Irish Culture at the Crossroads - Prof. Muiris Ó Laoire

Prof. Ó Laoire in the Siamsa Tíre gallery

Culture night takes place this Friday (19th September) and as part of our 40th Anniversary programme we will be celebrating our native folk culture in music, song and workshops. We also have Prof Muiris Ó Laoire giving a talk which will  trace the evolution of Irish culture into the 21st century. 

Here are a few words from the man himself.

Analysing any culture is a complex undertaking and analysing Irish culture with its two languages is all the more complex. Questions will be raised in particular regarding our culture: its origin, contemporary transformations, future directions and its extricable links with languages.

The lecture will suggest possible answers to key questions like: What does it mean to be Irish today?  How can one get to the core of the rich tapestry that is Irish culture with its essential contradictions, multiplicity of voices, ambivalences and collisions? Has Irish culture arrived at a crossroads? How can we be sure that Irish culture will survive to the end of the current century? The lecture aims to create a debate around issues of voice, language, identity and social media in Irish culture. Above all, it hopes to illuminate and entertain. Tabharfar an léacht trí mheán an Bhéarla ach ardófar ceisteanna ann a bhaineann go dlúth le dúchas agus le dán na teanga in Éirinn an lae inniu agus sna blianta atá romhainn. Fáilte roimh cách.



 
Prof. Muiris Ó Laoire is a senior lecturer at IT Tralee

The lecture begins at 6.30pm, it will be followed by workshops and performances of music and song by members of Siamsa Tíre.

Welcome!

We’re really looking forward to celebrating our 40^th Birthday this year – and there’s lots to be cheerful about.
We’re bringing back the original show, Fadó Fadó (which pre-dates the official founding of the company, with its roots going back to the 1950s), we’ve found some great photographs and archive video footage from down the years which will be included in an exhibition in the Gallery Spaces, and our Festival of Folk will include three other productions, workshops, lectures and the odd party or two! Bígí Linn…

A session in Teach Siamsa Finugue

Our blog will keep you in touch with happenings on stage, back stage, and at rehearsals, as well as insights in to the lives of the performers, the technical crew and all of the characters that have made up Siamsa over the years.

 We hope you will journey with us over the next six months for a look at life ‘Between the Jigs and the Reels’.

Do let us know if you have any special Siamsa memories of your own – you can send us your thoughts and photos on siamsatireblog@gmail.com , so do keep in touch!