Tipperary historical societies meet President Michael D Higgins on recent visit to the Áras

On a recent visit to Aras an Uachtaráin, two Tipperary based historical societies, TiDR (Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution) and Borrisoleigh Historical Society, were afforded the privilege of meeting with President Michael D Higgins.

The invitation to meet with President Higgins, arose from the work that both groups have engaged in and completed over the past number of years. TiDR have been to the forefront in marking and remembering seismic events of Tipperary’s revolutionary years of one century ago during this recent decade of centenaries.

Their legacy includes a collection of 19 booklets that tell the story of various events and incidents that occurred in Tipperary during those troubled years.

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Along with these booklets are the publication of biographies on, three prominent players of that period, Seán Hogan, Joseph McDonagh and Dan Breen.

On behalf of TiDR, John Flannery presented Mr. Higgins with a sample of some of the publications produced by the group. The President was suitably impressed to hear that TiDR had very much operated within the guidelines set by the independent advisory group on centenary commemorations; that our history is a shared one and that all voices of those impacted by events of that period are valid.

Since it’s foundation almost 15 years ago, Borrisoleigh Historical Society have performed trojan work in researching, documenting and preserving the history of the village and surrounding area.

During the summer months of last year, a series of historic walks through the village were undertaken.

These were addressed by people from the locality who recalled events and characters from their younger days, - and also by people who returned from distant places, having departed the locality many years ago.

These walks and talks were professionally recorded on each day and were transcribed onto hard-drive format.

Amid much excitement, this recording was launched by former ambassador Joseph Small, himself a Borrisoleigh native, at a memorable event in the local GAA sports complex, earlier this year.

A copy of the recording, attached to a card wishing the President and his wife a happy retirement, was presented to Mr. Higgins by the Societies’ chairman, Michael Delaney.

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A great friend and supporter of Borrisoleigh Historical Society, Mr. Derry Bourke, presented President Higgins with a copy of his poetry book, ‘Borrisoleigh in Verse’, and also with a copy of an album of songs co-written by him and his son Paudie, launched around the time of ‘The Gathering’ in 2013.

Of particular interest to the President was Derry Bourke’s connection with the Fenian Movement and Derry’s grandfather’s involvement in the rebellion of 1867.

Another Borrisoleigh Historical Society member, John Connors, presented the President with two books that he wrote on the war in Ukraine, specifically on the siege and destruction of Mariupol and on the huge humanitarian crisis the evolved from that.

As a man who is recognised worldwide as a great humanitarian and promoter of civil and human rights President Higgins spoke at length about the ongoing conflicts that dominate the modern world and of our need to be vigilant of the rights and privileges that we enjoy but that are denied to many people all over the world.

The president spoke at length about his own background and how his father and mother came from opposing civil war sides.

He spoke of the need for each of us to be instruments of reconciliation and for each one of the combined group of 16 people, he had a special word.

After a guided tour of the State rooms and garden, it was time to depart and leave the Arás, wishing President Higgins and his wife Sabrina, good health, happiness and a long and fruitful retirement.

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