REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE 150TH CELEBRATIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE 150TH CELEBRATIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF IRELAND DUBLIN CASTLE
I have great pleasure in being here this evening on this important and joyful celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. I would like to particularly thank the President of the Society, Próinséas Ní Chatháin for her kind invitation and words of welcome.
It is worth reflecting on how much poorer our knowledge and appreciation of Irish culture in the past might have been, if it were not for those eight people who came together to found the Kilkenny Archaeological Society back in 1849. Their aim – “to preserve, examine and illustrate all ancient monuments of the history, manners, customs and arts of our ancestors” – is as valid today as it was then. Indeed, there has been a renaissance of interest in this area, for there is now an even greater appreciation of the importance of preserving our past, not least in order to inform our understanding of the present.
Your work in this field over the years has been invaluable and I am delighted to see it has been reflected into the growth and expansion of your membership. From the original meeting in Kilkenny 150 years ago which was attended by 36 people, today’s membership spans over 1,000 individuals throughout Ireland and overseas. This was supported by the broader remit of the Society, which moved from Kilkenny to Dublin in 1890, when it adopted its present title, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.
The pioneering aspects of the Society’s work deserve particular commendation. In its early days it established a library and museum in Kilkenny and conducted excavations at a time before archaeology became an established profession. It established an annual journal in which the findings of much original work were published. Indeed, that journal has continued up to this day, informing members and the wider public alike of contemporary research findings and new scholarship in the field.
Down through the years, the Society has attracted a wide and prestigious membership, notably John Windele, the Cork Antiquarian, William Wilde, the Earl of Dunraven and Lady Harriet Kavanagh whose Egyptian donations to the Society have recently been displayed as part of the Egyptian Exhibition at the National Museum.
One of the secrets of its success, has been that the Society has always adhered to the rule first set out in 1849, that “all matters connected with the religious and political differences which exist in our country, shall be excluded from the Papers to be read and the discussions held at these meetings, such matters being foreign to the objectives of this Society and calculated to disturb the harmony which is essential to its success”. I can only congratulate you on your success on this front. I know only too well that when two Irish people meet, religion and politics are rarely off the agenda! Regrettably, we have all lived and continue to live through those disturbances to harmony, but we live now in a time of real hope that the treasury of memories you have so carefully nurtured, will become the shared memories, the shared heritage of an island at peace with itself at last.
The Society has always had an open and welcoming approach to scholars and researchers with an interest in its work. Its library, in particular, holds a wealth of specialist knowledge which has been an invaluable resource over the years. In addition, its monthly public lectures and talks, along with field trips to sites of historical and archaeological significance throughout the four provinces of Ireland, have ensured that the original hopes and aspirations of its founders have been fulfilled and surpassed.
I would like to thank the Society once again for inviting me here today. I wish you all every success for the next 150 years.
Guím gach rath ar an gCumann agus gura fada buan é.