Dr Ciara Breathnach and Dr Sorcha de Brún present their research at the inaugural Children of Achill and Robert Henri (1865-1929) History Festival 

Dr Ciara Breathnach and Dr Sorcha de Brún were delighted to present their ongoing research at the inaugural Children of Achill and Robert Henri (1865-1929) History Festival held at Keel Community Hall on 25 March. Henri was an American artist who visited Achill annually from 1913 until 1928. During his visits he painted portraits of the people, primarily the children. None remain in Ireland: they sold to the great and the good of Irish America and some grace the walls of America's finest museums and galleries. The event last weekend began with a history panel titled Childhood in Nineteenth Century Ireland, was followed by an innovative intergenerational art project where the current generation of Achill children presented their own self-portraits, and the final panel focused on art history.  

Dr Breathnach's paper focused on the social history of child and youth labour and the tradition of seasonal migration from Achill Island that continued well into the 1950s. Dr. de Brún focused on the changing fortunes of the Irish language and its decline, in part owing to economic necessity. This community driven history initiative emerged when a descendant of one the child sitters and an Achill resident, Sarah Lavelle, approached the Museum of Childhood in Ireland to find ways of capturing this unique heritage. 

Children of Achill and Robert Henri (1865-1929) is the first of a series of events that aims to capture this unique social history. The event was organized in partnership with Achill Tourism and generously funded by Mayo County Council. Dr Breathnach is a member of the organizing committee, along with Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, University of Galway. Further reading about the Festival at this link. https://museumofchildhood.ie/robert-henri-and-the-children-of-achill-island-1913-1928/