Thursday 6 August 2015

Barracks' Girls and Famine Immigrants Symposium

An afternoon seminar, the 'Barracks' Girls and Famine Immigrants Symposium', will be held on Saturday 29 August in Sydney, Australia.

The symposium will take a broad look at Australia's connection with the Great Famine in Ireland 1845-1850 through a series of presentations focusing on Australian contemporary and historic evidence about the Famine.

This will be an interpretation of the Barracks site itself and of its modification in recent times through to the construction of the Irish Famine Memorial. Presenters on the day will include historian and genealogist Dr Perry McIntyre, historian Dr Richard Reid, head of collections and access Megan Martin, and curator Dr Fiona Starr.

Those attending the symposium may wish to join Drs Richard Reid and Perry McIntyre beforehand at the Great Irish Famine Memorial, Hyde Park Barracks, from 12pm for an introduction to the monument.

The symposium itself gets underway at 1pm.

Venue: The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Cost: Tickets from $30.00 to $35.00.

(The following day sees the Annual Gathering at the Irish Famine Memorial, 12:30-5:00pm. Book (Adults $10).)