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Retired Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuiness

Merriman focus on love and marriage

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FORMER Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuinness will launch this year’s Merriman Summer School.
Booking is now open for the school, which will be launched in Glór on Wednesday, August 12 and will run until Saturday, August 15.
The school offers a mix of lectures and seminars, concerts and poetry readings in a convivial atmosphere open to all. This year’s theme is Love and Marriage Revisited and a range of topics will be addressed by a panel of speakers chosen by this year’s director, Dr Linda Connolly, director of the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century in UCC. Her publications include work on Irish feminism, social movements and family life.
Academics and writers, sociologists and historians will all bring their own perspectives on this timely theme.
Twenty years ago this year, the 1995 Divorce Referendum, which passed by a narrow majority, took place and in his opening lecture, Professor Tony Fahey of UCD will take a look at what actually happened following that decision.
This year’s introduction of the Children and Family Relationships Act, and the passing by a large majority of the same sex marriage referendum set the context for many of the other presentations.
There will be a historical perspective as well, culminating in a History Ireland hedge school with Tommy Graham and others, entitled Love and Marriage since the Famine, on the Saturday evening.
In addition, there are free lunchtime poetry readings with Rita Ann Higgins, Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh and Doireann Ní Ghriofa, an author interview with Donal Ryan on the Saturday morning, a talk from Cork writer Conal Creedon entitled Love or Marriage? and a gala concert on the Friday evening presented by Canada-based Clare-born academic and musician, Gearóid Ó hAllmhurain.
The event is entitled Love and Marriage in the Musical Landscape of Clare and will feature performances by some of Clare’s finest musicians.
Other speakers addressing the school are Roy Foster, Lucy McDiarmid, Tom Inglis, Patricia Coughlan, Conor O’Mahony, Carol Coulter, Anne Byrne, Sandra McAvoy, Roisín Ryan-Flood, Máire Ní Annracháin, Síle Ni Mhurchú, Diarmuid Ó Giolláin and William J Smyth.
All events take place in Glór. More detailed information is available online

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