Singing the Great Famine

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 March 2019 > What's On

One of Ireland’s most popular folk singer-songwriters, Declan O’Rourke, spent fifteen years writing a song cycle of stories about the Great Irish Famine. He’ll be presenting his award-winning songs at the Irish Cultural Centre on Thursday 4 April. Chronicles Of The Great Irish Famine has been hailed as O’Rourke’s masterpiece, and he received the prestigious … Continue reading “Singing the Great Famine”

Fabulous Irish Music in Rennes and Colomiers

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 19 March 2019 > What's On

Stretch St Patrick celebrations for one more night with traditional Irish band Altan, in concert in Rennes on 19 March. They’re also in Colomiers on 13 April. The five members of Altan, mainly from Donegal, have been playing together for more than thirty years. Fiddle, guitar, accordion and bouzouki blend to play traditional tunes and … Continue reading “Fabulous Irish Music in Rennes and Colomiers”

Oscar Wilde: The Happy Prince

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 21 December 2018 > Ready to Use

The new biopic about Oscar Wilde’s final years after leaving prison takes its ironic title from one of the children’s stories he wrote for his sons. The film, written, directed and starring Rupert Everett has a wonderful supporting cast (Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Emily Watson.) This B2 downloadable resource includes work on an article about … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde: The Happy Prince”

Changing Ireland

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 14 May 2018 > In the News

  Ireland has long been one of the most socially conservative countries in the European Union. But things have been changing and the country’s current Prime Minister is a sign of the times. Since the creation of Irish Free State in 1922, the post of Taoiseach*, Ireland’s equivalent of Prime Minister, has been held by … Continue reading “Changing Ireland”

Irish Novelist Colm Toibin in Person and on Stage

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 26 April 2017 > What's On

Award-winning novelist Colm Tóibín’s The Testament of Mary will be adapted for the Théâtre de l’Odéon in May. The Irish author will be at the Irish Cultural Centre on 2 May to read from Testament and from Nora Webster, his latest novel, which, like Brooklyn, is set in his home town of Enniscorthy. If you … Continue reading “Irish Novelist Colm Toibin in Person and on Stage”

Oscar Wilde: Online Learning

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 30 September 2016 > What's On

To accompany the Oscar Wilde exhibition now on at the Petit Palais in Paris, the Sorbonne is offering a free MOOC about Oscar Wilde, in French, from October 26. The online course is taught by English Literature professor Pascal Aquien. It will consist of six sessions, each with six 10-minute parts. They will start out … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde: Online Learning”

Brooklyn Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 08 September 2016 > Webpicks

Brooklyn is a beautiful coming-of-age story about a young Irish woman emigrating to the U.S.A. Colm Tóibín’s 1989 novel has now been adapted as a film. It is perfect for working on themes of immigration, family duty and love. For more about the film, and the trailer, see our article. The film’s website has several … Continue reading “Brooklyn Webpicks”

Brooklyn

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 06 September 2016 > What's On

Brooklyn is a beautiful coming-of-age story set in 1950s rural Ireland and Brooklyn, New York. A tale of immigration, family duty and love, it was a modern classic as a novel and now a film. Irish author Colm Tóibín* set half the novel in his home town of Enniscorthy, on Ireland’s south-eastern tip, sleepy, rural … Continue reading “Brooklyn”