Burren College of Art courtyard and Newtown Castle
Press Release Friday 16 April 2004
John McGahern to Open-
The
Burren Law School 2004
‘Environment & The Law –
A Contemporary & Brehon Perspective’
Friday 30th April – Monday 3rd May 2004
‘Thinking Globally, Acting Locally’, ‘Creating an
Urban Myth for the 21st Century’ and ‘Cultivating a New
Rural Conservation’ – these are some of the sub themes to
be addressed by this year’s Burren Law Conference which takes
place at Newtown Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare on the May bank holiday
weekend.
John McGahern will open the School with reflections from his work on
the relationship between man and his environment. Taking up this theme,
historian Professor Donnacha O’Corrain of NUI Cork, will argue
that the medieval Irish bardic sensibility spawned the first nature
poetry.
‘Bungalow Blitz’ spatial strategies, farmers as guardians
of the natural heritage and the need to plan the rural environment from
the perspective of the future – these are some of the cross currents
that will provide for lively debate when the President of An Taisce,
Mr Frank Corcoran, Frank McDonald of the Irish Times and Environmental
Planning Consultant Conor Skeehan address aspects of rural conservation.
Creating a legal framework to promote sane development, immunising
the planning system against dysfunctions past and present, creating
an urban ecology that supports living communities in the 21st century
– issues to be addressed in a green/brown debate between Colm
Mac Eochaidh, BL, Mr Seanie Lambe of the Inner City Renewal Group and
a representative of the Construction Industry Federation.
Global warming, collapsing biodiversity, a genetically programmed future
or a brave new world? Is the planet doomed or are we gifted with previously
undreamt of possibilities? Professor Frank Convery Director of the Environmental
Institute, UCD and Chairman of Sustainable Energy Ireland, Fr. Sean
McDonagh, anthropologist, missionary, writer and broadcaster and Nuala
Ahern, MEP will seek to provide the answers.
As ever, guided Burren walks, good food and craic are guaranteed ingredients
of the Burren Law School which aims to recreate the tradition of legal
learning associated with the medieval Brehon Law School, allowing the
past to illuminate the present in what promises to be a stimulating
and entertaining weekend. It will be of interest to the public at large
as much as to members of the legal/caring professions, historians and
relevant interest groups.
For further information contact:
Eleanor Franklin, Director of Communications, Burren College of Art,
Ballyvaughan,
Co. Clare
Tel: 065 7077200 /Fax: 065 7077201
E-mail: eleanor@burrencollege.ie
Or
Martin Hawkes, Director of Burren Law School 2004 /
E-mail: bfl@indigo.ie
