Radio man Joe Duffy features in Dublin Festival of History

THE best-selling author of ‘Wild Swans’, Jung Chang, radio presenter and author Joe Duffy, and popular historian and TV presenter, Dan Jones have been announced as part of the line-up for this year’s Dublin Festival of History.

Taking place from October 1 to 20, this year’s festival will feature over 150 walks, tours, exhibitions and talks across the city.

The festival is an initiative of Dublin City Council, and all events are free and open to the public.

At the launch last week in the the Registry of Deeds on Henrietta Street details of some of the events were revealed.

There will be talks on the relationship between fashion and the city; a look at the history of housing prices in Dublin; as well as a look at anniversaries such as 50 years since the moon landing.

A premiere of a documentary on the famous Alcock and Brown 1919 flight across the Atlantic ocean and an in-depth look at the partition of Ireland 100 years on from the War of Independence will also form just part of the programme of events taking place over the three weeks.

The festival will culminate with a ‘Big Weekend’ of talks at the Printworks, Dublin Castle, taking place from Friday, October 18 to Sunday, 20.

Speaking at the Big Weekend will be journalist Anita Anand, who will explore the Irish connection to the massacre of hundreds of men, women and children in Amritsar, India in 1919.

Tom Holland, award-winning historian, biographer and broadcaster, will examine how Christianity shaped the western mind while author of Wild Swans, Jung Chang, will reveal her new research on the lives of three extraordinary women who shaped the history of twentieth-century China.

Joe Duffy and Freya McClements will be telling the untold stories of the lost children of the Troubles while Sarah Churchwell will discuss the meaning and history of the terms ‘America First’ and ‘American Dream’, and why they need to be understood afresh to reclaim the true spirit of America.

Historian and TV presenter Dan Jones, will be turning his attention to the history of the Crusades and Robert Service on the second coming of Vladimir Putin.

Speaking at the launch of the festival, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Paul McAuliffe, said: “Since it began in 2013, the festival has gained a reputation for attracting world-class, best-selling historians of national and international significance.

“This year we look forward to welcoming speakers such as authors Jung Chang, Tom Holland and Dan Jones.”