‘Vive les Irlandais et La France'!
Celebrating three centuries of Irish - French relations.

In conjunction with ‘Les Irlandais e la France: Three Centuries of Military Relations 1689 - 2012' exhibition which is currently running in the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life.

During September, visitors to the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life have the opportunity to take part in two special events:

Saturday 14th September 2pm - 4pm.
Cultural Afternoon - Talk & Tastings!
Last chance to book!

Illustrated talk
Author Renagh Holohan presents an illustrated talk on her book ‘The Irish Chateaux - In Search of Descendants of the Wild Geese' now in its third edition and illustrated by architect Jeremy Williams.
The Irish Chateaux looks back over centuries of migration between Ireland and France, from the 'flight of the earls' in 1607 when military defeat at Kinsale and exile initiated a tradition sustained by political and economics in subsequent years.
Hear the stories of individual families and their chateaux numbered among some of the finest buildings in France: soldiers, slavers, wine-producers, statesmen and entrepreneurs, many bearing illustrious names and making lasting contributions to their host culture. Wine families include the Hennessys of Cognac, the Bartons, Boyds, Lynches and others of Bordeaux and the McMahons of Burgundy.
Renagh will also speak of the astonishing lives of two Irish women memorists, the celebrated Mme de la Tour du Pin, born Lucy Dillon in Paris, and Lady Isabella Fitzgerald, daughter of the 2nd Duke of Leinster and niece of Lord Edward Fitzgerald.
Renagh is a well- known, award-winning journalist who formerly worked with the Irish Times.

'Fascinating material, beautifully accompanied by drawings of chateaux... a pleasurable and thought-provoking book.'
- The Irish Times

Wine & cheese sampling
After the talk, visitors will be invited to sample some French Wine and Irish/French artisan cheese generously provided by Liam Cabot of Cabot & Co Fine Wines, Westport and Aran McMahon of the acclaimed Rua Café and Delicatessen.

Liam Cabot and wife Sinead have been in the wine industry for 15 years and are based in Westport, Co. Mayo where they live with their children and a pile of hens. Liam encourages an interest in wine and aims to de-mystify many of the myths surrounding it. Liam and Sinead have a small vineyard in eastern Slovenia where "we terrify the local winemakers with our new-fangled (and quite possibly incorrect) ideas gleaned from reading too many reference books in the long Westport winters".

In 2008 Aran and Colleen Mc Mahon opened their business on Castlebar's Spencer Street and within two years had converted their building into a gallery café overlooking a delicatessen, carrying on their mother's tradition. For the previous ten years Ann Mc Mahon had been sourcing the best local ingredients for her Café on New Antrim Street. In addition to their stock of delicious local produce Rua are also supplied with some wonderful French and Irish cheeses by Sheridan's cheesemongers.


Saturday 21st September at 3pm.
Talk: ‘Irish men and women in the French Resistance and F-Section SOE, 1940-45'

Illustrated talk
Dr David Murphy's illustrated talk will look at Irish participation in the French Resistance and the Special Operations Executive. Find out about the deeds of the Irish resistors, including Samuel Beckett and Mayoman Patrick Sweeney.
Dr David Murphy is a lecturer with the Centre for Military History & Strategic Studies at the Department of History, NUI Maynooth. David Murphy has carried out extensive research on the service of Irish soldiers in the British and European armies. More recently, he has examined the role of Irish men and women in European resistance movements during WWII.

Exhibition
‘Les Irlandais e la France: Three Centuries of Military Relations 1689 - 2012'
The Wild Geese Regiments, Napoleon's Irish legion, the Franco Irish Ambulance unit and the French Foreign Legion are all celebrated in this exhibition from the Army Museum, Paris with added content from the National Museum of Ireland. Until the end of September 2013.


BOOKING ESSENTIAL
These events are for Adults and Booking is ESSENTIAL: Contact the Bookings Office on 094 90 31751 or educationtph@museum.ie