Vol. 487 No. 3
77 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of the proposed lecture tours of the United States of America and Australia in respect of 1798 celebrations; the locations, dates and venues; the themes chosen and lecturers identified to deliver these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4003/98]
A 1798 commemoration lecture tour of America will take place over a seven day period in late March of this year. Professor Tom Bartlett of UCD and Professor Kevin Whelan of Notre Dame University, Dublin will participate in all five of the lectures planned. It is also intended that papers will be given by academics from each of the host universities.
The first of these lectures will take place in New York University, New York, on 25 March followed by lectures in Georgetown University, Washington, on 26 March, Boston College, Boston, on 28 March, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, on 29 March, and, finally, Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana, on 30 March.
It is intended that the lectures, while not overly academic, will deal with the history of 1798 from a national and international perspective, will look at the culture and memory of this period and in addition will examine this aspect of Irish history from an American perspective.
It is hoped that a lecture tour of Australia will take place in September of this year, with lectures taking place in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Hobart in Tasmania. Professor Tom Bartlett and Dr. Ruan O'Donnell, an expert on Irish-Australian history, have both agreed to participate in the tour. However, plans are at an early stage and a final schedule is not yet in place.
