Festival focuses on the life and times of Eoghan Rua

A host of events to “put flesh on the bones” of the military giant Eoghan Rua O’Neill will be held this week to coincide with the 375th anniversary of his death.

Over four days ‘Eoghan Rua 375’ will feature history talks, music, drama and a guided tour of Cloughoughter Castle.

That final event is billed as a “once in a lifetime” opportunity by Dr Brendan Scott, one of the programme organisers, alongside Cavan County Council, the Cavan Library Services, Cavan Heritage Office, Cavan County Museum and Townhall Art Centre.

“O’Neill is such a large character and he lived in such an interesting time - a dreadful time really. I often say in my history classes that that period from the 1640s into the 1650s was probably one of the worst decades to have been in Ireland, and he was there through a lot of it.

“So we also want to talk about what was going on at that time and try to raise awareness of that particular period, because people might talk about Cromwell or O’Neill, or Owen Roe but not really know who they were, or what they were doing.”

Dr Scott contends that Eoghan Rua - AKA Owen Roe - is a giant historical figure deserving of commemoration, despite the rebellion he led ultimately failing.

“He does fail, but you could say that about a lot of Irish revolutionaries or whatever term you want to put on them; he’s from a long line of them. But nobody inflicted greater damage on an English army in Ireland than Owen Roe did at Benburb in 1646.”

He also notes Eoghan Rua’s story is immersed in Cavan, with his Breffni blood through his mother, his death at Clogh Oughter, and his likely resting place at the abbey in Cavan.

“This is a man who is dispossessed of his land following the Nine Years War, who goes to Europe to fight on the continent, and who was revered on the continent as a military leader and comes back to Ireland and was revered in Ireland as a very canny general. I find the time he lived through just as interesting as the man himself - and he is a very interesting character.”

The participating historians gathered for the commemorations are amongst the foremost scholars on this turbulent era.

Dr Katharine Simms provides context for the event by exploring the O’Neill dynasty which gave rise to Eoghan Rua. Her talk takes place on Thursday, November 7 at 7pm in Virginia Library. On Friday, November 8 the location of the events turn to Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff where at 7.30pm musicians Eamon Sweeney (lute and baroque guitar) and Rachel Factor (virginal keyboard) will perform Irish–connected music from the late 16th and 17th-centuries, songs with which Eoghan Rua may well have been familiar. The evening continues with The Hacklers’ one act play ‘Outsider’ inspired by historical texts including the actual letters of Eoghan Rua during his time in Ireland from 1642-1649. The performance will include a poem written by Mark Lawlor and ‘Lament for Owen Roe’, a slow air played by the reigning All Ireland Senior flute Champion Ellen O’Brien. Finally the Clogh Oughter exhibition at the museum will be relaunched. (You are urged to book a place for this free event: info@cavanmuseum.ie or 049 854 4070).

A full day of history talks will be held on Saturday, November 9 in Johnston Central Library for which there is a total charge of €10.

Dr Brendan Scott gets the ball rolling at 10.30am with a round table discussion on ‘Eoghan Rua Ó Néill: his life and legacy’ with Professor Micheál Ó Siochrú and Dr Pádraig Lenihan.

At 12pm Prof. Tadhg Ó hAnnracháin gives a talk ‘The army of the Pope?’ which delves into the religious culture of Eoghan Rua and the Ulster army during the 1640s, and in particular the evolution of relationship between Ó Néill and the papal nuncio, Rinuccini.

The leading authority on Clogh Oughter, Conleth Manning, will give a talk at 2pm on the 17th-century prison and stronghold, including its use during the outbreak of the 1641 rebellion, the imprisonment there of Bishop William Bedell, the death of Eoghan Rua Ó Néill at Clogh Oughter and the Cromwellian siege at the castle in 1653.

At 2.50pm the attention turns to how the tercentenary in 1949 of the death of Eoghan Rua ÓNeill was celebrated; while at 3.30pm there will be screening of reel to reel of tercentenary commemorations from 1949, generously shared by James Scanlon, and from the Stan Mullery collection.

The Eoghan Rua Commemorations will also spill out onto the street on Saturday as from 1.30-4.30pm there will be a re-enactment outside the Johnston Central Library where the public will have the chance to meet the confederate troops and the Parliamentarian Army and their weapons. (No need to book just come along and enjoy.)

Saturday’s events conclude with a rehearsed reading by Livin’ Dread Theatre Company of Brian Friel’s ‘Making History’ at Townhall Theatre, Cavan at 8pm. Although admission is free of charge you must book via www.townhallartscentre.com or 049 438 0494.

The final day of events, Sunday, November 10 at 10.30am will include a guided tour of Clogh Oughter, led by archaeologist Conleth Manning - which is the event which so enamoured Dr Scott.

“To have the man who excavated Clough Oughter in the 1980s go on a boat trip and give a guided tour, is a once in a lifetime event. That will never happen again.”

Afterwards Music Generation Cavan Monaghan Harp Ensemble will perform ‘A tribute to Eoghan Rua Ó Néill’ at Cavan Adventure Centre including a newly-arranged version of O’Carolan’s ‘Lament for Owen Roe’ by musician and educator Eilís Lavelle, with contributions from Sabina McCague and Alisha McMahon. (Booking on www.townhallartscentre.com or 049 438 0494; fee of €15 per person).