring that future debate will be informed and well resourced.
Education: Education in the broadest sense, informing people’s understanding of the context and seminal importance of 1916 to the course of Irish history, with a particular focus on the events and personalities from Kilkenny in the lead up to and aftermath of the Rising.
Reconciliation: To allow the space and generosity of spirit to foster reconciliation, so that young people in particular are afforded the opportunity to understand the events of 1916 in a broader and more inclusive social context.
Kilkenny: the arts: Kilkenny has a well-earned reputation as a centre for culture and arts, with a calendar of festivals which attracts both domestic and international visitors. Kilkenny is also home to national institutions including the Heritage Council and the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. Both the festivals and institutions will provide an opportunity for collaboration throughout 2016, and it is our intention that their programmes will enhance the range of local events in our County programme.
Thomas MacDonagh: A significant recurring theme running through the public consultations is Kilkenny’s connection with Thomas MacDonagh, a signatory to the Proclamation who was amongst those executed after the 1916 Rising. MacDonagh lived and worked in Kilkenny and apparently became more radical during his time here in the formative years of the early 20th Century. His links with Conradh na Gaeilge will be explored in conjunction with Conradh through debate and lectures as Gaeilge.
We will develop a weeklong event in Kilkenny, called Seachtain Thomáis Mhic Dhonnachadha, coinciding with the date of Thomas MacDonagh’s execution on 3rd May 1916, incorporating a dramatisation of MacDonagh’s court-martial, and bringing together many of the individual ideas floated at the public meeting, including re-enactors, period photography, newspaper articles, songs and stories of the time, and will include a series of lectures, screening of old black and white films and a concert in the Watergate Theatre.
Other Initiatives: In terms of an educational legacy, Kilkenny County Council will support the development of a website by the Kilkenny Local Education Centre, primarily creating a resource for history teachers, which will be widely available as a means of providing “students” of all ages with easily accessible material in which to understand the context and importance of 1916.
Community participation is at the forefront of Kilkenny’s ambitions for 2016. Events across the County are being supported in a manner that will assist local voluntary groups to ensure that their own commemoration ceremonies and events are arranged to a high standard with the maximum participation and attendance. Annual commemorative events in Callan, Dunamaggin, Slieverue and South Kilkenny are included together with unique events planned for Castlecomer and Kilkenny City. Street festivals in places named after MacDonagh, Connolly, Pearse, Fr. Albert and Fr. Delahunty will be underpinned by celebrating Kilkenny County Council’s historical role in the provision of social housing.
Local newspapers have agreed to include feature supplements during 2016, with a view to ensuring that Kilkenny people can reacquaint themselves with events in Kilkenny around 1916, or indeed learn from some recent publications such as the Royal Irish Academy’s “1916 Portraits and Lives” which includes a biography and portrait of Thomas MacDonagh. The Portrait will be exhibited at MacDonagh Railway Station, Kilkenny, by kind permission of Irish Rail. Passengers and visitors will be able to download an eReader version of MacDonagh’s biography during 2016. Reproduction of MacDonagh’s biography for circulation in Kilkenny has been kindly facilitated by the Royal Irish Academy.
In keeping with Kilkenny’s artistic and theatrical traditions Barnstorm Theatre Company, based in Kilkenny, are producing a new play for young audiences that is set during the 1916 Rising, but seen through the perspective of a family living in Dublin. As part of the experience of the play the company will develop an Education Support Resource for schools in Kilkenny.
In terms of the three themes of legacy, education and reconciliation, Kilkenny County Council will support a planned cross-border schools’ exchange in 2016, which will allow school children approach the concept of reconciliation through the medium of music, sport and theatre. Such an exchange presents the possibility of ensuring that diverse views are not only understood but accepted as valid. And what better way to celebrate Ireland’s history since 1916 than by ensuring that the next generation can value and interpret their past without inhibition, and can look forward with imagination to a future Irish republic in which they are encouraged to play a central role.
Kilkenny has entered into a number of twinning arrangements over the years, with partner communities in Europe, America and China. Planned visits are being arranged so that visitors from our twinned districts can participate in our calendar of events, bringing a new dimension to our contacts and renewing the bonds of friendship across the globe. Highlights of the Global and Diaspora strand include a visit by our namesake Kilkenny, in Minnesota, U.S.A. Our long-standing friendship with Leicestershire County Council will be renewed to coincide with their decade of centenaries in the U.K.
Tacaíonn Comhordaitheoir 2016 agus na hacmhainní éagsúla inti, ar nós an Oifigigh Oidhreachta, an Oifigigh Chaomhnaithe, an Oifigigh Ealaíon leis an gCoiste, mar aon le Seirbhís Leabharlainne Áitiúla Chomhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh. Bainfear leas as na hacmhainní seo i rith 2016 chun barr feabhais a chur ar obair an Choiste Comórtha agus cuirfidh pleananna seirbhíse don bhliain 2016 leis an gclár liostaithe imeachtaí, a bunaíodh go mór ar na téamaí a tháinig chun solais ón gcruinniú poiblí ar a raibh sárfhreastal, a bhí an-tacúil agus gníomhach agus a bhí ar siúl in Aibreán 2015, I Halla na Cathrach, Cill Chainnigh.
I ndiaidh an chruinnithe phoiblí, rinneadh teagmháil dhíreach le grúpaí spéise áitiúla chun clár imeachtaí a chur i dtoll a chéile lena léirítear mianta na ndaoine siúd a ghlac páirt sa phróiseas comhairliúcháin. Cé gur dréachtaíodh an clár deiridh i gcomhréir leis na seacht snáithe a ainmníodh faoin gclár náisiúnta, tháinig roinnt téamaí trasghearrthacha chun solais, ina measc:
Oidhreacht: Tá sé ar intinn ag an gCoiste tacú le tionscadail a mhairfidh i ndiaidh 2016, a fhágfaidh oidhreacht ann don ghlúin amach anseo. Cabhróidh táirgeadh ábhar gréasánbhunaithe agus clóite, mar aon le coimisiúnú nua, lena chinntiú go mbeidh díospóireacht amach anseo feasach agus go mbeidh go leor acmhainní ar fáil di.
Oideachas: Oideachas sa chiall is leithne— chun eolas a sholáthar don tuiscint atá ag daoine ar chomhthéacs agus ar thábhacht chinniúnach 1916 i dtaca le stair na hÉireann, agus béim ar leith ar na himeachtaí a tharla i gCill Chainnigh agus ar na pearsana de bhunadh Chill Chainnigh i gcaitheamh na tréimhse a fhad leis an Éirí Amach agus ina dhiaidh.
Athmhuintearas: Ligean don spás agus do chineáltas na meanma chun athmhuintearas a chothú, ionas go dtugtar an deis, do dhaoine óga ach go háirithe, chun tuiscint a fháil ar imeachtaí 1916 i gcomhthéacs sóisialta níos fairsinge agus cuimsitheach.
Chill Chainnigh:na healaíona: Tá cáil ar Chill Chainnigh, atá tuillte go maith aici, mar lárionad cultúir agus ealaíon, le clár féilte ó cheann ceann na bliana a mheallann cuairteoirí intíre agus idirnáisiúnta araon. Anuas air sin, is i gCill Chainnigh atá forais náisiúnta suite, ar nós na Comhairle Oidhreachta agus Chomhairle Dhearaidh agus Cheardaíochta na hÉireann. Soláthróidh na féilte agus na hinstitiúidí araon an deis chun comhoibriú a dhéanamh i gcaitheamh 2016, agus tá sé ar intinn againn go gcuirfidh a gcláir feabhas ar an réimse imeachtaí áitiúla I gclár ár gContae.
Tomás Mac Donnchadha: Téama tábhachtach a thagann aníos go minic sna comhairliúcháin phoiblí is ea an ceangal atá ag Cill Chainnigh le Tomás Mac Donnchadha, duine de shínitheoirí an Fhorógra a bhí i measc iad siúd a cuireadh chun báis i ndiaidh Éirí Amach 1916. Chónaigh agus d’oibrigh Mac Donnchadha i gCill Chainnigh agus, de réir dealraimh, d’éirigh sé ní ba radacaí le linn an tráth a chaith sé anseo i luathbhlianta an 20ú hAois. Fiosrófar na ceangail a bhí aige le Conradh na Gaeilge i gcomhar leis an gConradh trí dhíospóireacht agus léachtaí as Gaeilge.
Tionscnaimh Eile: Forbróimid imeacht a mhairfidh seachtain iomlán i gCill Chainnigh, ar a dtabharfar Seachtain Thomáis Mhic Dhonnchadha, a bheidh ar siúl i gcomhthráth leis an dáta a cuireadh chun báis é, an 3 Bealtaine 1916. I measc na n-imeachtaí, déanfar dráma de chúirt airm Mhic Dhonnchadha, agus tabharfar le chéile go leor de na smaointe aonair a tugadh chun solais ag an gcruinniú poiblí, lena n-áirítear athchruthú, grianghrafadóireacht na tréimhse, ailt nuachtáin, amhráin agus scéalta na linne sin, agus áireofar leo sraith léachtaí, seanscannáin dhubh agus bhán agus ceolchoirm in Amharclann Gheata an Uisce. I dtaobh oidhreacht oideachais, tacóidh Comhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh le láithreán gréasáin a fhorbairt ag Ionad Oideachais Áitiúil Chill Chainnigh, a chruthaíonn acmhainn do mhúinteoirí staire, a bheidh ar fáil go fairsing mar bhealach chun ábhar atá so-rochtana do “dhaltaí” de gach aois inar féidir leo tuiscint a fháil ar chomhthéacs agus tábhacht 1916.
Baineann ríthábhacht le rannpháirtíocht an phobail i dtaca le huaillmhianta Chill Chainnigh don bhliain 2016. Táthar ag tacú le himeachtaí ar fud an Chontae ar bhealach a chabhróidh leis na grúpaí áitiúla deonacha lena chinntiú go n-eagraítear a searmanais agus a n-imeachtaí ar ardchaighdeán agus go mbaintear amach an rannpháirtíocht agus an freastal uasta. Cuirtear imeachtaí bliantúla comórtha i gCallainn, Dún Iomagáin, Sliabh Rua agus Cill Chainnigh Theas san áireamh, agus tá imeachtaí uathúla pleanáilte i gcás Chaisleán an Chomair agus Chathair Chill Chainnigh. Tacófar le féilte sráide in áiteanna a ainmníodh in ómós Mhic Dhonnchadha, Uí Chonghaile, an Phiarsaigh, an Athar Albert agus an Athar Uí Dhulchaointigh trí ról stairiúil Chomhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh i dtithíocht shóisialta a sholáthar a cheiliúradh.
Chomhaontaigh na nuachtáin áitiúla chun forlíontaí gné-alt a chur san áireamh i rith 2016, ag féachaint do chinntiú gur féidir le muintir Chill Chainnigh cur amach a bheith arís acu leis na himeachtaí a thit amach i gCill Chainnigh thart ar 1916, nó foghlaim ó chuid de na foilseacháin a foilsíodh le déanaí, go deimhin féin, ar nós “1916 Portraits and Lives” de chuid Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, lena n-áirítear beathaisnéis agus portráid de Thomás Mac Donnchadha. Taispeánfar an Phortráid ag Stáisiún Iarnróid Mhic Dhonnchadha, Cill Chainnigh, le caoinchead ó Iarnród Éireann. Beidh paisinéirí agus cuairteoirí in ann leagan ríomhléitheora de bheathaisnéis Mhic Dhonnchadha a íoslódáil i rith 2016. D’éascaigh Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann go caoin atáirgeadh bheathaisnéis Mhic Dhonnchadha lena scaipeadh i gCill Chainnigh.
Ar aon dul le traidisiúin ealaíonta agus amharclannacha Chill Chainnigh, tá dráma nua á chur le chéile ag Barnstorm Theatre Company, bunaithe i gCill Chainnigh, atá dírithe ar lucht féachana óg atá suite i rith Éirí Amach 1916, ach a fheictear trí dhearcadh teaghlaigh a chónaíonn i mBaile Átha Cliath. Mar chuid d’eispéireas an dráma, forbróidh an chuideachta Acmhainn Tacaíochta Oideachais do scoileanna i gCill Chainnigh.
I dtaobh na dtrí théama: oidhreacht, oideachas agus athmhuintearas, tacóidh Comhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh le malartú pleanáilte trasteorann scoileanna in 2016, a thabharfaidh an deis do leanaí tuiscint a fháil ar choincheap an athmhuintearais trí mheán an cheoil, an spóirt agus na hamharclannaíochta. Cruthóidh an malartú sin an deis chun a chinntiú ní hamháin go dtuigtear tuairimí iléagsúla ach go nglactar leo. Agus níl bealach níos fearr chun stair na hÉireann a cheiliúradh ó 1916 i leith ná a chinntiú gur féidir leis an gcéad ghlúin eile luach a bheith acu ar an aimsir atá thart agus í a thuiscint gan chosc, agus gur féidir leo, le samhlaíocht, bheith ag súil le poblacht Éireannach amach anseo ina spreagtar iad chun ról lárnach a chomhlíonadh.
Ghlac Cill Chainnigh páirt i roinnt socruithe nasctha i gcaitheamh na mblianta, le pobail chomhpháirtithe san Eoraip, i Meiriceá agus sa tSín. Tá cuairteanna á n-eagrú ionas gur féidir le cuairteoirí ónár gceantair nasctha páirt a ghlacadh inár bhféilire imeachtaí, agus toise nua a chruthú dár dteagmhálaithe agus ceangail an chairdis ar fud an domhain a athnuachan. I measc bhuaicphointí an tsnáithe Éireannaigh ar fud an Domhain agus an Diaspóra, tabharfaidh daoine as baile den ainm céanna, Kilkenny, i Minnesota na Stát Aontaithe, cuairt orainn agus déanfar ár gcairdeas fadmharthanach le Comhairle Contae Leicestershire a athnuachan i gcomhthráth lena dtréimhse deich mbliana de chomóradh céad bliain sa Ríocht Aontaithe.