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[4qd-bannvalley] East Donegal Ulster Scots 2007 Programme
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Hi Listers,
If you have ever considered visiting the "Oule sod" to chase up your =
long lost ancestors, do a bit of research, or visit the family homestead =
or some long lost graves, then next year could be one of the best years =
to choose. Some of you may have seen the BBC programme on Monday =
evening highlighting the role of the Hamiltons and Montgomerys as the =
precursors of the later and larger plantation when they arrived in =
Ulster in 1606. The point was ably made on numerous occasions that, =
perhaps for the first time in 400 years, the political climate in =
Ireland is conducive to a mutual appreciation and celebration of this =
and subsequent events by "both sides of the house", as it is often =
termed here in Donegal. The same is even truer of 1607. =20
Next year is the four hundredth anniversary of the Flight of the Earls, =
when the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel took ship from Rathmullen in =
Donegal, headed for Spain, thus leaving the way clear for a mass =
plantation, officially sanctioned by King James I. Regardless of what =
you think of the rectitude of these events, that is what happened, and =
it is really only now being accepted that this plantation has produced a =
rich combination of overlapping and yet subtly distinct cultures, the =
cultures of the Lowland Scot planter and the native Gael. These =
cultures have thrived and interacted over the years to produce a unique =
blend of music and dance, language and literature, architecture and =
artefacts and history and heritage here in west Ulster.
One of the most gratifying peace dividends of the Stormont Agreement has =
been the increasing willingness of both traditions to recognise and =
value their similarities and differences and to treasure and enjoy both. =
This is reflected in the preparations being made to commemorate the =
events of 1607. The Flight of the Earls Committee is planning a series =
of events in early May and mid September. The East Donegal Ulster Scots =
will participate in the latter and have also organised a programme of =
events for 2007 including the Francis Makemie Summer School on the last =
weekend of April and The Donegal Ulster Scots Experience festival on the =
first weekend in June. Watch out for more details of these events next =
year. =20
Last Thursday saw the launch of this programme, known as the East =
Donegal Ulster Peace and Reconciliation Project for 2007 at the Mount =
Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny. Funded by the Donegal County Council =
Peace 2 task Force, it was launched by Doctor Billy Kelly of the =
University of Ulster with the chief of the O'Donnells, Mr. Vincent =
O'Donnell in attendance. In addition, a new website, funded by the =
Ulster Scots Agency, was launched the previous Monday to boost Ulster =
Scots tourism in East Donegal. Since I wrote some of the text, I don't =
want to wax too lyrical about it but it is well worth a visit if you =
want to experience some of the culture, language and history of the =
Ulster Scots in East Donegal. Check it out:
There is also a map and a tourist trail of places to see and things to =
do. As Jim Devenney, Chairman of the East Donegal Ulster Scots said, =
"We have a very vibrant and energetic Ulster Scots community here in =
East Donegal and I believe that this website will become an important =
focus not only for local Ulster Scots but also for travellers from =
abroad." The website will also include details of the events for 2007 =
as and when the dates are confirmed, along with information on =
accommodation and travel. So, gather together a wheen o' coppers and =
plan yersels a wee visit home in 2007. It should be a very rewarding =
experience.
See you there,
Boyd=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi Listers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">If you have ever =
considered=20
visiting the "Oule sod" to chase up your long lost ancestors, do a bit =
of=20
research, or visit the family homestead or some long lost graves, then =
next year=20
could be one of the best years to choose. Some of you may have =
seen the=20
BBC programme on Monday evening highlighting the role of the Hamiltons =
and=20
Montgomerys as the precursors of the later and larger plantation when =
they=20
arrived in Ulster in 1606. The point was ably made on numerous occasions =
that,=20
perhaps for the first time in 400 years, the political climate in =
Ireland is=20
conducive to a mutual appreciation and celebration of this and =
subsequent events=20
by "both sides of the house", as it is often termed here in =
Donegal.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The same is even truer of =
1607. =20
<BR><BR>Next year is the four hundredth anniversary of the Flight of the =
Earls,=20
when the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel took ship from Rathmullen in =
Donegal,=20
headed for Spain, thus leaving the way clear for a mass plantation, =
officially=20
sanctioned by King James I. Regardless of what you think of the =
rectitude=20
of these events, that is what happened, and it is really only now being =
accepted=20
that this plantation has produced a rich combination of overlapping and =
yet=20
subtly distinct cultures, the cultures of the Lowland Scot planter and =
the=20
native Gael. These cultures have thrived and interacted over the =
years to=20
produce a unique blend of music and dance, language and literature, =
architecture=20
and artefacts and history and heritage here in west Ulster.<BR><BR>One =
of the=20
most gratifying peace dividends of the Stormont Agreement has been the=20
increasing willingness of both traditions to recognise and value their=20
similarities and differences and to treasure and enjoy both. This is =
reflected=20
in the preparations being made to commemorate the events of 1607. =
The=20
Flight of the Earls Committee is planning a series of events in early =
May and=20
mid September. The East Donegal Ulster Scots will participate in =
the=20
latter and have also organised a programme of events for 2007 including =
the=20
Francis Makemie Summer School on the last weekend of April and The =
Donegal=20
Ulster Scots Experience festival on the first weekend in June. =
Watch out=20
for more details of these events next year. <BR><BR>Last Thursday =
saw the=20
launch of this programme, known as the East Donegal Ulster Peace and=20
Reconciliation Project for 2007 at the Mount Errigal Hotel in =
Letterkenny. =20
Funded by the Donegal County Council Peace 2 task Force, it was launched =
by=20
Doctor Billy Kelly of the University of Ulster with the chief of the =
O'Donnells,=20
Mr. Vincent O=92Donnell in attendance. In addition, a new website, =
funded by=20
the Ulster Scots Agency, was launched the previous Monday to boost =
Ulster Scots=20
tourism in East Donegal. Since I wrote some of the text, I don't =
want to=20
wax too lyrical about it but it is well worth a visit if you want to =
experience=20
some of the culture, language and history of the Ulster Scots in East=20
Donegal. Check it out:<BR><BR=20
style=3D"mso-special-character: line-break"><BR=20
style=3D"mso-special-character: line-break"></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">There is also a map =
and a tourist=20
trail of places to see and things to do. As Jim Devenney, Chairman =
of the=20
East Donegal Ulster Scots said, "We have a very vibrant and energetic =
Ulster=20
Scots community here in East Donegal and I believe that this website =
will become=20
an important focus not only for local Ulster Scots but also for =
travellers from=20
abroad." The website will also include details of the events for =
2007 as=20
and when the dates are confirmed, along with information on =
accommodation and=20
travel. So, gather together a wheen o' coppers and plan yersels a =
wee=20
visit home in 2007. It should be a very rewarding experience.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> </P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">See you there,</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> </P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Boyd </P></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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