150th anniversary of the birth of Douglas Hyde celebrated in style

President McAleese hosted the annual Twelfth of July garden party at Áras an Uachtaráin. This year’s event celebrated the cultural diversity of the island of Ireland and marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of Douglas Hyde, first President of Ireland who died on  July 12 1949.

A delegation from Roscommon County Council, including  Mayor Cllr. Luke Flanagan, County Manager Mr. Frank Dawson,  Director of Services Mr. Tommy Ryan,  County Librarian Mr. Richie Farrell and  Curator of the Douglas Hyde Centre Ms. Deirdre O’Gara attended the event.

Members of Roscommon County Council; L -R Frank Dawson, County Manager, Cllr Luke Flanagan, Mayor, Richie Farrell/ A/Director of Services and Deirdre O’ Gara, Curator, Douglas Hyde Centre at Aras an Uachtaráain for the President’s 12th July garden party incorporating events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Douglas Hyde.

Roscommon County Council was there to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Douglas Hyde. The exhibition at the Centre in Portahard, Frenchpark was upgraded, remodelled, reproduced and transported to the Áras along with a range of exhibition items from Roscommon County Council Library Service’s Local Studies and Archive Collections for display.

As the first President of Ireland, the figure of Douglas Hyde was an integral part of the occasion where, apart from the exhibition, a series of entertainments, including musical and dramatic pieces relating to Hyde, were performed for over 250 guests from across all sections of the community both north and south.

The newly enhanced exhibition will be returning to Roscommon and will form part of the upgrading of the exhibition at Portahard, Frenchpark  and members of the public and visitors to the county are urged in this special year of celebration of the life and work of Douglas Hyde to visit the centre.