The Fourth William Thompson Weekend, Cork, 2-4 May

national | miscellaneous | news report

Friday May 02, 2003 10:13

by Des Derwin

The Fourth William Thompson Weekend Firkin Crane Centre, Cork, 2-4 May 2003 CULTURE, CREATIVITY AND RESISTANCE

The Fourth William Thompson Weekend

Firkin Crane Centre, Cork, 2-4 May 2003

CULTURE, CREATIVITY AND RESISTANCE

Friday 2 May

7.00pm Opening reception and registration
8.00pm Resisting war and imperialism: an Iraqi perspective from Nuria Mustafa

Saturday 3 May

10.00am -1.00pm
William Godwin on Ireland: W.J. McCormack
Looking for Máire Wollstonecraft: women, politics and writing in Ireland,
1789-1806: Cliona Ó Gallchóir
Shelley and revolutionary Ireland: Paul O'Brien

LUNCH

2.30pm - 4.30pm

"I am who I say I am": murals and political identity in the North of Ireland:
Bill Rolston
Green memories: exploring the roots of contemporary ecological culture:
Andrew Jamison

Sunday 4 May

Contemporary expressions of cultural resistance

11.00am - 12.15pm
Screening of the acclaimed documentary The revolution will not be televised
(the full-length version of Chavez: Inside the Coup, shown recently on RTE)

1.00pm - 2.30pm
The making of Indymedia :A member of the Irish Indymedia Collective
Taking back public space - Reclaim the Streets in Ireland: Jenny McGowan
Building temporary autonomous zones: Paul Ryan

LUNCH

3.15pm - 5.00pm

The challenge to neo-liberalism: Donncha Ó Briain
Reinventing the public sphere? Some impressions from Porte Alegre:
Rosie Meade

Open forum

ADDITIONAL EVENTS

Thurs 1 May 8pm
Cork Council of Trade Unions Annual May Day Lecture
Fintan Lane, 'The Gangs of Old Cork: working class bands and violence,
1879-82'
O'Donoghue's, Drawbridge St.

Sun 4 May 8.30pm
Cork Singers' Club, 'Songs of Resistance'
An Spalpín Fánach, South Main St.

CULTURE, CREATIVITY AND RESISTANCE

The William Thompson Weekend takes its name from the Cork-born radical
philosopher and moral economist who was a pioneer of socialism,
co-operativism and feminism. Each May Day weekend since 2000, 'Thompson' has
provided a lively and inclusive forum for talks, discussion and debate on a
range of themes and topics of historical and contemporary relevance.

This year, under the title 'Culture, creativity and resistance', issues as
diverse and connected as resistance to neo-liberalism and US imperialism;
the political engagement with Ireland of leading creative writers from the
age of Thompson; the making of 'green knowledge'; Northern Irish street
murals; reclaiming the media and public space from corporate and private
interests, and much more, will be addressed.

The opening talk relates to a highly topical theme: the new era in
international relations heralded by the US/UK invasion of Iraq. Nuria
Mustafa will give a radical Iraqi perspective on the war, the destruction,
occupation and expropriation of her country, and the lessons for the future.

Other contributors include leading scholars such as W.J. McCormack and
Andrew Jamison, radical film-makers like Donncha O Briain and Paul Ryan, and
activists from a range of creative democratic projects of cultural
resistance such as Indymedia, Reclaim the Streets and the Tobin Tax
Iniative. There will also be screenings, songs, music and poetry.

All in all, a lively and provocative mix in the spirit of Thompson, and of
the William Thompson Weekend. Please join us.

WEEKEND FEE: E25/E12 unwaged

More info:
Tel: 021-4902991 or 4903048, e-mail: thompsonschool@hotmail.com

Rosie Meade,
Department of Applied Social Studies,
University College,
Cork,
Ireland.

00-353-21-4902991