People

'Galileo' singer gets an old-world atlas

THE SOCIAL NETWORK: Singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke was performing at the launch of Atlas of the Great Irish Famine, at Newman…

JAMES GIBBONS
Sat Sep 22 2012 - 01:00

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:Singer-songwriter Declan O'Rourke was performing at the launch of Atlas of the Great Irish Famine, at Newman House on St Stephen's Green in Dublin, on Tuesday evening. He has been working on songs about the Famine for the past decade and is going to make a record next year. He learned 10 years ago that his grandfather was born in a workhouse, which prompted him to further research the institutions, which led him back to the Famine.

Former president Mary Robinson launched the atlas, which is priced at €59 and weighs 3.75 kg.

“It is selling very well, and even at that price it’s definitely reasonable. I can’t even hold it: it’s a big, heavy tome,” she said.

The former minister for defence Michael Smith made a beeline for Robinson as soon as she arrived and kissed her on the cheek.

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The former UN high commissioner for human rights spoke about “her own personal witness” of events to mark the 150th anniversary of the Famine during her presidency. “The Irish Famine was the most significant event in Irish history. Growing up in Co Mayo, you couldn’t but be aware of the Famine.”

She recalled travelling to Grosse Île in Canada, the 19th-century immigrant depot where many Irish people fleeing the Famine died, which she called “a sacred place”.

William J Smyth, emeritus professor of geography at University College Cork, gave a speech introducing Robinson, who had travelled to UCC during her presidency to open a Famine exhibition. He also read a poem he had written “to remember your mission as president of Ireland to famine-stricken Somalia in 1992”. Smyth presented Robinson with a copy of the poem before she left.

“I have to go to the airport,” the former president whispered as she left during an interval between two songs performed by O’Rourke.

WHO WE SPOTTED

Nick Robinson; Virginia Teehan, UCC director of cultural projects and humanities research; John Crowley, one of the editors of the atlas, and his wife, Peigín; Martin Mansergh; Ian Galloway of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem and a student of logistics at DIT; Brian McCarthy, executive chairman, FexCo; Donald Lyons, recently appointed professor of geography, UCC; Prof John Horgan, press ombudsman; Emily Logan, Children’s Ombudsman; artist Patrick Scott; author Marita Conlon-McKenna; novelist James Ryan.