TU Dublin Host Annual George Moore Association Conference
Scholars, literary enthusiasts, and music lovers will gather in the heart of Dublin for the Annual George Moore Association Conference, which will take place on Friday, 21 March, at TU Dublin's Aungier Street Campus. This year's event, themed George Moore Back in Dublin Again, will celebrate the legacy of the celebrated Irish writer, art critic, and cultural commentator. It is a free-entry event open to the public.
The conference will feature a dynamic programme of discussions, music, and theatre, highlighting Moore's influence on literature, history, and the arts. A particular highlight will be a rehearsed reading of The Tinker and the Fairy, a play by Douglas Hyde first performed in George Moore's Ely Place garden in 1902, with incidental music composed by Michele Esposito. This special performance is made possible through the collaboration of TU Dublin Conservatoire Drama students Úna Florent and Kyle Andrew Laing.
Esteemed speakers from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and the United States will present thought-provoking discussions on Moore's literary connections, cultural impact, and historical significance. Distinguished guests include Dr Daniel Mulhall, Prof. Adrian Frazier, Dr Brendan Fleming, Dr Eamon Maher, and Dr Brian Murphy. The conference will also feature a musical recital performed by UCD Ad Astra Scholar Kevin O'Loughlin, bringing to life the music that inspired Moore, including works by Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, Elgar, and Holst.
Dr Brian Murphy, who has previously written a well-received biography of Douglas Hyde, said, "I am really pleased that a centre-piece of the George Moore conference this year will be the collaboration between George Moore and Douglas Hyde. Hyde's play, The Tinker and The Fairy, was written at the start of the 20th century and Moore was a very enthusiastic editor of Hyde's draft. The play was first performed in Moore's garden in Ely Place in 1902 in the Irish language with the main actors being Hyde himself, who would later go on to become President of Ireland, and Sinead Ni Flannagain, a young actress, who would later marry Eamon de Valera, another future President of Ireland.
Continuing Dr Murphy, said, "This year's Moore conference will include a specially staged Rehearsed Reading of The Tinker and the Fairy. We are really grateful to our colleagues Pete McDermott and Andrea Basquille from TU Dublin Conservatoire for facilitating this Rehearsed Reading and, of course, to Úna Florent and Kyle Andrew Laing, TU Dublin drama students, who will take on the play's main roles."
Dr Eamon Maher, a former Trustee of the George Moore Association and Director of the National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies at TU Dublin, welcomed the siting of this year's seminar in TU Dublin's Aungier Street Campus: 'The theme of 'George Moore Back in Dublin Again' meant that the GMA was keen on getting a university in the Irish capital to host the event. Because of Moore's close links to France and his strong involvement in political and cultural events in Ireland, TU Dublin seemed like an ideal venue. We are very happy to be associated with a writer whose broad range of expertise – art, music, literature, politics, history, culture, religion – is not unlike that of TU Dublin itself, which has always been supportive of interdisciplinary research.'
The conference is open to academics, students, and members of the public interested in Irish literature and history. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in discussions, enjoy musical performances, and explore Moore's deep connection to Dublin and its cultural legacy.
To register, please send the message 'I look forward to attending the event on 21st March' with your name and contact details to georgemooreassociation@gmail.com.
Visit the George Moore Association website for a full event programme.