About the Irish-Chinese Cultural Society
The Irish-Chinese Cultural
Society (ICCS) was founded in May 1975.
Its Constitution states at the outset:
"1. The sole aim of the Society shall be to
promote and foster mutual understanding between the Irish
and the Chinese peoples and, in particular, to encourage
and develop a knowledge of each other's culture.
2. The Society shall have no political affiliation."
In order to fullfil
its aim, a meeting is organised each
month, from September to May, usually consisting
of a talk on a topic of Chinese interest, given by
an authoritative speaker. During the past year we had talks
on "Ancient and Modern Chinese Art in Paris", by Deborah
Wilson and Ann Wickham-McDonald; "The Amazing Yongle
Emperor", by Dr. Brian O Neill; "Unbound Feet:the changing
status of Chinese women c.1890-1950" by Professor Isabella
Jackson; and "China's New Nationalism" by Professors Jerusha
Mc Cormack and John Blair as well as outings to the Hong
Ling Exhibition in the Chester Beatty Library and the
Chinese Boudoir at Carton House.
Information about events, times and places for the current
session can be found on our
Programme page.
Each Chinese New Year, we organise a dinner for members and guests in a Chinese restaurant. Our other social occasions include the annual barbecue, usually held in early September, and enjoyed by Chinese students and scholars in Dublin.
We have organised, or
helped with, various special events over
the years, including an exhibition of Chinese paintings, the
visit of the Terracotta Warriors, an exhibition of Chinese
paper cuts, visits to the Chester Beatty Library and to the
Chinese collection in the Botanic Gardens, and the
exhibitions: "China: a Cultural Celebration", and "China -
Land of Beauty" to coincide with anniversaries of the
People's Republic.
In 2004, the Society sponsored the visit to Dublin of
Professor Jin Di, the renowned translator into Chinese of
Joyce's "Ulysses" while, more recently, in February 2016 we
hosted a group of Chinese calligraphers for a private
viewing of Chinese manuscripts held in this country.
There are currently about 50 members in the Society. Prominent members include Dr. Katherine Chan Mullen and Professor Sun Dawen. The former Chief Justice and President of Ireland, the late Cearbhall Ó'Dálaigh, was Éarlamh (i.e. Patron) of the Society.
Presidents of the ICCS to date:
1975-1978 | Mrs Antonia Healy |
1979-1981 | Prof. Tao Kiang |
1982-1984 | Mr. Justice Dermot Kinlen |
1985-1987 | Patrick Brennan |
1988-1990 | Peter Costello |
1991-1993 | Dr. Katherine Chan Mullen |
1994-1996 | Prof. John O'Donnell |
1997-1999 | Dr. Fergus Gaines |
2000-2002 | Dr. Da-Wen Sun |
2003-2005 | Prof. David Judge |
2006-2008 | Norman O'Galligan |
2009-2011 | John Ryan |
2012-2014 | Denis Mullen |
2015-2017 | Deborah Wilson |
2018-2020 | Yanyi Blake |
The Society has hosted
delegations from Youxie (the Chinese Peoples'
Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries) ) in
1980, 1983, 1986, 1991, 2001 and 2006, and has sent
delegations to China as guests of Youxie in
1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1996, 2002, 2007 and at
periodic intervals ever since, with the latest visit by
the Society's President, Deborah Wilson, and
Vice-President, Yanyi Blake, taking place in April 2017.
This visit made significant
progress in setting up a twinning arrangement between
Irish and Chinese Primary schools.
Membership
of the ICCS is divided into five categories: Member,
Student Member, Honorary Member, Life Member and Patron
Member.
Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in
China. To join the Society, simply fill in the application form, which
contains information about the current subscription
rates, and send it to the Honorary Treasurer.
For further information, please contact the Society at
Tel : (01) Tel: 2887616, or 086 8117258; Email: irishchineseculturalsociety@hotmail.com