The Birth of a Nation

The Birth of a Nation concert was first performed in McAuley Place, Naas, Co. Kildare in October 2017 advance of a trip to Lexington, Kentucky as part of a twinning anniversary. The reaction amongst the American, French and Irish audiences in the USA was such that it was performed again to a full house in the Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge as part of the annual Irish Military Seminar in June 2018.

It was subsequently recorded as a live performance at Beechpark Studios, Rathcoole and has now been produced as a DVD and an audio CD set.

The script was written by historian, author and playwright, Mario Corrigan; the recording features renowned tenor, Paul Linehan, accomplished musician Anne Cullen on piano and violin, and TV and stage actor Liam Quinlivan as the narrator.

The period preceding the achievement of Irish Independence in 1922 was a time of great change and upheaval, the effects of which impacted on the lives of people throughout the country. A cultural revolution bubbled just beneath the surface. The songs, music, poetry and stories of centuries past reflected the hopes of a people yearning to be free and the ensuing Birth of a Nation.

This is another legacy piece produced as part of the County Kildare Decade of Commemorations programme.

A copy will be delivered to each secondary school in Co. Kildare in September alongside the recently produced Co. Kildare War of Independence poster.

Birth of Nation DVD/CD set is available to purchase at the Kildare Heritage Centre, Market Square, Kildare Town.

This initiative is supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries programme.