St Nathy's College, Ballaghaderreen

6.00pm - 8.00pm - Registration

8.00pm - 8.30pm - Launch

8.30pm – 9.00pm - Theo Dorgan
Theo Dorgan , Programme Director, will introduce the conference theme, “Talamh na hÉireann - A Land Inherited”.

9.00pm - 10.00pm - Tony MacMahon, Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin & Len Graham
Music from Tony MacMahon and songs from Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin & Len Graham. ‘MacMahon from Clare’ is one of the giants of contemporary Irish traditional music, recipient of the 2004 Gradam Ceoil from TG4. Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin is without peer in her renditions of the Gaelic songs of her native South Ulster, a scholar, author and teacher, keeper of the flame. She is the author of A HIDDEN ULSTER, a magisterial study of the southeast Ulster song tradition. Len Graham has been the chief source of songs for many of Ireland’s leading traditional groups and singers, the only singer of traditional songs in English to have been recorded by Gael Linn.

10.00pm - 11.00pm - Reception

Strokestown Park House

10.00am ­ 11.30am - Seán Ó Laoire with Dominic Stevens and John Tiernan
Architect Seán Ó Laoire will speak on “A New Vernacular Architecture for Ireland.” Ó Laoire is one of our most gifted and learned contemporary architects. Roscommon architect-in-residence Dominic Stevens will respond, as will John Tiernan, Manager Roscommon County Council.

11.30am ­ 12.15pm - Colm Breathnach
Léamh Filíochta / Poetry Reading with Colm Breathnach, author of five collections of poetry, and winner of numerous literary prizes including the Butler award from the Irish American Cultural Institute. Breathnach is a shrewd and warmhearted observer of modern Ireland, with an edge to the voice when it’s needed.

12.15pm - 1.00pm - Discussion - Colm Breathnach with Louis de Paor
Discussion: “The Vindication of the Irish Language in the 21 st Century.” Colm Breathnach will be joined by fellow-poet Louis de Paor for what promises to be a lively discussion of the likely future of the language. Audience participation welcome and expected.

1.00pm ­ 2.30pm - Lunch

2.30pm ­ 4.00pm - Panel Discussion chaired by Prof. Brian Farrell
Various contributors to the weekend will contribute their expert viewpoints as members of a panel chaired by Prof. Brian Farrell to a discussion on our central theme, “A Land Inherited.”

4.00pm ­ 5.00pm - Roscommon Traditional Arts Forum Launch
Official Launch or Roscommon Traditional Arts Forum by Cathal Goan, Director General of RTÉ and Dr Liz Doherty, Traditional Arts Specialist of the Arts Council of Ireland .

5.00pm ­ 6.30pm - Dinner

7.00pm ­ 8.30pm - Louis de Paor and Rónán Ó Snodaigh
Music and Poetry / Filíocht agus Ceol, with poet Louis de Paor and musician and songwriter Rónán Ó Snodaigh.
Louis de Paor, author of five collections of poetry, is the first Irish language poet to receive the O-Shaughnessy Award, and certainly the first about whom questions have been asked in the Australian Parliament. Ó Snodaigh is frontman and vocalist with the extraordinary Kila, a poet and songwriter and a landscape gardener.

9.30pm ­ 12.30am - Conference Concert
Altan in Concert
at the Percy French Hotel, Strokestown.

1.00am
Bus leaves the Perch French Hotel fordelgates staying in the Ballaghaderreen area.

Douglas Hyde Interpretative Centre, Portahard

10.00am ­ 11.00am
Service and Dr. Douglas Hyde graveside commemoration

11.00am ­ 12.30pm - Gearóid Ó Crualaoich
Lecture by Gearóid Ó Crualaoich, “Talamh na hÉireann: This Named Earth We Walk On.” Folklorist and author of the widely-acclaimed Book Of The Cailleach, Ó Crualaoich is one of the most stimulating and original thinkers in Ireland today.

12.30pm ­ 1.45pm - Lunch

2.00pm ­ 5.00pm - Field Trip
Field trip to a number of locations throughout Roscommon connected to the conference theme guided by Nollaig McKeon, Heritage Officer with Roscommon County Council.