Gaeltacht Civil Rights Event

Thursday 4 October – 7pm Tower Museum

The TG4 documentary An Mar a Chéile Muid? on the Gaeltacht Civil Rights movement in Conamara in 1968 will be shown followed by panel discussion with Seán Ó Cualáin, filmmaker, Fearghal Mag Uiginn (BBC Blas), Sara Ní Chuireáin, Mícheál Colm Mac Giolla Easpaig which will discuss civil rights issues then and now.

Bi-lingual headsets will be available.

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Friday 5 October 2018

Voices of ’68 exhibition in Waterloo Place Building 1-3 Waterloo Place, Derry BT48 6BT from Friday 5 October 2018 to Sunday 7 October 2018.

1968 is a pivotal year, and not just for Northern Ireland. National Museums NI’s new exhibition encourages a fresh look at this crucial period in Northern Ireland’s history. It is told in the words of some of those most directly involved at the time.

10am -3pm
Schools Civil Rights Workshop in Guildhall

Panel:

• Jim McBride
• Dr Chris Reynolds
• Eamon McCann
• Anne Devlin
• Aidan McKinney

3.00pm      

In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America, special viewing in the Playhouse Theatre, Address: 5-7 Artillery Street, Derry BT48 6RG

In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America is a compelling feature documentary, narrated by Liam Neeson, with dramatic footage from the conflict in Northern Ireland and stirring accounts by Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter as well as US Congressmen and Senators.

Film will be followed with Q&A with Maurice Fitzpatrick, filmmaker.

Book your free tickets for John Hume In America

5.30pm      
Launch of Speeches, Strikes and Struggles exhibition at Ebrington

7.00pm      
Launch of Civil Rights Festival with an address from Derry City and Strabane District Mayor, Councillor John Boyle.

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Songs of Civil Rights 7.15pm – 10pm

Concert in Guildhall with artists confirmed – Damien Dempsey, Diane Greer, Paddy Nash and Special Guests.

Words of Civil Rights: Stephen Rea, Martin Lynch (Playwright) Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (Derry Girls), and Stuart Bailie.

All proceeds in aid of Foyle Search and Rescue.

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Guildhall Conference Day 1

Saturday 6 October 2018

9am -10am
Registration and viewing Voice of 68 exhibition in Whitaker Suite

9.45am      
Welcome from Mayor of Derry and Strabane

10am           
The Historical Importance of Civil Rights

• Henry Patterson, Ulster University
• Eilish Rooney, Ulster University
• Emmet O’Connor, Ulster University

11.30am  
Civil Rights Voices of 1968

• Eamon McCann
• Marian Donnelly
• Fionnbarra O’Dochartaigh
• Erskine Holmes
• Maureen Hetherington

Chair: Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan

12.50pm 
Address by Ivan Cooper, Civil Rights leader and presentation to him in recognition of his role in Civil Rights

1pm
Lunch

Mayors Reception for President Michael D Higgins prior to address.

2pm
Address by President Michael D Higgins

Choir will sing civil rights song before and after ending with We Shall Overcome

3.00pm
John Hume Human Rights Lecture by Fergal Keane BBC Journalist, introduced by Pat Hume

4.00pm
International Human Rights Panel in association with Front Line Human Rights Defenders Today

Levent Piskin is a Turkish human rights defender and human rights lawyer working on LGBTI+ issues.

Wanjeri Nderu (Florence) is a Kenyan human rights defender based in Nairobi who uses mainstream media and social media spaces to gather information on human rights violations.

Moderated by Tara Madden from Front Line Defenders

5.30pm
Close and viewing exhibition

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More Female Lines – Reflections on 1968
7.00pm Playhouse Theatre

In Female Lines, an anthology of 13 women writers, poets and playwrights from Northern Ireland have volunteered short readings, to reflect on 68 in their work: Some of the women were present at the time, others accompanied parents on civil rights marches, but most of them did not. What they all share is a desire to insert women’s voices into the narrative.

The 13 are: Medbh McGuckian, Paula Cunningham, Grainne Tobin, Cherry Smyth, Rosemary Jenkinson, Jean Bleakney, Anne Devlin, Sheena Wilkinson, Wendy Erskine, Maureen Boyle, Moyra Donaldson, Julieann Campbell.

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Guildhall Conference Day 2

Sunday 7 October 2018

11.00am             
“The British State, NI and the delivery of Civil and Human Rights: lessons and learnings”

Panel

• Gareth Pierce
• Michael Mansfield QC
• Baroness Nuala O’Loan
• Lord Alf Dubs

Chair: Denis Bradley

12.30pm
Lunch

1.30pm               
How significant was the role of the media in Civil Rights in 1968?

Panel:

• Patrick Murphy
• Martin Cowley
• Deaglan De Breadun
• Ben Lowry

Chair: Leona O’Neill, Journalist

4.00pm           
Short presentation on Springtown Camp Memorial

4.15pm                 
Summing up and close, Paul Arthur and Mayor Closing Remarks

4.30pm           
Mayor’s Closing Reception for CR Committee and invited guests.