Paper & Politics: The Joy Family Online Talk (Mary Ann 250)
Registration for this event is now closed As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Clifton House are proud to host this talk exploring the Joy family, arguably one of the most influential Presbyterian families in the history of Belfast. From Mary Ann McCracken's grandfather, Francis Joy, we will journey through the family from the 1700s to the 1940s. Composed of paper manufactures, printers, philanthropists, politicians and artists, this talk will illuminate some of the key personalities of the Joys throughout the centuries and their place in history across these islands. Registration information • To register for [...]
Framing Irish Complicity in Transatlantic Slavery by Brian Kelly (Mary Ann 250)
As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Reclaim the Enlightenment are hosting this talk by Dr Brian Kelly. The powerful re-mergence of a global Black Lives Matter movement has helped propel a timely debate on how Ireland can best confront its own complicated entanglement in transatlantic slavery. A bustling port city and an emerging industrial powerhouse, nineteenth-century Belfast was home both to an influential mercantile elite eager to share in the spoils and to an outspoken abolitionist element. Against the backdrop of rising tensions in the United States, the city hosted a number of successful visits by [...]
HERstory: The Women of Clifton House Online Talk (Mary Ann 250)
As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Clifton House are proud to host this talk exploring the lives of the women who were involved with the Belfast Charitable Society; from well-known figures such as Mary Ann McCracken and the role of the Ladies Committee, through to the matron and the other women who drove the direction of charity in Belfast throughout the centuries. Delve into this fascinating topic based on original research in our archives. Registration information • To register for the event please RSVP below • The Zoom code will be sent to your registration email address [...]
‘A Spirit of Inquiry’: A Discussion (Mary Ann 250)
As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Reclaim the Enlightenment and the Frances Hutcheson Institute are hosting this discussion on 'A Spirit of Inquiry' which will be chaired by Norma Sinte, chair of the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation In 1792 the Belfast Library and Society for Promoting Knowledge (later the Linen Hall Library) declared an objective to encourage ‘a spirit of enquiry’. Henry Joy McCracken was a committee member and after his execution his sister, Mary Ann, took over his membership. They were thus associated with a notable enlightenment enterprise. Apart from collecting books the Society supported [...]
Children and the Belfast Poor House Online Talk (Mary Ann 250)
As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Clifton House are proud to host this talk exploring what the Poor House was like for the children who were admitted to the institution from when it opened its doors in 1774 through to the 1880s when the last child left the Poor House. This presentation will also explore some of the ongoing research into individual children who called the Poor House home over the decades. Registration information • To register for the event please RSVP below • The Zoom code will be sent to your registration email address [...]
A Tale of Two Women: Mary Ann McCracken & Baroness May Blood
Registration for this event is now closed The Mary Ann McCracken Foundation is delighted to announce an extra special addition to its Mary Ann birthday event on 8 July. Now featuring Baroness May Blood - ‘a current day Mary Ann’ - attendees will hear how she too has committed her life to fighting for the needs and rights of the people of Belfast and further afield. In addition to hearing about Baroness Blood’s achievements, the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation will also highlight who and what Mary Ann championed in her 96 years including education, abolitionism, women’s and workers’ rights. Then you, [...]
The Writing of Mary Ann McCracken’s Story (Mary Ann 250)
Registration for this event is now closed As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Clifton House are proud to host this talk exploring how Mary Ann McCracken’s story has been written throughout the years. From her first biography in the late 1800s, to Mary McNeill’s seminal text on her life (1960; republished 2019) and the most recent publication by John Gray. This talk will chart how Mary Ann, and women more generally, were viewed throughout the centuries. Registration information • To register for the event please RSVP below • The Zoom code will be sent to [...]
Bastille Day Belfast 2021 (Mary Ann 250)
As part of the Mary Ann McCracken 250 series of events Reclaim the Enlightenment are hosting an afternoon of events to mark Bastille Day. Confirmed on the bill to date (May 2021) Dublins Fergus Whelan 1798 entertainer Paddy Cullivan Mid Ulster Historian Joe McCoy North L Derry Historian S McCracken More details to follow Event information • Bastille Day Belfast will begin at 3pm • Hosted by Reclaim the Enlightenment- for more information email reclaimtheenlightenment@gmail.com About the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation The Foundation was officially launch in 2021 to promote the life and times of this remarkable [...]
Mary Ann McCracken’s Belfast Walking Tour
Experience Mary Ann McCracken’s Belfast, as you walk in the footsteps of this remarkable abolitionist, philanthropist and social reformer. Mary Ann McCracken, who was born over 250 years ago, is intrinsically linked to the city of Belfast. She lived her fearless life championing causes, moving from place to place, always on a mission to make life better for those less fortunate than herself. Hear too about her more radical nature. Her role in the work of the United Irishmen, the 1798 rebellion and beyond. How she was devoted to her older brother Henry Joy – hanged for his leading role in [...]
Mary Ann McCracken’s Belfast Walking Tour
Experience Mary Ann McCracken’s Belfast, as you walk in the footsteps of this remarkable abolitionist, philanthropist and social reformer. Mary Ann McCracken, who was born over 250 years ago, is intrinsically linked to the city of Belfast. She lived her fearless life championing causes, moving from place to place, always on a mission to make life better for those less fortunate than herself. Hear too about her more radical nature. Her role in the work of the United Irishmen, the 1798 rebellion and beyond. How she was devoted to her older brother Henry Joy – hanged for his leading role in [...]
Mary Ann McCracken’s Belfast Walking Tour
Experience Mary Ann McCracken’s Belfast, as you walk in the footsteps of this remarkable abolitionist, philanthropist and social reformer. Mary Ann McCracken, who was born over 250 years ago, is intrinsically linked to the city of Belfast. She lived her fearless life championing causes, moving from place to place, always on a mission to make life better for those less fortunate than herself. Hear too about her more radical nature. Her role in the work of the United Irishmen, the 1798 rebellion and beyond. How she was devoted to her older brother Henry Joy – hanged for his leading role in [...]
Experience the Belfast Poor House | Immersive Augmented Reality Tour
Clifton House 2 North Queen Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BelfastThe history of Belfast begins at Clifton House! Now, through the use of world class immersive technology, from the moment you step through our door you will be transported back in time to the Belfast Poor House – opened in 1774 – which provided sanctuary to thousands of people, from the young and old, to local citizens and passing sailors, throughout the years. With the introduction of augmented reality, visitors can now fully immerse themselves in what life was really like in the late eighteenth century. Our White Badge tour guides will share the history and stories of this fantastic building, [...]