Search Results for 'George Bernard Shaw'

How many famous people lifted that heavy brass knocker on the door of Lady Augusta Gregory’s home at Coole, Co Galway, and gave it a resounding rat- a -tat -tat? It resounded again last weekend with all the authority of a grumpy judge’s gavel. The writer and broadcaster John Quinn, chairman of the 19th Autumn Gathering, used it to great effect to keep speakers to their time, and to summon people to the next event.

French soldiers in World War I carried Joan of Arc’s image into battle at Ardennes, at Charleroi, at the Marne. They wore medals bearing her face around their necks, and tucked her picture into the pockets of their uniforms.

For three years after the opening of the Gate Theatre in Dublin Mícheál MacLiammóir continued to work for An Taibhdhearc. He travelled to Galway as often as three times a week. Despite the Gate's rave reviews for its first play Peer Gynt, for which Mícheál designed its 'symbolic' scenery, money was slow to come in. Mícheál needed the salary that An Taibhdhearc offered. The Minister for Finance, Ernest Blythe (who was soon to take over the running of the Abbey Theatre), and who had taken such interest in the fledgling Galway project, urged its directors to offer MacLiammóir full-time employment. But MacLiammóir felt that his destiny was in Dublin. The Gate opened later in 1928, the same year as An Taibhdhearc, offering Dublin audiences the best of European and American theatre, and rapidly becoming a venue for a new wave of talented Irish writers.

The Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering, now in its 19th year, will this year include a tribute to women writers around the world. This year’s event will take place in Coole Park over five days in October.

The Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering, now in its 19th year, will this year include a tribute to women writers around the world. This year’s event will take place in Coole Park over five days in October.

The Eighteenth Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering - a celebration of one of the leading figures of the Irish Literary Revival, 19th century Irish writing and culture, and south Galway - returns from September 28 to 30.

It is almost two decades since the first Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering at Coole and the event goes from strength to strength with an impressive line-up of speakers and events announced at the launch at Coole last weekend.

“You see things, and you say ‘Why?’ But I dream of things that never were and I say ‘Why not?’”, Anthony Cunningham’s men showed in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day, that despite others dismissing their chances, they were not afraid to do like George Bernard Shaw and ask ‘Why not?’. Why shouldn’t they knock Crossmaglen off their perch andbe crowned all Ireland club champions?

Straight from the Heart, edited by Bridget Hourican, is both a beautiful book and a piece of fascinating social history. It comprises more that 60 love letters ranging in time from 1694 to 1998.

George Bernard Shaw once described Lady Augusta Gregory as “the greatest living Irishwoman”, a title she may deserve for her role in the Irish Literary Revival.