Talk Description:
This is the story of the County Clare Nursery, a Mother and Baby Home, that was housed in Kilrush Workhouse from 1922 – 1932. 

This Institution was set up as part of the County Clare Amalgamation to replace the Poor Law in the County.  It also became the facility for unmarried pregnant women and their children as well as acting as an Orphanage.
Upwards of 400 children were born there – but the poor condition of the building – and the lack of adequate provisions for the women and children – meant a horrendously high death rate.

County Clare Nursery (Mother & Baby Home) Memorial ~ Kilrush
This talk will explore the reasons why a “high death rate” was the case – and why little or no provision was made to improve the lives of the women and children.
About the Speaker:
Rita McCarthy is a Social Historian whose area of interest includes Ireland in the post 1922 period; particularly the lives of women and children in the Free State. She works in Adult Education where she teaches Irish History and Heritage Studies.

Rita McCarthy is also an Independent Researcher and has produced and presented Radio Documentaries and Podcasts.  Whilst researching her MA she uncovered the existence of the County Clare Mother and Baby home (1922 – 1932) and she has written and presented an Exhibition on the topic. Rita is currently writing a book on the County Clare institution.

Born in Meath his ghost resides mostly in the history of West Clare. After attending an Irish-language summer college at Ballingeary, Co. Cork, O’Higgins received a Language Teacher’s Certificate in 1906 and began work as a Múinteoir Taistil (Travelling Teacher) for the Gaelic League.

During this time, he was one of the founders of Coláiste Uí Chomhraidhe, an Irish Language College in Carrigaholt, County Clare and in 1917 he became the College Secretary. In May 1918 he was arrested and deported to Birmingham Jail on suspicion of German conspiracy. While he was in prison, he was elected Sinn Féin candidate for West Clare during the 1918 General Election.
It is said that because of Brian’s republican affiliations and involvement with the Irish College that the Black and Tans paid a visit to the college in 1920 and burnt half of the building down. Dr. Síle Ní Choincheannain Coláiste Uí Chomhraidhe ~ Carrigaholt, Co. Clare Brian Ó hUigínn 12 This talk hopes to shed some light on Brian Ó hUigínn, this lesser-known Republican, and his connection to West Clare, particularly Carrigaholt.
O’Curry College, better known as Coláiste Uí Chomhraidhe, was named in honour of Doonaha native and renowned Irish scholar, Eugene O’Curry.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Síle Ní Choincheannain is currently working as a full-time Irish Lecturer in Mary Immaculate College. She spent time lecturing in the University of Limerick and spent two years (2017-2019) in Canada as an Irish Canadian University Fellow at the University of Ottawa.

Síle also spent the academic year 2013-2014 on a Fulbright Scholarship in the University of Montana. Síle also has experience working on Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4. Her current research deals with modern Irish historical fiction, the role of women in this genre, and the O’ Curry Irish College. She recently held a conference commemorating local scholar Eugene O’ Curry, 160 years after his death in Mary Immaculate College.

About the Three Speakers:

Peadar King

Originally from Kilkee, Peadar King is a documentary filmmaker and non-fiction writer.
For the past two decades, he has filmed in over fifty countries across Africa, Asia and The Americas for the award-winning RTÉ Global Affairs series What in the World?.

Thomas Lynch

Essayist, Poet, and Funeral Director – Thomas Lynch has written five critically acclaimed volumes of poetry, four books of essays and a book of short fiction.

Date: Wednesday, 6th July 2022 at 8pm No. 1 of 9 Talks

Speaker: Rosita Boland
Talk Title: Breaking a Silence
Talk Description:

Kilkee Civic Trust

The full programme can be downloaded here – Kilkee Civic Trust – Summer Programme 2022
Each talk will be recorded and is sheduled for broadcast at 4:10pm on the following Monday. Podcast links will available to listen back.