ABANDONED ARCHIVES: Stories We Can’t Tell

Edmund Burke Theatre, Trinity College Dublin, 18:30-20:00 GMT

A Public Symposium on the Importance of Preserving our Archives for Future Generations

Archives are a window into the past. They are unique records which document the decisions and actions of individuals and organisations. Once lost, archives cannot be replaced.

Mr Justice John Hedigan, Chair of the National Archives Advisory Council
Seán Carabini, Fórsa
Hazel Menton and Niamh McDonnell, Fórsa Archivist’s Branch
Anne Dolan, Dept of History, Trinity College Dublin
Fintan O’Toole, author and journalist

Moderated by

Catriona Crowe, archivist and broadcaster

This symposium and open forum will bring attention to Ireland’s abandoned archives which are currently at risk of being lost forever because they are not being properly acquired, preserved and made accessible by the state. These are the stories we can’t tell.

A 2019 report—‘National Archives: A Comparative Management Survey’—highlighted the deficiency in archive legislation in Ireland and the lack of staff and resources available to the National Archives to enable it to carry out its statutory functions of acquiring, preserving and providing access to public records created by the government.

Speakers will highlight the urgent need for a whole-of-government approach to records management to preserve the story of Ireland for generations to come.

Supported by

Fórsa

Archives & Records Association, Ireland

Information & Records Management Society, Ireland

Irish Association of Professional Historians

Irish Society for Archives

Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute

For more details and to register for the event please click here.