Mount Sion International Heritage Centre launch attracts prominent author and historian

The mammoth contribution the Christian Brothers made to Irish education and society is to be celebrated and brought to life through a lecture and a play as Waterford commemorates the life and work of the order’s founder, the great Edmund Rice.

Internationally renowned author and historian, Dr Daire Keogh, visits Waterford for a public lecture on February 6. The very same night, Br Dan Casey performs his one-man play, ‘Edmund Rice’ at Mount Sion Primary School.

The lecture and play are all part of an series of events which mark the launch of the newly-renovated and redeveloped historic Mount Sion site on Barrack Street in the city.

Dr Keogh’s talk is eagerly awaited. A lecturer in Early Modern European and Irish History at St Patrick’s College, Dr Keogh was recently awarded a senior Government of Ireland Fellowship, which allowed him complete a historical monograph based on Edmund Rice, titled ‘The Christian Brothers; Irish Education and Society 1802 – 2002’.

Andy Kuppe, CEO of the Edmund Rice International Heritage Centre, said: “Dr Keogh has recently written an acclaimed biography of Edmund Rice, so I am looking forward to him sharing his insights about the life of Edmund Rice.

“He has been published widely on the history of religion in Ireland, radical politics, gender, and education, so I am sure that he will bring a unique perspective to this well-known story.”

Br Dan Casey will be travelling to Waterford from Chicago to take part in the launch events for the new Centre. Br Casey joined the Christian Brothers in 1969, professing his perpetual vows in 1977. Since this time, he has held a number of posts, mostly in education, in the Christian Brothers North America.

Mr Kuppe added: “In his one-man play, ‘Edmund Rice’, Br Casey will recount the story of Edmund Rice, obviously making good use of his studies in Speech and Drama, and Communication Arts.

“I think the combination of the play followed by the public lecture will be a powerful reminder of why the International Heritage Centre is such an important way to remember the influential and unique man Edmund Rice was, and to look to the future of his work,” Mr Kuppe concluded.

The evening at Mount Sion is one of the key events in the run-up to Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern’s official opening of the Edmund Rice International Heritage Centre on Saturday February 8.

The new centre, which is dedicated to the life and work of Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian and Presentation Brothers, has been in development for the past two years and is set to become one of Ireland’s premier ecclesiastical and heritage tourism sites.

The performance of ‘Edmund Rice’ and subsequent lecture by Dr Daire Keogh, take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday February 6, at Mount Sion Primary School.

Tickets cost €5 and are available from the Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Barrack Street (call Josephine on 051-874390), or from the Mount Sion Primary School. All proceeds from the play and lecture will be donated to the Mount Sion Primary School.