This month, October 2012, will see the Peadar O’Donnell Weekend held once again in the Rosses area of West Donegal.
This annual event which has been running now for a number of years and has become a fixed date in the calanders of many interested in politics, writing and the arts.
It celebrates the life and times of republican, socialist activist and accomplished writer Peadar O’ Donnell, with various events being held ranging from talks and debates, staging of plays, musical performances and historical tours of the area.
Peadar O’Donnell was born in Meenmore on the outskirts of Dungloe in 1893. Coming from a working class environment typical of the area and times, O’Donnell excelled in his education.
He went on to teacher training college in Dublin straight from school and unlike many of his contempories only spent one short summer in Scotland looking for work.
Unsuccessful, his brother sent him back to Ireland but Peadar’s time in Glasgow exposed him to more harsh realities of poverty and of the inequalities in society.
After qualifying as a teacher in 1913 O’Donnell returned to Donegal, teaching on the islands of Arranmore and Inishkerragh and soon involved himself in the trade unions.
By 1917 he was a teacher’s representive for a local union and soon after became a full-time union organizer for the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. As the Irish War of Independence loomed O’Donnell joined the IRA and was soon within the senior ranks of the movement.
Being a follower of James Connolly, Peader O’Donnell believed not only in republicanism, but also in a social revolution living in a time of huge inequalities. Through-out his life he continued to campaign on behalf of the working classes and the most marginalised in society founding movements, political parties and unions such as The Anti-Tribute League, Saor Éire and the Republican Congress.
The Peadar O’Donnell Weekend now celebrates the man’s multifaceted life, with this year’s event being no different and is possibly all the more poignant given the current national and global economic meltdown, which once again sees poverty and mass unemployment on the rise.
The organisers of this year’s event hope that current social and global conditions will spark interest in the thinking and ideas of Peadar O’Donnell and hope for well attended and lively discussions.
This year’s events will begin on Friday 19th October in Dungloe and will feature talks on various subjects from the current state of the euro, oppression, sovereign debt and republicanism with contributions from speakers and veteran activists such as Bernadette McAliskey and Tommy McKearney along with politicians Thomas Pringle, Paul Murphy, Marian Harkin and Greek MP Yiannis Stathas and many others.
There will also be other events such as a book fair, debates, book launch, musical evenings, workshops and an archeological tour of the local area. A play entitled ‘Bassam’ by an Israeli playwrite/director and based on a true Palestinian story will also feature with an open discussion afterwards with the playwrite and the Palestinian actor.
With a varied mix of events through-out the weekend, which runs from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st October, the organisers hope for a good turnout over the three days.
More information on the weekend can be accessed on the events Facebook page, “Peadar O Donnell Weekend” or by telephoning Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig 0868845476.
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