Irish Byron Society
- Irish Byron Society
The Annual General Meeting took place at the United Arts Club on Friday 25 January. Thirty members attended and apologies were received from a further three. Throughout a year of severe economic downturn we again managed to maintain the society’s policy of organising at least one function per month.
Two vacancies arose on the committee due to the resignation of Geraldine Semple and Frank Brady. Julie Bishop was co-opted onto the committee following the departure of Frank, and Lucy O’Kelly, who was proposed by Mary Dunne and seconded by Ann Corrigan, took over from Geraldine. Both changes were duly endorsed by the members present. Before the meeting a letter of resignation was received by the Chairman from Rosemarie Rowley. The Chairman thanked Rosemarie for her commitment, hard work and overall contribution to the society and wished her well with her future writing and academic career and hoped that she would maintain her interest in the Irish Byron Society and indeed, in the poetical and literary works of Lord Byron.
On Friday 22 February we were treated to an informative lecture by the Chairman of the Newstead Abbey Byron Society, Ken Purslow, who spoke in depth of stocking frames, spinning frames and power looms, the Luddite riots and their aftermath in Nottingham, during the period 1811–1813. Nottingham, of course, was the constituency of Lord Byron. Ken was our special guest at dinner in the dining room following his lecture.
Our Annual Spring Lunch took place in the United Arts Club on Saturday 24 March. Following a well-attended lunch members read from their favourite Michael Hartnett poem, and duly repaired to the upstairs bar to be entertained by the musical strains of Pat McCormack.
The Byron Society trip to Edinburgh took place from Friday 12 to Monday 15 April. We were joined in Edinburgh by members of the Newstead Abbey Byron Society. On Friday 12 April, following dinner, our colleague Eric Wishart, patron of the Scottish Poetry Library and joint-treasurer of the International Byron Society, took visitors to the Scottish Poetry Library archives, where an eclectic mix of poetry in books, cd’s and records from almost every country on the planet is available. On Saturday 13 April we visited the [End Page 101] Murray archives at the Scottish National Library by courtesy of the curator Dr. David McClay. David welcomed the two societies to Edinburgh and put on display, exclusively for members, numerous original editions and manuscripts together with various memorabilia relating to the life and works of Lord Byron. This was followed by a long lunch at the Scottish Arts Club. Sunday was spent touring the city and its environs and most members returned home on Monday having enjoyed an interesting weekend. Our thanks must be extended to David McClay and Eric Wishart who went to a lot of trouble to ensure our weekend was memorable.
On 24 May, Byron scholar Dr. Mary O’Connell from University College Cork gave a lecture to the society entitled ‘“The Napoleon of Rhyme and the Prince of Publishers”: Byron and John Murray’. This was a delightful lecture enhanced greatly by numerous interesting slides. Mary and her husband were the committee’s guests at dinner following the lecture. We wish Mary well with the publication of her new book on Byron and Murray which is due for publication this year.
On Saturday 22 June we held our Blooms-day Literary Lunch. Once again we had the pleasure of the company of poet and author, Dr. Kit Fryatt, who came over specially from Scotland and recited, as only she can, her highly personal and entertaining poetry. Following Kit’s readings, society members read from the first chapter of Joyce’s Ulysses. Members, including Kit Fryatt and her poet partner then adjourned to the bar where further entertainment ensued long into the evening.
From 1 to 6 July, King’s College London was the venue for the 2013 International Byron Conference where lecture sessions were held at London’s Strand Campus beside the River Thames in the heart of London. Sixteen of our members travelled to the conference which was attended by over one...
