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This year's Michael J Murphy Winter School will take place at Ti Chulainn in Mullaghbane from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 November. Organised by Cuimhneamh, this year’s programme features strong women in Irish history, including Rohesia de Verdun, who was responsible for the building of Castle Roche nearly 800 years ago. Admission is free to all events, with a voluntary donation at the door.
Cuimhneamh is a community organisation dedicated to bringing the history and folklore of South Armagh to the wider world. It is rooted in the landscape of Slieve Gullion and the life’s work of folklorist and writer Michael J Murphy.
The Winter School will look at women who made their mark in the great national and local events of the 19th and early 20th centuries. They often had to struggle on two fronts, as their causes and views were rejected by male dominated national movements. That is how some of them earned the memorable tag “unmanageable women”.
The opening night on Thursday 19 November runs from 7pm to 9pm. Lorraine Bourke, PRONI will speak on ‘The Now We’re Talking project - widening access to the archives of Michael J. Murphy and Sam Hanna Bell. She is Project Manager for the project, which has catalogued, digitised and widened access to the archives of both Michael J Murphy and Sam Hanna Bell. Sean Hayes, PRONI will follow with ‘Charms, Cures & Fairy Faith - The groundbreaking broadcasts of Michael J. Murphy & Sam Hanna Bell.
The evening will also include a screening of ‘Rathlin - The Island Betwixt and Between’, a film by Sam Hanna Bell from 1967. Two short films ‘The Shocking Truth’ and ‘Rathlin Island’ made by pupils from Dromintee Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School, Rathlin Island, will also be shown. A historic South Armagh photography exhibition will be on display.
Friday’s session runs from 7pm to 9.45pm. It will begin with ‘Unmanageable Women’ the launch of Community Restorative Justice’s ‘Border Women’ project by Ryan Morgan.
Dr Margaret Ward of Queen’s University will speak on “Not Loyal Subjects” and Tara Tine (theditchwitch) will speak on Roesia de Verdun and the building of Roche Castle. Women’s Voices from the area will be highlighted in a session chaired by Marie McCartan and Rosemary Tumilty. Refreshments will be available between the talks, and Kate Murphy will perform songs.
On Saturday 21 November, the programme from 6.30pm to 9pm is titled ‘Formidable Fenians’. Marcus Howard will tell the story of the Catalpa Rescue of 1876, when six Fenian prisoners escaped from Australia. Kevin Murphy will then speak on ‘The Crossmaglen Conspiracy; The Ultimate Collusion’, covering the Crossmaglen Conspiracy of 1883-85, which is described as probably the greatest frame-up in Irish history. His research turned up lists of paid informers who betrayed friends, neighbours and their own families. The committee of Cuimhneamh is still deliberating on the wisdom of full disclosure 140 years later! Refreshments will be available between the talks, and songs will be performed by Blaithin MhicCanna and Garret Doran.
