Do we use our buildings to declare who we are? How far does our heritage influence our collective identity? This insightful album reveals Ireland's shifting attitudes towards its cultural heritage. In 1922 when it broke free of British rule to become an independent nation state, the Irish nationalists abandoned high-profile buildings like Dublin Castle as it was symbolic of their British oppressors, and it fell into ruin. Yet they proudly restored older sites like Cashel and New Grange, which is even older than the pyramids, to emphasise an earlier romantic Irish past. In doing so they literally reconstructed their new identity through obliterating the memories they didn't want to keep and reinforcing those they did. Today, with the passing of time and after joining the EU, the neglected buildings no longer provoke associations with a painful colonial history. St Mary's Church is now appreciated as a bar as well as a work of art. Ireland has moved on, and now embraces all of its heritage. In the audio track, Anne Laurence, a History Professor at The Open University, elaborates on the issues addressed in the album. This material is drawn from The Open University course AA100 The arts past and present.
Track 8: Castletown House
Appreciating the stately home as a monument to Irish craftsmanship and acheivement.
How the new government abandoned certain buildings but chose to preserve others after the rebellion and the civil war.
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Rebuilding after the rebellion
Anne Laurence, a History Professor at Open University, explains the significance of Ireland's built heritage to the reconstruction of its national identity.
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Unravelling the issues
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Originally published: Tuesday, 9 February 2010
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Body text - Content : Copyright The Open University 2008
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Carla Amelia Marcus - 30 June 2018 12:06am
The tracks are interesting it is worth a further research.
'the Irish nationalists abandoned high-profile buildings like Dublin Castle as it was symbolic of their British oppressors, and it fell into ruin. Yet they proudly restored older sites like Cashel and New Grange, which is even older than the pyramids, to emphasise an earlier romantic Irish past.'
(the Open University)
Joseph Gallagher - 7 December 2019 3:57pm
Quite the contrary. I did a tour of Dublin Castle two weeks ago. It has been restored and is used for Irish State functions, such as the inauguration of the Irish President and greeting dignitaries, most recently Pope Francis. The restored rooms show their use prior to when Dublin Castle was surrendered to the Irish State by the British in the 1920s. It's well worth a visit if you are ever in Dublin. They are currently restoring the one remaining round tower that stands from the time it was commissoned by King John (of Magna Carta and Robin Hood fame). The other towers had fallen long before the castle was handed back to the Irish State.
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Carla Amelia Marcus - 30 June 2018 12:06am
The tracks are interesting it is worth a further research.
'the Irish nationalists abandoned high-profile buildings like Dublin Castle as it was symbolic of their British oppressors, and it fell into ruin. Yet they proudly restored older sites like Cashel and New Grange, which is even older than the pyramids, to emphasise an earlier romantic Irish past.'
(the Open University)
Joseph Gallagher - 7 December 2019 3:57pm
Quite the contrary. I did a tour of Dublin Castle two weeks ago. It has been restored and is used for Irish State functions, such as the inauguration of the Irish President and greeting dignitaries, most recently Pope Francis. The restored rooms show their use prior to when Dublin Castle was surrendered to the Irish State by the British in the 1920s. It's well worth a visit if you are ever in Dublin. They are currently restoring the one remaining round tower that stands from the time it was commissoned by King John (of Magna Carta and Robin Hood fame). The other towers had fallen long before the castle was handed back to the Irish State.