Belfast, 12 November 2024
Dr Martin Mansergh launches Éamon Phoenix Foundation website and archive
The Dr Éamon Phoenix Foundation, a charity established to preserve and build upon the legacy of the late historian, today launches its website and archives – and unveils plans for its future.
Dr Martin Mansergh, the charity’s patron, gave the keynote address at a lunchtime event in at the NI Public Record Office in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, paying tribute to Dr Phoenix and the Foundation’s mission to promote mutual understanding and reconciliation in Ireland through the study of history.
Alice Phoenix, wife of the late Dr Éamon Phoenix and chair of the trustees, spoke about her husband and outlined the Foundation’s aims and objectives for 2025 and beyond, which also include preserving Dr Phoenix’s legacy through a website and archives.
The event was hosted by PRONI, and Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, also paid tribute to Dr Phoenix, who was a regular at the Record Office, not least for the annual release of the Cabinet Papers. “As Minister, with a keen personal interest in history, and heritage I am delighted to add my support for the Foundation’s aims to promote the study of history, as a way of fostering a deeper understanding of the past and promoting reconciliation”.
Dr Phoenix, a well-known historian and broadcaster, passed away on 13 November 2022 at the age of 69. His death elicited tributes across the island of Ireland and beyond.
Dr Mansergh said: “Éamon was a superb historian and a wonderful daily communicator of relevant events in the past.
“His work underlined the importance of the maximum achievable balance and objectivity, particularly where historical perspectives can be very conflicted.
“He made a major contribution to the success of the centenary commemorations of the new political landscape that emerged in Ireland in the period between 1912 and 1923, bringing people together with very diverse backgrounds and outlooks.”
Mrs Phoenix, revealing details of the website and archive for the first time, said: “On behalf of the Foundation and our family, I’m delighted today to make public the Foundation’s website, archive and full details of our aims and objectives.
“We plan to not just preserve Éamon’s wonderful legacy, but also to enhance it by promoting mutual understanding and reconciliation in Ireland through the study of history.
“Going forward, the Foundation plans to further develop plans for Eamon’s archive and to announce initiatives to facilitate the professional study of history as a way of fostering a deeper understanding of the past.
“Our thanks go out to everyone who has helped us get to this point so far, in particular our trustees and patron, the Irish News and PRONI.”
The website – www.eamonphoenixfoundation.com – features tributes, images and videos of Dr Phoenix, other archive records of his work and details the Foundation’s mission.
The Irish News, with whom Dr Phoenix had a close relationship, has donated material from its archives, including photos and copies of many of Dr Phoenix’s popular On This Day column and State Papers contributions.
The plan is to add further to the archive of Dr Phoenix’s work over time, to build a substantial body of his legacy.
The Dr Éamon Phoenix Foundation is a charity registered in Northern Ireland (number 109942). The charity will be seeking funding for its work.