13: Turning the Millennium
1997: Ten news items about Esperanto appeared in the newspapers. Amongst them was a long article in ‘Ireland’s Own‘.
The Association bought Lorcan Ó hUiginn’s book collection for its own library. Although the books and magazines are old, the collection is important as its embodies some of our history. To exploit the most modern technology especially among the young, Girvan McKay created a webpage which presents information about Esperanto and our Association.
In its programme for a presentation of The Importance of Being Earnest the Abbey Theatre mentioned the Esperanto translation of the play.
1998 : The Tullamore Esperantists donated and planted a tree in the City Park. For members outside Dublin we established a ‘saturday circle’ which meets every month to visit a park, museum or the like. In June circle members visited the Botanical Gardens. The Association published a new book entitled – ‘Noktaj Papilioj‘ (Night Butterflies). It contains 27 poems by Seán Ó Riordáin translated into Esperanto by Meva Maron.
1999: Four members of the Association attended the World Congress in Berlin. Newspapers printed 17 news items about Esperanto, among them an excellent letter in The Irish Times.
2000 : Dr Sean Ó Riain wrote a long article on ‘The European Union and Esperanto‘, which was published in the Irish language magazine Feasta. The same magazine also published an Irish language version of the ‘Prague Manifesto on Esperanto‘.
The Irish language newpaper Lá published an article on Esperanto.
The Association is no longer out of date. It now has its own web address.
2001 : Christopher Fettes was made an honorary member of the World Association (Universala Esperanto-Asocio).
There were 11 mentions of Esperanto in the Irish press.
Ken Keable lectured about James Connolly and Esperanto at a conference on ‘The Relevance of James Connolly in the 21st Century‘. The lecture was printed in the Irish Democrat under the title “Was James Connolly an Esperantist?“
At the AGM a new committee was (re)elected – Chairman – Christopher Fettes; Vic-Chair – Liam Kirk; Public Relations – Maire Mullarney; Secretary/Treasurer – Joy Davies; Members – Ken Keable, Lorcan MacMeanmain, Girvan McKay and John Murray.
Unfortunately the correspondence course has come to a stop. No new learners began this year.
2002 : Brian Cowen, Minister of Foreign Affairs launched a book, “The Irish Language and the European Union“, written by Seán Ó Riain, in which he argued favourably for the use of Esperanto.
Seán Ó Riain was elected President of the European Esperanto Union during the Union’s congress in Verono, Italy.
John Murray created a new website for the Association with the easily remembered name www.esperanto.ie. It is in three languages – Esperanto, English and Irish. It contains information about Esperanto and our association and the text of the book “A Short History of the Esperanto Movement in Ireland“. There is also an English version of the History translated by Ken Keable
Chapter 14: Action of the European Stage