2013 Press Releases
UCC celebrates acquisition of The Great Book of Ireland
At a special ceremony in UCC President Higgins will be joined by contributors to The Great Book - including poets Seamus Heaney and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill - in celebrating this magnificent modern artefact and its acquisition by UCC.
As part of the ceremony, President Higgins, himself a contributor to the Great Book, will sign the page containing his original handwritten poem, which he first composed in 1990. The score of a musical composition in the manuscript by Horslips member, Jim Lockhart, will receive its world premiere at the event.
The Great Book is an extraordinary vellum manuscript comprising the original work of nine composers, 121 artists and 143 poets, including three literature Nobel Laureates: Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney and Derek Walcott. Produced in Dublin between 1989 and 1991, it has been acquired by UCC to be preserved and displayed by the University for posterity, on behalf of the Irish people. It was created - and has now successfully served- as a fundraising venture to advance the development plans of two charitable status organisations, Clashganna Mills Trust, a charity working for people with disabilities, and Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann, the national poetry organisation.
“UCC first took an interest in acquiring The Great Book back in 2005,”comments University Librarian, John FitzGerald. “I am pleased to say that by 2012, US$1 million was raised by the Library and the Cork University Foundation, working closely with the Great Book of Ireland Trust, to acquire the manuscript.” Continues FitzGerald: “The Great Book is something of an artistic ‘time capsule’ that captures the richness of Irish creativity during a particular period towards the end of the twentieth century. It is only through the support of a number of generous philanthropic individuals and organisations that it is now possible for UCC to act as permanent custodian for this major work of art.”
Adds President of UCC, Dr. Michael Murphy: “UCC is proud to have played such a pivotal role to date in acquiring and safe-guarding this important national treasure.” Announcing the University’s intention to launch a fresh initiative to raise monies for the next phase of the project, he continues: “From here we must progress to the next step in the journey, which will be to preserve and display The Great Book, in order that its artistic richness may be put at the disposal of the wider community. Our fundraising campaign, as before, will draw exclusively on private sources.”
The next phase of the project includes plans for the professional conservation of the manuscript; the publication of an anthology of the poetry; the creation of facsimiles of The Great Book; and the ultimate development of an exhibition and an exhibition space.
The editors of The Great Book of Ireland are Theo Dorgan and Gene Lambert.
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Leabhar Mór na hÉireann i gColáiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh
Beidh Uachtarán na hÉireann, Micheál D. Ó hUiginn, i láthair ag searmanas speisialta i gColáiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh Dé hAoine 18 January nuair a dhéanfar ceiliúradh ar Leabhar Mór na hÉireann atá ceannaithe ag COC.
Beidh cuid de scríbhneoirí an Leabhair Mhóir i dteannta an Uachtaráin don ócáid Seamus Heaney agus Nuala Rua Ní Dhomhnaill ina measc d’fhonn an tseoid nua-aimseartha seo a cheiliúradh.
Síneoidh an tUachtarán Ó hUiginn, duine de scribhneoirí an Leabhair Mhóir, an leathanach ar a bhfuil a dhán féin lámhscríofa. Cheap sé an dán céanna sa bhliain 1990. Seinnfear den chéad uair riamh ag an ócáid an píosa ceoil atá sa Leabhar a chum Jim Lockhart, ball de na Horslips.
Lámhscríbhinn veillim ar leith is ea an Leabhar Mór ina bhfuil saothar naonúr cumadóirí, 121 ealaíontóir agus 143 file, na buaiteoirí Nobel Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney agus Derek Walcott san áireamh. Ba i mBaile Átha Cliath a bailíodh na saothair idir na blianta 1981 agus 1991 agus tá sé ceannaithe ag COC d’fhonn é a chaomhnú agus a chur ar taispéaint le haghaidh na sleachta de mhuintir na hÉireann atá romhainn. Cruthaíodh é an chéad lá chun airgead a thiomsú do dhá charthanacht, Clashganna Mills Trust a bhíonn ag plé le lucht an mhíchumais agus Éigse, cumann náisiúnta na filíochta agus tá amhlaidh déanta aige go seoigh.
“Ba sa bhliain 2005 a thosnaigh COC ag caint ar an Leabhar Mór a cheannach den chéad uair” arsa John Fitzgerald, Leabharlannaí na hOllscoile. “Ábhair áthais dom é go raibh $1 miliún tiomsaithe ag an Leabharlann agus Fondúireacht Ollscoile Chorcaí chun an lámhscríbhinn a cheannach agus iad ag obair go dlúth le hIontaobhas Leabhar Mór na hÉireann. D’fhéadfá a rá gur taisceadán todhchaí atá sa Leabhar Mór ina bhfeictear cruthaitheacht na hÉireann i rith na tréimhse i dtreo dheireadh an fichiú haois. Is mór againn an tacaíocht fhlaithiúil a fuaireamar ó dhaonchairde áirithe agus ó eagraíochtaí éagsúla, rud a chur ar chumas COC feidhmiú mar bhuanchoimeádaí an tsaothair mhóir seo.”
Dar leis an Dr Micheál Ó Murchú, Uachtarán COC: “Cúis mhórtais do COC is ea an ról a bhí aige go dtí anois maidir leis an tseoid náisiúnta thábhachtach seo. Níl aon dabht ach go gcoimeádfaidh sé go sábháilte í.” Agus é ag fógairt go raibh sé mar rún ag an Ollscoil tionscnamh tiomsaithe airgid a thosú don chéad chéim eile den tionscadal, dúirt se: “Anois ní mór dúinn tabhairt faoin gcéad chéim eile dár dturas chun an Leabhar Mór a choimeád agus a chur ar taispeáint d’fhonn an saibhreas ealaíonta atá ann a chur faoi bhráid an phobail mhóir. Leanfar lenár bhfeachtas tiomsaithe airgid a bheith dírithe ar fhoinsí príobháideacha ámháin.”
Sa chéad chéim eile den tionscadal seo, coimeádfar an lámhscríbhinn ar bhonn proifisiúnta; foilseofar cnuasach filíochta as; cruthófar macasamhla den Leabhar Mór; agus forbrófar taispéantas agus spás cuí ina chomhair.
Is iad Theo Dorgan agus Gene Lambert eagarthóirí Leabhar Mór na hÉireann.