Wednesday, March 3rd brought a sizeable audience of 25 to Bob's Upstairs Bar, Kanturk for the second talk in the current series.  Dr. Ruan O'Donnell one of the highlights of the 2008 series was back by popular demand to talk on a subject which he is a leading and internationally acclaimed authority on, The United Irishmen.

Speaking for over an hour and a half Ruan went from Wexford to Belfast and Westport to the West Indies and all paces in between and explained in great style the foundation of the United Irishmen Movement and also went into great detail on the 1798 rebellion and spoke on the local input of the North Cork Militia and Thomas Russell, the Sheares Brothers etc.,

A lively debate followed the talk and several suggestions were put to Ruan who answered them all in his own inimitable fashion.  Hopefully he will return to Duhallow in the future and has confirmed he would like to give us a talk on The Irish Republican Brotherhood in a future series.

Féile Dúthalla wishes to thank Ruan for coming to give the talk, all who turned up and supported the session and Dan Dennehy of Bob's Bar for providing the excellent venue and services.

A total of Euro 90 was collected at the donations box and the Féile Free Standing Banners were in use for the first time and were a great addition to the aesthetics of the event.

Our next talk in the series is on April 14th again at Bob's  Upstairs Bar where Patricia Herron of the University of Limerick will give a talk on The Brehon Laws of Ireland.  Start time of 8.30 please note and also please support this very worthy and interesting event and speaker.

Sláneo

Tim Browne

Féile Dúthalla 2010 Admin

 Fr. Seán Ó Duinn was the first guest speaker in this years Féile Talks/Music Series an got the series underway in  style with a wonderful talk in front of a sizeable audience at Bob's Upstairs Bar on wednesday, February 3rd, 2010. His talk titled The Feast Days of the Year in Celtic Culture primarily explored the four major Celtic Festivals of the year and the Feast Day of Saint Brigid was given special consideration.

Please find attached the first féile newsletter for this year - The Féile Bulletin - (also available in hardcopy) giving details of where Féile is currently at.  The full programme will be posted in the next issue of the Newsletter and on the website in due course. Applications have been sent to IRD Duhallow and Cork County Council Arts Office for funding and local fundraising is ongoing.  Your support is requested.  Comments and feedback and articles for inclusion in future newsletters are most welcome.

The Féile Dúthalla logo (above) was designed in 2007 by Declan O’Mahony and Barrry McCarthy both good friends of the Féile.  It symbolises the Swan from which some observers believe Duhallow (Dúiche Ealla) derived its name  and the wealth of music in the Duhallow region. (Instrument strings and uilleann pipes - the bellows and regulators - are shown with the Swan to make a very exciting and interesting logo presentation).