Past Talks
Since its foundation in 1955 the Society’s principal activity has been the presentation of talks by members or invited guests on topics relating to Ireland and Irish heritage in Australia. In that time several hundred talks have been given. From 1974 many of those talks were audio recorded and we hold copies of those recordings from 1974 to 2008 and from 2014 to 2017, numbering in all 198 talks of variable quality. Since 2020, when during Covid we began to livestream our meetings via Zoom, the talks given to the Society have been video recorded, accumulating at the rate of about seven per year. In addition, we hold copies of manuscripts of some 56 talks, some dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. Access to these recordings is available to members and to researchers upon application to the Honorary Secretary. A list of recorded talks held by the Society is available here.
Summaries of talks and events back to 2011 can be viewed below.
2024 TALKS
February
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Irish Consulate General and online via Zoom. The AGM was followed by the February ordinary meeting at which Dr Peter Moore spoke about St Patrick’s Day buttons that were sold in Adelaide from 1917 to 1941.
March
We celebrated St Patrick’s Day in style at the Sir Stamford Hotel, Macquarie Street Sydney. The guest speaker was Paddy MacDonald who talked in conversation with Jeff Kildea about his interest in Charlie Chaplin, including his Chaplin exhibitions in Australia, Ireland and Cuba, and the little Tramp’s Irish connections with Waterville, County Kerry.
April
Simon Smith, author of A Man of Honour spoke about his forebear Henry James O’Farrell who attempted to assassinate Prince Alfred in Sydney in 1868.
May
The guest speaker was Professor Peter Kuch who continued his series of talks on Irish theatre in colonial Australia with a talk entitled ‘Irish roles/Irish plays – performing “Irishness” at the Royal Victoria Theatre in the age of Wyatt and Knight, 1838 – 1844’.
June
In a talk entitled ‘A shamrock, a “Last Rose” and a bookplate – Echoes of Ireland and Irish/Australia in the collections of the National Library of Australia’, Dr Richard Reid spoke about the collection of Irish material in the National Library.
July
Speaking from Dublin via Zoom, Irish novelist and short story writer Evelyn Conlon discussed stories from her collection of short stories Moving About the Place and her acclaimed novel Not the Same Sky, about Irish famine orphans who came to Australia.
August
At the Mid-Year Lunch at the Gaelic Club, Devonshire Street, Sydney renowned Australian journalist and broadcaster Geraldine Doogue spoke about her Irish roots.
September
Dr Paula Cobain, Executive Officer of the Irish Support Agency NSW and a native of County Antrim, spoke about the work of the Irish Support Agency.
October
Benedict Smith, Head of Mission, Identity and Civics, Catholic Schools NSW, gave a talk on the Young Ireland movement and the leaders who were exiled to Van Diemen’s Land following their abortive rising.
November
The society’s Christmas party was held at Sancta Sophia College, University of Sydney. Entertainment was provided by Irish singer/musician Doireann Nic Mhathúna.
