North and south Tipperary are to be united with a series of lectures, cultural explorations, musical soundings and artistic endeavours next week.
"A Celebration of Tipperary", organised and hosted by the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute (TRBDI), will feature lectures and open discussions on a broad range of topics relating to history, community, enterprise, politics and culture in the region.
The event, which will be formally opened by the chairman of Ryanair, Dr Tony Ryan, is scheduled to run from next Thursday until Sunday.
Speakers over the festival weekend include: Irish Voice editor, Niall O'Dowd; Dr Martin Mansergh; Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien; and the director-general of Ceoltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Senator Labhras O Murchu.
"The idea for the project emerged from what the role of Tipperary people was in the world, but the kernel of that thought was the role of the Diaspora abroad," said the director of the rural development department at TRBDI, Mr Kieran Lynch.
The key seminar of the festival, the TRBDI Millennium Emigrant Lecture, will be delivered by Mr O'Dowd. He identifies the Diaspora as being an important part of Ireland's history and culture and says: "Ireland is no longer just on the western periphery of Europe. There are 70 million people worldwide looking at their Irish roots. I think this is a focus for exiles to return home and I can't think of any county where something similar couldn't happen."
His lecture, "The Role of the Diaspora in the Peace Process", will focus on the Irish-American political lobby, how it emerged in the 1970s and how it pushed the US into a role in the Irish peace process.
Besides academic lectures and discussion sessions, some of Tipperary's finest artists, photographers and sculptors will display their work. Mr Lynch believes the festival is sustainable in the future. "I think we can find a new range of topics, themes and ideas every year because of the academic development, teaching and research emerging in the TRBDI. These will help bring new themes into the celebration." Further details are available by phoning 0504-28122.