Dublin Festival of History

The spokesperson for the 2024 Festival was Anne Chambers. Ms Chambers is a biographer, novelist, and screenplay writer, as well as T.K Whitaker’s biographer. In this talk, she presented Whitaker’s personal story behind the public servant as former Governor and Secretary of Ireland’s Department of Finance.

The spokesperson for the 2023 festival was Dr Deirdre Foley. Dr Foley is a historian of modern Ireland, with a particular interest in the status of women in 20^th Century Ireland.

In her talk, she covered topics such as lady clerks, Ireland’s marriage bar, marriage gratuities, equal pay and maternity leave.

The spokespeople for the 2022 festival were John Stanford-Langan and Dr Edith Andrees. Mr Stanford-Langan is a member of the Irish Numismatic Society and the Central Bank of Ireland’s Numismatic Advisory Committee. Dr Andrees is a cultural historian and curator of numismatics, metalwork and scientific instruments collections at the National Museum of Ireland.

In their talk, they showed the various coins in circulation in Ireland even before 1800, focusing on the design of the coins as well as the context behind them.  Some low currency paper money also featured. The talk covered up until the decimalisation of the Irish punt, and included the first Irish Free State punt coins, as well as the design requirements.

The spokespeople for the 2021 festival were Dr Miriam Fitzpatrick and Peter Sheil. Dr Fitzpatrick is a former Research Coordinator for Henry J. Lyons Architects.

Topics included the Irish economy and protectionism, modern architects, architectural influences, project parts of the Central Bank Dame Street building, and the appeals against planning.

The spokesperson for the 2020 Festival was Robert Ballagh. Mr Ballagh is the designer of the Series C banknotes – the last Irish Punt banknotes before the Euro. At this talk, he explained his design choices among other matters involved in creating the banknotes.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event took place exclusively as an online talk. The talk was not recorded However, Central Bank of Ireland produced a short documentary for Culture Night, which covers the same topic. This is available to watch on the Central Bank Youtube channel.

The spokespeople for the 2019 Festival were Jonathan Callaway and Louis O'Byrne. Mr Callaway is a retired banker who has been a collector and researcher of paper money history for many years. He is also a Director of the International Bank Note Society and was Head of Central Bank of Ireland’s Banknote Printing Works, Mint and Currency Centre. Mr O’Byrne is a graduate of UCD in History, English Literature and Economics, he was also Head of the Central Bank of Ireland’s Banknote Printing Works, Mint and Currency Centre for 15 years. 

The talk covered Ireland’s paper currency from 1919 to 1929, as well as the Series B and C banknotes.