09 Dec Ciarán De Baróid
Rugadh agus tógadh Ciarán i gCorcaigh agus bhog sé go Baile Uí Mhurchú in Iarthar Bhéal Feirste níos moille sa saol in a dhiaidh dó tabhairt faoi thuras domhánda. Ba cheannaire óige é de chuid Cumann Tionántaí Bhaile Uí Mhurchú agus chuidigh sé leis na féiltí san Uachtar Chluanaí a reachtáil in 1973-4. Bhunaigh sé croílár nuálach don phobail is don mhuintir óg ó theach lonnaithe i mBaile Uí Mhurchú. Ar a bharr seo, d’oibrigh sé mar bhainisteoir in Ionad Acmhainní Uachtar Chluanaí agus bhí ról lárnach aige ag déanamh feachtasaíochta maidir le cúrsaí cheartas shóisialta sa cheantar agus bheith páirteach leis na féiltí de chuid Iarthar Bhéal Feirste is Cnoc na Foinse a bhunú. Is é an t-údar iomráiteach den leabhar ‘Ballymurphy and the Irish War’ (2000, Pluto Press) agus a bheathaisnéis ‘Down North – Reflections of Ballymurphy and the Early Troubles’ (2010 ,Ogham Press). D’éirigh Ciarán as a obair le déanaí i ndiaidh dó 10 mbliain a chaitheamh ag obair mar Oifigeach Tionscadail leis an Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.
Ciarán was born and raised in Cork and later moved to Ballymurphy in West Belfast having cut short a tour of the world. He became a youth leader in the BTA (Ballymurphy Tenants Association) and helped organise the 1973-4 Upper Springfield festivals. He later set up a ground-breaking youth and community educational hub from a house in Ballymurphy. He later worked as Manager of the Upper Springfield Resource Centre and played a central role in campaigning on social justice issues in the area and was centrally involved in setting up the Springhill and West Belfast festivals. Ciarán is author of the acclaimed book, ‘Ballymurphy and the Irish War’ (2000, Pluto Press) and the personal Memoir ‘Down North- Reflections of Ballymurphy and the early troubles’ (2010, Ogham Press). Ciarán recently retired after spending ten years as Project Officer with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.