May 2011 - Irish American News

Color Page 16The heriTage Linewww.irish-american.orgIAHC Celebrates End of 25/35 Anniversary Year with Open House4626 N. Knox Ave., Chicago, IL 60630 • 773-282-7035Hunger Spotlights Bobby SandsThis spring, the Center spotlightsBobby Sands and the 1981 hunger strikerswith an evening of film, and a paneldiscussion remembering the events of1981. This year marks the 30th anniversaryof their deaths.Bobby Sands was the imprisoned Irishnationalist who died in 1981, 66 days intoa hunger strike. He was a member of theIrish Republican Army (IRA) and was heldin the Maze Prison just outside of Belfast.Sands was the first of 10 hunger strikerswho died that year.The evening begins with a screeningof the film Hunger. The film wonthe Camera d’Or, the prize for best firstfeature film at the Cannes Film Festival in2008. It recounts the final weeks of Sandsand is an unflinching depiction of prisonbrutality, complete with ritual beatings andhumiliations. Hunger was written by Irishplaywright, Enda Walsh, and directed bySteve McQueen, who was awarded theCBE (Commander of the Order of theBritish Empire) in the 2011 Queen’s NewYears Honours List for his services toVisual Arts.After the film, there will be a receptionand a viewing of photos of the hungerstrikers, curated by Frank Crowley.At 9:15pm, join us for a panel discussionwith Mike Morley, John Conroy, Dr.Hugh McElwain and Jen Sullivan.The four panelists will add perspectiveon the making of the film, life in NorthernIreland in 1981, and the deeper contextbehind the Troubles and hunger-strikingas a means of demonstration.Morley is the host of Irish TV Journalon the Chicago Access Network.Conroy is an award-winning journalistand author of Belfast Diary: War as a Wayof Life. A Chicago journalist, Conroy wasa writer for the Chicago Tribune when hetraveled to West Belfast, Northern Irelandto live amongst the Catholic Clonardworking-class community.His 1987 book captured the day-todayactivities of the Belfast residentsand how the violence affected their lives.His street-level view of the crushingpoverty, harassment by British soldiersand the fight to earn a living in a morethan-25%unemployment rate made thecritically-acclaimed account a must-readfor those interested in Irish history.McElwain is a Professor of Theologyat Dominican University. The 2010Diversity Leadership Award winner atDominican, he served as the Dean ofthe University’s Rosary College of Artsand Sciences from 1994 to 2002. Priorto Dominican, he served as professorof systematic theology and academicdean of the Catholic Theological Unionin Chicago.Sullivan is Young Ambassador, St.Patrick’s Centre, Downpatrick, Co.Down, Northern Ireland. She will profilethe Centre’s programs that celebratethe shared cultural heritage of NorthernIreland.Hunger is Saturday, May 21 from7pm to 11pm. Tickets are $5 and can bepurchased at the door.Since last summer, the Center has beencelebrating the dual anniversary of 25 yearsin our building (1985-2010) and 35 years asan organization (1976-2011). The anniversaryyear officially ends with Irish Fest in July,but a special Open House is Sunday, June5 to commemorate these milestones and tocelebrate our accomplishments as a community.The day starts with mass in the Auditoriumat 1pm, followed by an Open House Celebrationthroughout the building featuring music,food, dance and refreshments. To mark theoccasion, the Center will be decorated withold photos and mementos from our past.The past year has been one of tremendousgrowth for us and one where we celebratedour anniversary by introducing new programs,concerts and events. As we build our membershipand plan for the future, we will alwayslook back on 2010-11 as the year that laid thefoundation for the next 25 years.