Redmond Centenary Launch

The Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Mr John Hegarty, has officially launched Wexford library’s new Talking History initiative at the Redmond 100 celebrating the legacy of Mr. John E. Redmond and his family at Wexford library this morning which was addressed and introduced by President Michael D. Higgins who attended with his wife Sabine.

County librarian Ms. Eileen Morrissey, addressed a large audience in her introduction to President Michael D. Higgins, who had already attended two other engagements in Wexford since yesterday.

President Higgins was then invited to perform the opening address to pay tribute at the Wexford 100 seminar in Wexford Library on the occasion of the centenary of his death.  

Following this, he visited John E. Redmond’s grave afterwards with a large contingent to perform a wreath laying ceremony in his honour.

The Redmond family connections throughout the Southeast were in attendance as were dignitaries and public representatives; members of the public and last but not least the fantastic members of the Wexford library service who have collaborated extensively and have demonstrated incredible innovation and vision in the production of today’s “Talking History” app which will no doubt give access to future generations to a wonderful and great Wexford legacy.

We have had moving statues as reported from Ballinspittle, Co Tipperary in the 1980’s and this new concept revolves around talking statues, at least, ones that you, the public, can interact with in a meaningful way.

Historians Jarlath Glynn, Celestine Murphy and Monica Crofton have researched extensively and collaborated with the National Museum of Ireland and also today’s speakers, who have published seminal work on the Redmond legacy which hadn’t been unearthed heretofore due to the sparsity of official documents which reside in the National Museum of Ireland.

However some further papers, were discovered in more recent times, amongst them letters, which shed a different and extremely positive light on the phenomenal extent of his true legacy to the people of Wexford and have contributed to a shift and major historical reinterpretation lead by this talented team.

The leitmotif of the sense of place was very strong as we learned that John E. Redmond’s (1856-1914) remains were returned by train to Wexford after his death in 1918 to be interred on the very rail-line route his family had been instrumental in building.  As a child he had been reared in the hills and valleys that witnessed the struggles of 1798.  He was raised in Ballytrent house and was MP for New Ross Borough and Wexford North in the late 1880’s and later became M.P. for Waterford City.

He was the leader of the Parnellite faction of the Irish Party in the spilt from 1891-1890.

From 1900-1918 he was the Chairman of the reunited Irish Parliamentary Party and was instrumental in passing the third Home Rule Bill into law.

“It is a proud recollection today, of the dark hour of trial for Irish men and women, who attested to that struggle in their life’s sacrifice for their devotion to Ireland.”

This statesman dedicated his political endeavours to Home Rule and was a master of procedure and oratory.  Further, he was one of the great leaders of great movements of thought and action and this gained him largescale concessions from parliament.  He had the most significant presence in his role in our country’s history, a patriot, a politician with vision who worked tirelessly for independence.   

Mr. Dermot Meleady, biographer of John Redmond, addressed the period of John E. Redmond’s life in his address entitled, ”From Parnellite to National Leader.”

The Irish Times journalist and author Mr Ronan Mc Greevy, spoke of: “John Redmond and World War One”. Mr. Martin O’ Donoghue of N.U.I.G. then detailed us on “The legacy of John Redmond.”

Three Redmond sites of historical legacy will have talking monuments; namely Redmond Square, Redmond Park and the site of John E. Redmond’s interred remains at St. Johns Graveyard.

Wexford Library Service, in partnership with the Wexford Borough District has brought the history of Wexford to the streets of the town.

The talented Wexford writers, historians and actors who collaborated in the voices and monologues on the app were: Narrators: Anne Doyle, Billy Roche and Gary Lydon. The scripts were formulated by playwright Mr Billy Roche and historians Monica Crofton, Celestine Murphy and Jarlath Glynn.

Broadcaster Anne Doyle narrates the story of the monument in Redmond Square. The script for this site was originated by historian Monica Crofton. The playwright Billy Roche gives voice to Major Willie Redmond (Mr. John E. Redmond’s brother) at his bust in Redmond Park.

The Wexford-born actor, (of Fair City fame) Mr. Gary Lydon tells the story of John E. Redmond at his burial site in St. John’s Graveyard at Johns St. Wexford. This was also scripted by Mr Billy Roche.

“What if Wexford’s monuments could talk, what stories would they tell?”

Mr. John Hegarty elaborated on this to a packed crowd, in his opening address, that he had had this idea which originated back to his time as a history student at third level in University College Dublin.  At that time he was concerned that the statesmanship and legacy of John E. Redmond was not being given the same national recognition in comparison to the international recognition that his statesmanship was so rightly attributed with and that his name was easily forgotten at the mention of his contemporaries and this preoccupation has lead to the research which was illuminated excellently in today’s speaker’s addresses.

“Talking History” is an initiative of Wexford County Council Public Library Service and went live at the launch today, Sunday, April 15th, enabling three of Wexford towns’ most significant local historical sites to speak for themselves. 

Wexford Library Service have the Redmond 100 display open to the public until the end of April.

This is a chance for us to impress on future generations the historical legacy of our ancestors who have shaped our history and can lead us with an example of the political decisions made by the prominent parliamentarians who hailed from Wexford and remain very much in the hearts of its people.

There was much emphasis throughout the speeches on the fact that: These decisions are not dissimilar to those facing us as a nation at present nationally and internationally and our sense of place and local heritage remains at the core despite the challenges we face as a county and country.