Sixteenth Shamrock in the Bush

The annual event concluded today, after a series of interesting presentations by some very talented speakers. The event continues to attract participants from far and wide - Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Highlights of the weekend were the Shamrock Dinner in Galong House with guest speaker Dr Nicholas Brown and the first Live @ Ned Ryan's concert, showcasing the talents of the participants.
Added 3 August 2008

Far from Famine registrations are now open!

The program for Far from Famine has been released today! Those of you who have advised your contact details have been emailed details of the program and a registration form. These forms can be found on this website on the program and registration pages.
Added 31 July 2008

Extra speaker for Shamrock

An additional presentation has been added to the advertised program with Dr Jeff Kildea speaking on Billy Hughes and the Irish Question. Dr Kildea recently authored a publication on Hughes for the Department of Veterans' Affairs Wartime Australians series to coincide with the opening of an exhibition on Hughes at the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne. The exhibition will move to Old Parliament House, Canberra in June 2008 before touring regional Australia in 2009. See the website www.billyhughes.oph.gov.au for details of the Canberra exhibition.
Added 25 April 2008

Registrations are now open!

The program for Shamrock in the Bush 2008 has been released today! Those of you who have advised your contact details have been emailed details of the program and a registration form. These forms can be found on this website on the program and registration pages.
Added 12 April 2008

Shamrock in the Bush Registrations

It is expected that the program for this year's event will be available by the end of the first week of April. The numbers of prospective attendees far exceed the places available.To avoid disappointment please ensure that you fully complete your registration form and ensure that cheques are made payable to St Clement's Retreat and Conference Centre.
Added March 2008

Canberra launch

The Reverend Professor James Haire launched Echoes of Irish Australia: Rebellion to Republic on Saturday 9 February at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. A broad cross section of the community attended the launch, which was accompanied by musical entertainment by Jennifer Gall and David Game.The book has received favourable reviews in the Canberra Times and the Irish Echo.
Added February 2008

Book launch

There will be a Canberra launch of our publication Echoes of Irish Australia: Rebellion to Republic by the Reverend Professor James Haire at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Barton on Saturday 9 February. If you are interested in attending please contact us for further information.
Added January 2008

Reports Completed

It has been a busy year for those involved behind the scenes with the Canberra Museum and Gallery mounting a temporary display of items from the collection for the official opening of the museum space on 14 April by Federal Member Alby Schulz.

Two assessments essential to the future of the collection were made during the year. The first undertaken by Dr Richard Reid and Cheryl Mongan was a voluntary contribution to the project in the form of the Significance Assessment of the collection, to establish the strength and uniqueness of the collection in relation to a criteria used to identify collections of national significance.

The second by Kim Morris of Art & Archival Pty Ltd and Carmela Mollica of the Conservation and Restoration Studio was a preservation survey funded by the Community Heritage Grant. Their report on the condition of the documents, textiles, paintings and objects in the collection and recommendations as to the care, storage and preservation of the wide ranging collection will be a valuable guide as work progresses.
Added November 2007

Shamrock in the Bush Official Guests

We are pleased to confirm that His Excellency Mr Máirtín Ó Fainín, Irish Ambassador to Australia has accepted our invitation to be the guest of honour at the fifteenth Shamrock in the Bush to be held from 2 to 5 August 2008. He is the fourth Irish Ambassador to support the event and it is especially pleasing that he has agreed to launch our publication Echoes of Irish Australia: Rebellion to Republic at the Shamrock Dinner in Galong House on Friday 3 August. Another guest that we look forward to welcoming to Shamrock will be our after dinner speaker Mr Craddock Morton, Director the Australian National Museum.
Added July 2007

Community Heritage Grant

Exciting times are ahead as volunteers from various backgrounds work towards establishing the museum, archive and library in Galong House. St Clement's has attracted a great deal of good will for the project. Professional historians, writers, anthropologists, curators, editors, graphic designers, speakers, musicians, dancers and many others have and will contribute their expertise and time to bring the project to fruition.

In November 2006 St Clement's were successful in gaining funding for a heritage preservation project through the Community Heritage Grant program facilitated by the National Library of Australia. The grant recognised the St Clement's collection as not only being of interest on a local level but more importantly its wider significance. The grant will fund a significance assessment and a preservation survey of the monastery's diverse collection in addition to a recent three day preservation workshop for 25 volunteers from St Clement's and various other local museums.

Kim Morris of Art & Archival Pty Ltd and Carmela Mollica of the Conservation and Restoration Studio conducted the successful and enjoyable workshop giving volunteers the opportunity to gain background information on preservation, conservation, and collection and personnel management as well as practical skills in dealing with paper and textiles.

Once the assessment and survey have been completed volunteers will have the opportunity to put their new-found skills to use as the collection is progressively re-housed and readied for exhibition.

St Clement's gratefully acknowledges the support of the Community Heritage Grant which will assist to formalise the recording, assessment and future maintenance of the collection.

Community Heritage Grants are jointly funded by the National Library of Australia, National Archives of Australia, the Department of Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts and the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia.

For further information on Community Heritage Grants.
Added March 2007

This page last updated: 3 August 2008