Tadhg Ó Cianáin's Foundation of Knowlege of Rome: Foras Feasa ar an Róimh

The third Céitinn Lecture, organised under the auspices of An Foras Feasa (the research consortium comprising NUI Maynooth, DCU, DkIT and SPD), was held in St Patrick’s College on Tuesday 7 June. The wide-ranging and comprehensive presentation was delivered by Prof. Mícheál Mac Craith (NUIG). It was marked by his profound and passionate interest in the culture and history of Rome, especially that of the seventeenth century. Prof. Mac Craith revisited the cultural and historical importance of Rome, particularly as revealed in the writings of Tadhg Ó Cianáin. He drew on extracts from Ó Cianáin’s diary (Turas na dTaoiseach nUltach as Éirinn), from other contemporary written sources of that period and on his own encyclopaedic knowledge of the time to weave a fascinating narrative for his audience. Listeners were given a real sense of the importance of one of the jewels of literature in Irish along with a forensic examination of a range of stunning images which depict the ancient artistic and architectural history of Rome itself. The way in which such history enriches our understanding of that artistic and cultural heritage and gives us a greater sense of the central role played by Rome in Europe’s cultural history was a key aspect of the lecture. The event was followed by a reception in the College Staff Room.

Bhailigh slua le chéile i gColáiste Phádraig tráthnóna Dé Máirt 7 Meitheamh chun éisteacht le tríú Léacht Chéitinn, léacht bhliantúil faoi choimirce An Foras Feasa (meitheal taighde OÉ Má Nuad, Ollscoil Chathair BÁC, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Dhún Dealgan agus Coláiste Phádraig). Is é an tOllamh Mícheál Mac Craith (OÉG) a thug léacht fhairsing, chuimsitheach, phaiseanta uaidh. Ba léir ón tús an dúspéis ag an Ollamh Mac Craith san ábhar agus an tuiscint dhomhain atá aige ar chultúr agus ar stair na Róimhe, go háirithe sa seachtú haois déag. Léacht í inar tugadh spléachadh an athuair ar an tábhacht chultúrtha agus stairiúil a bhaineann leis an Róimh, de réir mar a léiríodh sin i scríbhinní Thaidhg Uí Chianáin go háirithe. Bhain an tOllamh Mac Craith úsáid as sleachta ó dhialann Uí Chianáin (Turas na dTaoiseach nUltach as Éirinn), as foinsí comhaimseartha na linne sin, mar aon lena eolas fairsing féin ar an tréimhse chun an t-ábhar a chur i láthair na n-éisteoirí. Pléadh ceann de sheoda litríocht na Gaeilge, mar aon le híomhanna áille a léiríonn stair ársa ealaíne agus ailtíreachta na Róimhe féin agus rinneadh mionscagadh ar an tslí a saibhríonn an ealaín agus an cultúr sin an tuiscint atá againn anois ar ról na Róimhe mar chathair lárnach i stair na hEorpa. Bhí fáiltiú i Seomra Foirne an Choláiste i ndiaidh na léachta.

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Thursday June 09 2011