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Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize
The Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize was created in 1977, in memory of Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to Ireland, who was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1976. Founded by his Widow Jane Ewart-Biggs (following her death, the literary prize is currently administered jointly by their 3 children) following the death of her husband, its stated goal is to promote peace and reconciliation in Ireland, a greater understanding between the peoples of the United Kingdom and Ireland, or closer co-operation between partners of the European Community now known as the EU. It is awarded to a book, a play or a piece of journalism that best fulfills this aim, published during a two-year period up to December 31 of the year preceding the year in which the prize is awarded. The value of the biennially awarded literary prize is currently set at £7500, an increase on the original £5000 award of 1977. Past winners The years of publication/broadcast for which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Thomas Ewart Ewart-Biggs, (5 August 1921 – 21 July 1976) was the British Ambassador to Ireland, an author and senior Foreign Office liaison officer with MI6. He was killed in 1976 by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Sandyford, Dublin. His widow, Jane Ewart-Biggs, became a Life Peer in the House of Lords, campaigned to improve Anglo-Irish relations and established the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize for literature. Early life and career Christopher Thomas Ewart-Biggs was born in the Thanet district of Kent, England, to Captain Henry Ewart-Biggs of the Royal Engineers and his wife Mollie Brice. He was educated at Wellington College and University College, Oxford, and served in the Royal West Kent Regiment of the British Army during the Second World War. At the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1942 he lost his right eye and as a result he wore a smoked-glass monocle over an artificial eye. He spent the rest of the war and after (1943–7) as pol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme
''Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme'' is a 1985 play by Frank McGuinness. Plot synopsis The play centres on the experiences of eight unionist Ulstermen who volunteer to serve in the 36th (Ulster) Division at the beginning of the First World War. The story is told in a nostalgic flashback from the viewpoint of the only surviving soldier of the eight (now an unmarried old man). The play reaches a climax at the start of the terrible Battle of the Somme on July 1st, 1916 – the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 – in which the Ulster Division suffered heavy casualties. It explores how both the Boyne and the Somme have come to have a significant place in Northern Ireland unionist consciousness. Stylistically typical of McGuinness's art, the narrative also decentres the constructed ideals of homosocial institutions, such as the military. What is somewhat ironic and notable in the play is that, though the main character throughout the play (Kenneth Pyp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garret FitzGerald
Garret Desmond FitzGerald (9 February 192619 May 2011) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, economist and barrister who served twice as Taoiseach, serving from 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987. He served as Leader of Fine Gael from 1977 to 1987, and was twice Leader of the Opposition between 1977 and 1982; he was previously Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1973 to 1977. FitzGerald served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1969 to 1992 and was a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 1965 to 1969. He was the son of Desmond FitzGerald, the first foreign minister of the Irish Free State. At the time of his death, FitzGerald was president of the Institute of International and European Affairs and a columnist for ''The Irish Times'', and had made occasional appearances on television programmes. Early life Garret FitzGerald was born in Ballsbridge, Dublin, in 1926, son of Desmond FitzGerald and Mabel McConnell Fitzgerald. His mother was involved in politics, and it was throug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tom Dunne
Thomas Dunne is an Irish radio broadcaster with Newstalk, and a singer/songwriter with the band Something Happens. Prior to joining Newstalk, Dunne worked on Today FM, presenting his very successful and hugely popular radio program, "Pet Sounds" which began airing in 1999. Dunne left Today FM to join Newstalk in August 2008. Dunne's former slot on Today FM was taken over by various guest presenters and later by Paul McLoone, who had previously worked as a producer on "Pet Sounds", from September 2008. Early life Dunne graduated from University College, Dublin, with a degree in engineering, before becoming lead singer and songwriter for the band Something Happens from the 1980s until the mid-1990s. Radio career Dunne became involved in radio, initially presenting a nighttime contemporary Irish music show called Totally Irish on 98FM, taking over from Jim O'Neill. He moved to early evenings on 98FM before moving to the new national radio station, Today FM in 1999, where he pre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linen Hall Library
The Linen Hall Library is located at 17 Donegall Square North, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the oldest library in Belfast and the last subscribing library in Northern Ireland. The Library is physically in the centre of Belfast, and more generally at the centre of the cultural and creative life of the wider community. It is an independent and charitable body. History Early history The Linen Hall Library is a unique institution. It was founded in 1788 by a group of artisans as the Belfast Reading Society and in 1792 became the Belfast Society for Promoting Knowledge. It adopted a resolution in 1795 "that the object of this Society is the collection of an extensive Library, philosophical apparatus and such products of nature and art as tend to improve the mind and excite a spirit of general enquiry". It began to acquire books (with a particular focus on those relating to Irish topics, publishing, for example ''Ancient Irish Music'' by Edward Bunting in 1796) and also other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Hart (historian)
Peter Hart (11 November 1963 – 22 July 2010) was a Canadian historian, specializing in modern Irish history. Life Hart was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland. He studied for one year at the Memorial University of Newfoundland before moving to study at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. He graduated from there with an Honours BA degree. Subsequently, Hart completed a master's degree in International Relations at Yale University. He then moved to Ireland to do PhD work at Trinity College, Dublin. His thesis was on the Irish Republican Army in County Cork, an epicenter of the Irish War of Independence, which was the basis of his first book, ''The IRA and its Enemies''. After completing his doctorate, Hart accepted a five-year teaching and research position at Queen's University Belfast. In 2003, having completed this contract, Hart moved back to Canada to take up the position of Canada Research Chair in Irish Studies at the Memorial University of Newfoundlan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sebastian Barry
Sebastian Barry (born 5 July 1955) is an Irish novelist, playwright and poet. He was named Laureate for Irish Fiction, 2019–2021. He is noted for his lyrical literary writing style and is considered one of Ireland's finest writers. Barry's literary career began in poetry before he began writing plays and novels. He has been twice shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for his novels ''A Long Long Way'' (2005) and ''The Secret Scripture'' (2008), the latter of which won the 2008 Costa Book of the Year and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. His 2011 novel, '' On Canaan's Side'', was longlisted for the Booker. In January 2017, Barry was awarded the Costa Book of the Year prize for '' Days Without End'', becoming the first novelist to win the prestigious prize twice. Early life Barry was born in Dublin. His mother was acclaimed actress Joan O'Hara. He was educated at Catholic University School and Trinity College, Dublin, where he read English and Latin. Work His academic pos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Porter
Norman Porter was a loyalist politician in Northern Ireland. A lay preacher, an Orangeman, an Apprentice Boy and a member of the Royal Black Institution,Paul Bew,Good Friday man?, ''Times Online'' Porter became the leader of the National Union of Protestants in Northern Ireland in 1948. Michael Farrell, ''Northern Ireland: The Orange State'' Ian Paisley was treasurer of the group, but left after Porter refused to join his new Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. The Union disintegrated soon after.Clifford Smyth, ''Ian Paisley: Voice of Protestant Ulster'', p.6 In 1953, Porter became the Director of the Evangelical Protestant Society. He also edited the ''Ulster Protestant'' newspaper, which he produced with William McConnell Wilton. At the 1953 Northern Ireland general election, Porter was elected as an Independent Unionist MP for Belfast Clifton, standing with the slogan "For God and Ulster". He defeated Samuel Hall-Thompson, who uniquely among Ministers was not a memb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fionnuala O'Connor
In Irish mythology, Finnguala (modern spellings: Fionnghuala, Fionnuala , or Finola; literally meaning "white shoulder") was the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In the legend of the ''Children of Lir'', she was changed into a swan and cursed by her stepmother, Aoife, to wander the lakes and rivers of Ireland, with her brothers Fiachra, Conn and Aodh, for 900 years until saved by the marriage of Lairgren, son of Colman, son of Cobthach, and Deoch, daughter of Finghin, whose union broke the curse. 'The Song of Fionnuala', with lyrics by Thomas Moore speaks of her wanderings. The name is anglicized as Fenella. The shortened version Nuala is commonly used as a first name in contemporary Ireland. People People named Fionnuala * Fionnuala Boyd * Fionnuala Carr * Fionnuala Ellwood * Fionnuala Kenny * Fionnuala McCormack * Fionnuala Ní Aoláin * Fionnuala Ní Fhlatharta * Fionnuala Ní Flaithbheartaigh * Fionnuala Sherry * Fionnuala Sweeney People named Fionnula ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Keenan (writer)
Brian Keenan (born 28 September 1950) is a Northern Irish writer whose work includes the book ''An Evil Cradling'', an account of the four and a half years he spent as a hostage in Beirut, Lebanon from 11 April 1986 to 24 August 1990. Life Keenan was born into a working-class family in East Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1950. He left Orangefield School early and began work as a heating engineer. However, he continued an interest in literature by attending night classes and in 1970 gained a place at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. Other writers there at that time included Gerald Dawe and Brendan Hamill. In the mid 1980s Keenan returned to the Magee College campus of the university for postgraduate study. Afterwards he accepted a teaching position at the American University of Beirut, where he worked for about four months. Hostage On the morning of 11 April 1986, Keenan was kidnapped by Islamic Jihad. After spending two months in isolation, he was moved to a cell ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blackstaff Press
The Blackstaff Press is a publishing company in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1971, it publishes printed books on a range of subjects (mainly, but not exclusively, of Irish interest) and, since 2011, has also published e-books. It receives financial support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (Irish: ''Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster-Scots: ''Airts Cooncil o Norlin Airlan'') is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964, as a successor to .... The Blackstaff Press was acquired by the Baird Group in 1995; it was sold to Colourpoint Creative Limited in 2017. References External linksOfficial website{{Authority control 1971 establishments in Northern Ireland Book publishing companies of Northern Ireland Companies based in Newtownards Publishing companies established in 1971 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Henry Whyte
John Henry Whyte (30 April 1928 in Penang, Malaya – 16 May 1990 in New York, United States) was an Irish historian, political scientist and author of books on Northern Ireland, divided societies and church-state affairs in Ireland. Early life Whyte was born in 1928 in Penang, Malaya. His father was manager of a rubber plantation on the mainland. Whyte's family left Malaya, and returned to Europe when he was three, eventually settling in Rostrevor, County Down, Northern Ireland. The Whytes are a well known County Down family recorded in the area since at least 1713. The Whyte family is said to have come to Ireland from South Wales with Strongbow in 1170 and settled in Leinster. Whyte was educated locally, at Ampleforth and Oriel College Oxford, from which he took a degree in Modern History in 1949. Having continued studies some two years later he was awarded a B.Litt degree for further research, which was to form the nebula of his first book which was to be published in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
