The 3rd Nora Niland Lecture
Each year, the Yeats Day Festival honours the work of Nora Niland, Sligo’s hard-working librarian who had the vision to create a wonderful collection of Irish art, currently housed at The Model Arts Centre. These include many famous works by WB’s talented brother Jack. Nora was born in Galway and worked in Sligo Libraries for many years. She was also heavily involved in the foundation and early organisation of the Yeats Society.
This year’s lecture will be presented by historian and writer Sinead McCoole. Sinead is an expert in the history of Irish women and author of Easter Widows, the wives of those who were executed in 1916. The Yeats Sisters and the Cuala Girls will tell the story of the remarkable Susan and Elizabeth Yeats, sisters of WB Yeats. They played a huge role in the Irish Cultural Revival through their design, print and embroidery work, first at Dun Emer Press and then at the Cuala Press in Dublin. As entrepreneurs, they sought to employ and train women and make sure that they had a skill. The talk is at the Yeats Building, Thursday June 14 th at 7.30pm; 5euro including wine.
This Yeats Day Festival offers plenty for children to enjoy. Free birthday cake on O’Connell Street, Eily Kilgannon children reading poetry on Yeats Day. On SAturda Innisfree will set sail for the Lake Isle, across the calm waters of Lough Gill. To enchant and entrance people on the journey, wonderful harpist Michael Rooney will play as the boat glides towards the glorious lake isle, immortalised by WB Yeats in The Lake Isle of Innisfree. There will be poetry and feel free to bring your own favourites – Yeats and others.
Tickets – 12euro - must be booked from info@yeatssociety.com or 071 9142693