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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Limerick to host exhibition of Richard Harris's never-seen-before memorabilia
A new exhibition is set to bring never-seen-before memorabilia of Richard Harris back to his native Limerick. From 'Dickie to Richard' - Richard Harris: Role of a Lifetime' is the first ever public exhibition of items drawn from the actor's own collection, including personal letters and annotated scripts to rare photographs, poetry, recordings, and sporting memorabilia. A collaboration between the Harris Family, the Hunt Museum and University College Cork (UCC), the immersive exhibition will draw on the treasures of the Harris Archive, donated by the actor's family to UCC in 2022. The exhibition will run at the Hunt Museum in Limerick city from July 4 to November 16. Speaking on behalf of the family, Damien, Jared and Jamie Harris, said: 'Richard was a prolific writer and kept everything: Poems. Short stories. Scripts. Whether finished or works in progress. This exhibition gives people a sense of the depth and humour behind the public image. It means a lot to us to see it here in Limerick.' Barry Monahan, Department of Film & Screen Media, University College Cork, said the exhibition "offers the public – fans of Richard, of the arts, and of Irish culture – a wonderful glimpse into the mind and creative energy of this impressive and enigmatic Irishman, and it sheds light on the times and places in which he lived and worked.' CEO of the Hunt Museum, Teresa Crowley described the exhibition as a 'homecoming for Richard'. 'It not only honours his extraordinary career but celebrates his Limerick, Munster, and Irish roots, offering the public a unique opportunity to explore his artistic and sporting world in the city where his journey began,' Ms Crowley said. In addition to the main exhibition, an exciting series of public talks, film screenings, and events will accompany the show throughout its run with full details to be announced in the coming weeks. The Richard Harris International Film Festival Meanwhile, last October, The Richard Harris International Film Festival (RHIFF) in Limerick had to be postponed due to 'financial constraints'. The festival, which has been running for over a decade, was due to take place from October 23-28. RHIFF festival director, Zeb Moore, told the Irish Examiner: 'We're delighted to see the arrival of the exhibition to the home of Richard Harris. We are looking forward to possible collaborations over the tenure of the exhibition.' The RHIFF did not secure any State funding in 2023 or 2024, which put a strain on resources. Despite what was described as a "setback", the team behind the festival said they are still exploring all avenues so the event can go ahead in October 2025. 'We look forward to welcome back our international guests to the city and showcase what Limerick and the surrounding regions have to offer to the film industry,' Mr Moore added. Over the years, RHIFF has grown into one of Ireland's premier film festivals, showcasing more than 1,000 films, including Irish and international features, shorts, documentaries, and animation. From 2017 to 2019, the festival was selected by the Department of Foreign Affairs to represent Ireland at the Global Irish Festival Series. The festival has been recognised for its programming, which includes special tributes to Richard Harris, workshops, and panels that offer insights into the world of cinema. Last year, actor Jamie Dornan was honoured by the festival for "outstanding talent". Read More Jared Harris 'delighted' the Richard Harris Archives have found a home in Cork
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Learning from lessons of the not-so-distant past – lifting the lid on family law
As researchers, we were astonished to hear people's experience of the rule, which means family hearings are heard in private, described by various participants as horrific, misogynistic and abusive. Over the past year we have been working with Dr Kenneth Burns, senior lecturer at University College Cork, on a research study commissioned by the Department of Justice to capture the experiences not only of family members who have direct experience of using the family law courts, but also those of the professionals, whose work intersects with in-camera rule. Judges were also interviewed for this study. Everyone knows someone whose marriage, for one reason or another (adultery, domestic violence) has not worked out. For some, they have no option but to pursue the legal route. From the outside looking in, you might think that the couple go to court, get a legal separation or divorce and go their separate ways. The reality, however, as highlighted by our research, shows that it is not as straightforward as one might think. In fact, as described by some of the participants in the study, the system itself can be quite horrific. According to some of our research participants, the in-camera rule has a lot to answer for, and in fact has resulted in many people who use the family courts feeling 'gagged', 'silenced' and 'having no voice'. One participant said that what the in-camera rule actually achieves is 'secrecy not privacy'. Others described it as a system that lacks transparency where there is little or no accountability for the oftentimes life-changing decisions that are made. It should come as no surprise then that from the outset of this study, the floodgates opened. Personal stories, some handwritten, from mothers, fathers and grandparents – all desperate for their stories to be heard – was a regular occurrence for both of us. Some of it was truly unbelievable and mind-boggling. Had we opened a Pandora's box? We dug deep, we found the judgments (some unpublished) only to find that what was contained in those emails and letters, sharing intimate personal accounts, was far from fictitious. In fact, you could not make it up. We were reminded of the powerful words spoken by the recently deceased Michael O'Brien, when he spoke to the nation in 2009 about his experiences of institutional abuse in one of Ireland's industrial schools. He emphasised the importance of giving voice to the voiceless and the need for people who have endured abuse to tell their stories. From our previous work in adoption research, we ask ourselves why today are the same words that were all too familiar to us making a resurgence in the family law space? Words such as secrecy, oppressive, silencing, punitive, abusive, misogynistic should have no place in contemporary Irish society. Indeed, one finding that was highlighted by both professionals and parents is that the in-camera rule has been interpreted so strictly in some cases, that people feel they cannot access crucial supports for fear of breaching the rule. Surely people have a right to reach out for support without fear of retribution? Transparency, clarity and accountability in both public and private family law should not be obscured by a privacy rule. Put by one survey participant, 'we should by now have moved past the simplistic unworkable 'silence' culture of our Catholic-dominated culture'. Those affected by adoption were relentless in their pursuit of justice. It was those who lived and breathed the long-term effects of those systemic injustices that fought for, and facilitated, much needed change in Irish adoption law. If there is one thing we can attest to from our collective experiences, it is that people should not be silenced. Surely Ireland's history has taught us that much? The wheel of change turns very, very slowly. In the context of Irish family law, the changes cannot come soon enough.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Book details advice for cancer patients to counter 'world full of nutrition misinformation'
Cancer patients face 'a world full of nutrition misinformation', a top dietician has warned as the Irish Cancer Society and University College Cork launch a book to tackle the problem. Treatments such as surgery and radiation therapy can cause early menopause and the symptoms are likely to be harsher and last longer than a natural menopause, according to the HSE. The Irish Cancer Society has now partnered with University College Cork dietitians to create a booklet for patients facing this struggle. Dr Samantha Cushen and Katie Johnston from the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences and Cancer Research at UCC, have co-authored Menopause, Diet & Cancer. Dr Cushen said finding clear nutrition advice is vital. 'For too long, women have been left to piece together guidance from too many - often conflicting - sources,' she said. 'In a world full of nutrition misinformation, this book brings it all together, offering clarity, compassion, and credible answers in one evidence-based guide designed to support, inform, and reassure.' It includes scientific evidence, patients' lived experience, and advice with input from 16 patients. She said trusted advice on diet should be a standard part of care, saying: 'Much more needs to be done to ensure every woman has access. And we are determined to make that a reality.' In Marguerite Herlihy's case, she was shocked to enter sudden menopause aged just 40 after treatment for breast cancer. The mother of three said: 'This experience has been one of the most difficult and unpredictable challenges I've ever faced.' She explained: "The very treatments that are keeping me alive also carry long-term risks to my heart, bones, brain, and other vital organs.' She welcomed the book, saying there is information in it that she wasn't able to find anywhere else. 'This is the first Irish publication that has truly made me feel seen,' she said. 'Not just in terms of my diagnosis, but in the full complexity of what I'm dealing with.' It can be downloaded free from the Irish Cancer Society website. Meanwhile, pharmacy chain Boots on Wednesday announced its 94 stores in Ireland will join the state's free HRT scheme for menopausal women. The chain will share details on how to use HRT prescriptions on the Boots website and in pharmacies from June 1. Read More New breast cancer treatment that avoids chemotherapy saves woman almost €43k in lost income avoided
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Kinship: Artist Dorothy Cross on returning a mummified body to Egypt
We present an extract from Kinship, the new book by celebrated artist Dorothy Cross. Kinship is a unique undertaking in the artistic career of one of Ireland's leading artists. This book, and the artistic project it is part of, charts the act of returning a mummified body of a man to Egypt. Kinship is the act of returning the ancient body of a mummified man to Egypt. It follows in a series of large-scale art projects created over the past three decades set in extraordinary locations such as epic natural sea pools, slate quarries, handball alleys, cathedrals and naval ships. Ghostship (1999), where a decommissioned lightship, was painted with phosphorescent paint and glowed in Dublin Bay, creating a glimmering phantom. Lightships had once marked dangerous underwater reefs all around the coast of Ireland – floating lighthouses placed to warn passing vessels of hidden danger. They were manned by a crew who lived aboard the engineless ships, which were moored bow and stern to the seabed below. As children, our father would bring us out in our boat to visit the Daunt lightship, carrying gifts of cigarettes, fruit and newspapers to the men. By the 1990s most lightships were decommissioned and replaced by satellite buoys. In Heartship (2019), a human heart was placed on board an Irish naval vessel, which sailed up the River Lee in Cork city. It took four years to find a human heart to borrow for the piece. Many hearts are stored in the world's anatomy departments, but laws now prohibit their use. Finally, I borrowed a heart that had been found in a crypt in Cork city in 1863 and acquired by the British army officer General Pitt Rivers, who gave his collection to the University of Oxford, where it remains to this day as the Pitt Rivers Museum. The heart, wrapped in lead, was ideal – nameless, genderless and historic – representing us all. Heartship honoured the thousands of hearts that drowned and remain on the Mediterranean seabed. The heart was held on board a ship that had rescued over 18,000 migrants while stationed in the Mediterranean. It sailed up the river in brilliant sunshine, music pulsing from the ship. The ethereal voice of Lisa Hannigan, with glass-armonica and water-phone, filled the valley. The only figure visible on board was a woman dressed in grey, wandering around the deck. Swallows flew across the bow and people gathered on the dock. The crew docked with perfect choreography – and then Lisa sang from the deck. Listen: Dorothy Cross talks to Brendan O'Connor Some time after Heartship, I remembered a story of an Egyptian mummy that had been in University College Cork (UCC) for decades. I had been told about it years earlier by my Aunt May. May was my father Fergus' oldest sister. She was born in 1899. Her house, Monteville, was full of treasures: a doll's-house replica of Monteville, a grand piano, a rocking horse, X-rays, damask and china, bones and intelligence. She had studied medicine during the curfews of the civil war, lying on her belly on the floor with a candle to illuminate her texts as guns fired across the city. She offered me a room in her basement to use as a studio when I graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute and returned to Ireland in 1983. Remembering her story of the Egyptian body, I felt compelled to return the body and sarcophagus to his homeland – a simple act of kinship. Aunt May's husband, Billy O'Donovan, became professor of Pathology in the early 1940s. Building work was being done at the time in the lecture hall of the anatomy department where workers discovered a large sarcophagus containing a mummified human being. A rumour circulated that my uncle had hidden it under the floorboards. This wasn't the case however, it had been placed there for storage several years before he arrived, unbeknownst to him. There is no such thing as ownership with cargo like this. There is guardianship and fellowship. In the early 1900s mummified bodies were exhumed in Egypt and legally sold to collectors and museums around the world. The official version on how this body arrived in Cork is that in 1928 he was gifted by an African missionary priest to the then president of UCC. Some research was done on the mummy in the 1970s by Helen Maloney of UCC. It is the body of a man, believed to have died of natural causes, in his late forties or early fifties. He may have been a priest from Thebes. He was not high-ranking. He was not Tutankhamun. He dates from the Ptolemaic period, 332–30 BC. The sarcophagus which contained the mummy dates from 300 years earlier than the body and was originally occupied by a higher-ranking man named Hor, relatives of whom are in the Museum of Egyptology in Turin, Italy. In 2020 I began to research and view the sarcophagus in UCC, helped by custodians there. At this time I understood that the mummy was in the National Museum in Dublin undergoing preservation treatment. Before travelling to Dublin to view the mummy, I approached a restoration expert located near my home on the remote west coast of Ireland, to ask him about the cost of restoring such an ancient mummy. While in the office of the restoration centre, showing a photograph of the sarcophagus, I mentioned that the mummy was in Dublin. The director, however, pointed to the ceiling above my head and said, 'The mummy is not in Dublin, it is here!' It had been in storage five miles from my house for the last twelve years! The body had been sent to Letterfrack for preservation, when students in Cork rallied to have it sent back to Egypt. It was in bad shape when it arrived in Letterfrack. A restoration expert from the British Museum stabilised it and it was then kept in humidity-controlled storage for the following years. In the beginning things moved quickly. John FitzGerald, poet and head librarian of UCC, enabled us to view the sarcophagus, which remained in a crate under the stairs of the new library with students nonchalantly running up and down, entirely unaware that an ancient coffin lay below. In March 2022 the Kinship Group (Dorothy Cross, John FitzGerald, Mary Hickson and Maeve- Ann Austen) travelled to Cairo. We were aided by the then minister for foreign affairs, Simon Coveney, and then Irish ambassador, Sean O'Regan, in Egypt. We met with the top archaeologists and Egyptologists, notably Dr Mostafa Waziry. He was intrigued by the story of this 'Irish' mummy and agreed to have him returned, to be housed in the Museum of Egyptology in Cairo. Originally my idea for Kinship was to place the body on a ship in Ireland; to sail down the Bay of Biscay, through the Straits of Gibraltar and across the Mediterranean sea, to arrive home to Cairo – from where it had departed one hundred years earlier – with music from both cultures heralding it along the way. Kinship would draw attention to the present-day plight of thousands of migrants who, fleeing their countries, attempt to cross those waters. After these meetings in Cairo, however, it was decided, sadly, that travel had to be by air and not by ship. In the Autumn of 2023 UCC requested the return of the body to Cork from Letterfrack. At the time we were considering a documentary film to accompany what we thought would be an imminent and systematic return. We rented the most beautiful hearse from O'Connor's Funeral Home to carry him south. It turned out the great-nephew of my cousin Margaret O'Connor, daughter of Aunt May was one of the two men who arrived that day, both dressed in black suits, to bring the body back to Cork. We arranged flowers around the crate containing the body and he was driven through the wilds of the western mountains and valleys to the south. The idea for this book formed early in the journey. I wished to hear the voices of brilliant writers in connection with the idea of loss and migration, displacement, time and transition. To bind him in their words. I am so thrilled by the written pieces. They are varied and touching and wrap around the body of an unknown person. I would like to thank the writers for their work which illuminates the anonymity of the returning man, holding him within stories and thoughts. There is no such thing as ownership with cargo like this. There is guardianship and fellowship. As I write, five years have passed since I was first drawn to the idea of returning this man to his homeland. It felt like such a natural and simple act. The body has now been stored for over two years in a warehouse full of university artefacts, the crate gilded in anticipation of the journey. Months have passed; licences have been sourced from the Irish and Egyptian authorities. He was laid to rest over 2000 years ago, which is a short period in relationship to time but long in relationship to our own brevity on the planet. He will return home, however long it takes.
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cork Harbour Festival returns with maritime activities and cultural events — here's what's on
Cork Harbour Festival has returned with a selection of on-the-water maritime activities and music, art, poetry, workshops, talks and seminars. A celebration Cork's unique maritime heritage as the second largest natural harbour in the world, the festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Visitors can explore the history, heritage, and landscapes of Cork Harbour until Monday, June 2. Ireland's premier long-distance rowing race Ocean to City – An Rás Mór will also take place as part of the festival on Saturday, May 31. The festival has collaborated with over 60 event partners from across the region to deliver a more diverse programme than ever before, with festivities in locations including Cobh, Crosshaven, Myrtleville, Monkstown, Ringaskiddy, Whitegate, East Ferry, Passage West, and Cork City sites such as University College Cork, Lapp's Quay, Blackrock, Lee Fields, Crawford Art Gallery and Nano Nagle Place. Here are just some of the events and activities on offer: On the Water Cork Sea Safari is offering a harbour and coastline tour which departs Crosshaven at 2pm frpm May 24 to June 2. Price: €40 for adults & €30 for children - use discount code CHF2025 for 20% off. A wildlife and coastal exploration tour will also depart from Crosshaven at 10.30am from May 24 to June 2. Price: €55 for adults and €40 for children - Use discount code CHF2025 for 20% off Niamh Glavin celebrates the launch of this year's Cork Harbour Festival, marking its 10-year anniversary and the flagship event, Ocean to City – An Rás Mór marking its 20th anniversary. Picture: Clare Keogh Cork Harbour Cruises is running a two-hour scenic boat trip around Cork Harbour, departing Custom House Quay at 10.30am and 2pm from May 24 to June 2. Price: Adults €28, children €12.50 family rates available Cork Harbour Boat Hire is running evening harbour rib tours departing from Cobh at 6pm on May 25 and May 30. Price: €40 Cork Dive Centre is holding introductory scuba diving sessions that will entail some theory, followed by a 45-minute practice in sheltered water from 7pm to 8pm on May 27 and May 30. Price: €95 Phoenix Kayak Club is hosting an introduction to kayaking session from 6pm to 9pm on May 30. Price: €15 Heritage For a taste of local history and maritime heritage, people are invited to explore the Galeon Andalucia, a full-size Spanish galleon with ship tours running until Monday, June 1. Price: €14, adult. €7, chidren aged five to 10 years. Free, children under five years. Visit: The Passage West Maritime Museum will be open for guided tours on several dates between May 24 and June 1. Price: €4 and children under 12 go free People are invited to step back in time at Camden Fort Meagher in Crosshaven daily from May 24 to June 2. Price: €8, adult. €5, child/Student/OAP €5. A guided tour of Elizabeth Fort with Cork City Council will take place at 3pm on Sunday, May 25, Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1. Price: €3 Spike Island is always a favourite for guided tours, and this year, festival goers can also visit Titanic Experience Cobh and the Cobh Heritage Centre from 12pm to 3.30pn from now until June 2. Price: tickets from €27.95 Aerial view of Spike Island. Picture: John Crotty, Spike Island Manager. There are digital self-guided walking trails available from Travella Solutions which allow people to explore the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Cork City and Harbour. Price: Free, use QR code available on For something a bit more active, people can join Beyond the Glass Adventure Tours on their Cork City cycle tours, which take place daily at 10am except on Sundays. Price: €50 - use discount code CHF2025 for 10% off Foodies can get behind the scenes at Hederman Smoke House Lunch Tours in Cobh on May 26, 28 and 30 from 2pm. Price: €85 per person There's also a fun Comedic Dinner Theatre by Hysterical Histories Cork on May 29, 30 and 31 from 7pm Price: €32 – €55 - avail of our special Cork Harbour Festival €5 discount by using the code CHFEST25 when booking Arts On the cultural side of the festival, there's plenty to see and do for everyone. Harry Moore's Celebration of Currach Construction will take place at the Quay Co-op until June 15 and the Tools of the Trade Exhibition at City Hall will run from May 30 to June 13. Price: Free For music lovers, there are three Songs of the Sea sessions taking place — with Cork Singers Club on May 25, Éamonn Ó Ceallaigh on May 26, and another at the Rory Gallagher Music Library on May 29. Price: Free Over at Spike Island, the 'Each Name, a Story' exhibition runs throughout the festival. Price: Included as part of Spike Island Guided Tour (tickets from €27.95) Family Events The Model Boat Project Exhibition at Cork City Library, a collaboration between Cllr Kieran McCarthy and Meitheal Mara, will open until June 11. Price: Free Blackrock Sailing Club will host a fun Harbour Regatta on May 25, and the Circus Factory is offering a cool Knot Tying Workshop on May 30. Price: Free The Cork Cycling Campaign invites people to take part in the Lee to Sea Jamboree from 4pm to 8pm on May 31 Price: Free Education The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) will host a maritime education and training day on May 28. Price: Free event - visitors are asked to consider making a donation at the door to L.A.S.T. (Lost At Sea Tragedies), a charity dedicated to supporting those affected by tragedies at sea. Blackrock Castle Observatory overlooking the River Lee and Loughmahon Estuary at Cork. Picture: Larry Cummin. Blackrock Castle Observatory will have an engaging 'Stellar Seas' event on May 31. Price: Included as part of general admission – booking is essential. The Glucksman is running a street photography masterclass with Brendan Ó Sé at 10am on May 31. Price: €30 Nature Relax with a sauna experience with Swede Sauna at Roberts Cove until June 2, or join beach yoga and pilates with Sacred Body Studio on selected dates, May 25, May 31, and June 1. Price: €20 for a one-hour shared sauna session with others. The Sister Hub is hosting a women's coastal walk and talk on May 29. Price: Free A land and water clean-up will take place on June 2 and Cork Nature Network is leading a wildflowers f Cork Harbour in Passage West on the same day. Price: Free Ocean to City – An Rás Mór Ocean to City, An Ras Mor, is Ireland's largest rowing and paddling race. One of the big highlights is Ocean to City – An Rás Mór, which takes place on May 31. It is Ireland's largest rowing and paddling race, attracting over 500 participants and 200 boats of all shapes and sizes. From 3pm, there will be a live DJ performance by Billy Kennedy at Monkstown, plus a cheerful Ukulele Performance by the Shandon Ukulele Ensemble at Blackrock Pier. A kayak polo match hosted by Phoenix Kayak Club at Lapps Quay West will take place at 3pm. Celebrations at the Ocean to City finish line at Lapps Quay will kick off at 5.30pm, and will include live performances, music, and lots of family activities.
