SEE OUR PAGE ON THE CLUB’S PLANNED 2109 TRIP TO ROME AND NAPLES IN MARCH/APRIL

Our next public meeting in the parish hall is  on TUESDAY 19th February 2019 @ 20:00

MAIN TALK – Richard Bridges Beechey – Naval Officer and Marine Artist

By Cormac Lowth

Richard Bridges Beechey (1808 – 14 March 1895) was an Anglo-Irish painter  and admiral in the Royal Navy. Beechey joined the Royal Navy at the age of 14, and eventually rose to the rank of admiral. Like his father and two of his brothers he was a celebrated painter, who illustrated various ports and naval scenes. After the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, Beechey sailed in HMS Blossom, commanded by his brother Frederick William Beechey, into the Pacific, and then to the Bering Strait to attempt to support the Franklin Expedition. He was promoted lieutenant in 1828. Then he served in the Mediterranean, and in 1835 was seconded to a survey of Ireland. He was made commander in 1846, and then in 1851 was promoted captain. In 1879, long after the end of his active naval career, he was promoted to the rank of vice-admiral on the retired list. After his retirement from the Navy in 1864 he settled in Ireland, living for many years at Monkstown, and later in Pembroke Road, Dublin.

SHORT TALK – Horace Plunkett – his life and work and his Foxrock connection

By Declan Ryan

Sir Horace Curzon Plunkett (24 October 1854 – 26 March 1932), was an Anglo-Irish agricultural reformer, pioneer of agricultural cooperatives, Unionist MP, supporter of Home Rule, Irish Senator and author.  Plunkett, a younger son of the Baron of Dunsany, was a member of the Congested Districts Board for Ireland for over 27 years, founder of the Recess Committee and the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society (IAOS), Vice-President (operational head) of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction (DATI) for Ireland (predecessor to the Department of Agriculture) from October 1899 to May 1907, MP for South Dublin in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1892 to 1900, and Chairman of the Irish Convention of 1917–18. An adherent of Home Rule, in 1919 he founded the Irish Dominion League, still aiming to keep Ireland united, and in 1922 he became a member of the first formation of Seanad Éireann, the upper chamber in the Parliament of the new Irish Free State. He lived on Westminister Road in Foxrock up to the time his house was burned in the Civil War.

 

All our meetings are held in the Foxrock Pastoral Centre, which is at the junction of the N11 and Kill Lane. We meet on the third Tuesday of every month between September and May. The meetings start at 20:00 and firstly is a short talk of 20 to 25 mins. this is then followed by the main talk. After the talks there is an opportunity for questions and answers. Then after the vote of thanks, tea and biscuits are served and you can get a chance to meet the speakers and ask questions you may have.

Admission for members is Free.

Admission for Non- Members is EUR 5.00

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MEMBERSHIP – Our Annual Membership is EUR 25.00 and this covers free admission to our eight meetings in the year ( Admission is EUR 5.00  for non-members per meeting). Also on our short outings members are free (Cost of EUR 5.00 for non-members per outing).  Members also get first choice on our annual outing.

Membership renewal will start in September for 2019 if you wish to get in before the rush.