Page 20 - The 16th Percy French Festival: Our Great Disconnect

former Taoi seach
bertie ahern dr tony mcarthy Dr Margaret daly-denton Dr brian griffin

Bertie served as Taoi seach from 1997 to After a career spanning over 40 years Margaret’s doctoral dissertation (on the Brian is an adjunct associate professor
2007, during which Ireland saw remark- as an accountant, stockbroker, and for the textual origins of Christian ritual song) in the history department at Maynooth
able econ omic growth, social change, last 20 years running his own businesses, was mentored by Prof. Seán Freyne. University, specialising in the social history
and intense engagement with the North- Tony received his PhD from Maynooth During his illness and eventual retire - of nineteenth and early twentieth century
ern Ireland peace process that resulted University in 2017. He is a former writer ment, she undertook his teaching of Ireland. He has a particular interest in the
in the Good Friday Agreement between in residence in the Princess Grace Library, New Testa ment at TCD, and com pleted history of the Royal Irish Constabulary and
the British and Irish Governments and Monaco, and is currently a visiting fellow his post hu mously published book, Dublin Metropolitan Police, crime, and
the political parties in Northern Ireland. at the School of History in Newcastle The Jesus Movement and its Expan sion: sport (especially cycling). Recent publica-
The Irish Presidency of European Council Uni versity. His published works include Mean ing and Mission (Eerdmans, Grand tions include articles on Percy French’s
in 2004 saw him preside over the historic The Shaws of Terenure, A nineteenth- Rap ids/MI Cam bridge UK, 2014). She war-related entertainments during the
enlargement of the European Union to century Dublin merchant family (2010), was instru mental in establishing The Great War, the bicycle in the Irish Revolu-
27 member states including eight from and Land reform in the British and Irish Isles Freyne Library in TCD, Seán’s gift of the tion, Jack B. Yeat’s Punch cartoons during
Eastern Europe. Since being Taoi seach (2022) coedited with Professor Annie life-long collec tion that had resourced the Great War and freak shows in 19th
he has had leadership roles on key global Tindley and Dr Shaun Evans. His latest his biblical schol ar ship. Assuming his century Ireland. Work in progress includes
issues including increasing aid to devel- publication, Land reform and legislation mantle, teach ing ‘Bible and Ecology’ in articles on bicycle advertisements in the
oping countries and tackling the spread in Ireland 1800–1992, in conjunc tion a Masters pro gramme in Ecology and Second World War and street football
of HIV Aids. His achievements at home with Professors Terence Dooley and Religion, was a turning point in her own in Ireland from the 1870s to the 1970s.
and abroad have been recognized inter- Annie Tindley, will be published later research and writing, opening up for her His latest book, Crime and the Criminal
nationally. Bertie is one of the few to this year. He is a regular contributor to the the possibility that the world’s religious Classes in Ireland, 1870–1920, will be pub-
have been invited to address the Houses Irish Farmers Journal, Country Living traditions might have a significant role lished by Cork University Press in 2024.
of Parliament in Westminster and the magazine, and other journals. in these days of eco l ogical crisis by moti -

Houses of Congress in Washington DC. va t ing their adher ents to care for the
Since leaving Government in 2008 he has planet. Her latest book, an earth-cons -
dedicated his time to conflict resolution cious read ing of the Fourth Gospel, is
and is actively involved with many groups John: An Earth Bible Commentary: Sup -
around the world. pos ing him to be the gardener (Blooms -
bury/T&T Clark, London, 2017).

•18• OUR GREAT DISCONNEC T • PERCY FRENCH FESTIVAL 2024 SPEAKERS + PERFORMER S • PERCY FRENCH FESTIVAL 2024 •19•