Opinion
18 Oct 18

Heritage Conference To Explore Impact of Brexit on Irish Border Museums

A one-day conference on Brexit, which will explore the impact of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on museums on the Irish border, will take place on Thursday, 25 October from 9am to 3.30pm at the County Museum, Dundalk.

Hosted by the Local Authority Museum’s Network with support from the Heritage Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, ‘Do Borders Matter?

The Role of Museums and Heritage in Crossing the Line’, will bring together a host of Irish and international speakers from the arts, cultural and heritage sector, academia and journalism to explore the potential of shared history and heritage to act as a catalyst for positive social change, community development and peace-building.

Four panel discussions on Brexit, featuring acclaimed Irish and international speakers, will examine the impact of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on museums on the Irish border, and explore the potential of shared history and heritage to act as a catalyst for positive social change, community development and peace-building.

The Brexit Conference speakers will include:
Author, playwright, filmmaker and coordinator of the AFTERMATH Project, Dr Laurence McKeown.
Singer and musician Brendan Murphy from The 4 Of Us.
Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Lynn Scarff.
British literary journalist and editor, Alex Clark.
Director of Northern Ireland Museums Council, Sinéad McCartan.

The event running order, including times and a list of all speakers, is included below.
Musical entertainment will be provided by singer-songwriter and contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, Ryan O’Shaughnessy. Tea, coffee and lunch will be provided.
Part of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, ‘Do Borders Matter?’ is hosted by the Local Authority Museum’s Network with support from the Heritage Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Further details and conference tickets at a cost of €20 are available here.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/do-borders-matter-a-one-day-look-at-the-impact-of-borders-on-culture-tickets-50643316523?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

Running order
9am Registration
9.30am Welcome
9.45am Session 1: Is the past another country?
Lecturer and author of Unapproved Routes: histories of the Irish border, 1922-1972, Dr Peter Leary.
Rural development consultant and entrepreneur, Allen McAdam.
Author, playwright, filmmaker and coordinator of the AFTERMATH Project, Dr Laurence McKeown.
Curator of the County Museum, Dundalk, Brian Walsh (Chair).
11am Session 2: Europe and the regions
Project curator on the House of European History, Kieran Burns.
British literary journalist and editor, Alex Clarke.
President of the Transylvania Trust and former Minister of Culture of Romania, Csilla Hegedus.
National Co-ordinator for the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, Beatrice Kelly (Chair).
12.30pm Lunch
1.30pm Session 3: Looking backwards - walking forwards: The role of Museums and Heritage in a border context
Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Lynn Scarff.
Curator Cavan County Museum, Savina Donohue.
Director of the Northern Ireland Museums Council, Sinead McCartan.
Heritage Officer, Louth County Council, Brendan McSherry.
Senior Executive at the Irish Museums Association, Gina Kelly.
Presenter and Producer at Newstalk FM, Susan Cahill (Chair).
2.45pm Session 4: What’s the Craic on the Border?
Curator at the Gallery of Photography, Trish Lambe.
Multi-award winning artist, Paul Woods.
Singer/songwriter with The Four of Us, Brendan Murphy.
Arts Officer at Louth County Council, Brendan Harten (Chair).
3.30pm Closing Remarks by Brian Walsh, Curator of County Museum Dundalk