Inaugural Éamon Phoenix History Lecture Inspires Packed Audience at Féile 2025
29 August 2025
Professor Diarmaid Ferriter has delivered the inaugural Dr Éamon Phoenix History Lecture in front of a packed lecture hall in Belfast.
Entitled ‘Taking the Myth out of History – the Historian and Society’, the renowned historian recalled Dr Phoenix and his work, as well as setting out the challenges facing historians.
So many people arrived for the special lecture, hosted at Feile 2025 by St Mary’s University College on the Falls Road, that it had to be moved to the biggest hall in St Mary’s.
Prof Ferriter received prolonged applause for his lecture and engaged in a question-and-answer session afterwards.
Alice Phoenix, Éamon’s wife, and Nicole Colligan Phoenix, Éamon’s grand daughter also addressed the event.
Before the lecture, the audience was treated to a video – The Secrets of Cloona House – presented by Dr Phoenix.
Afterwards, the Phoenix family thanked Prof Ferriter for “a most interesting and riveting lecture” and also St Mary’s and the Feile for arranging “a very special event”.
