Reclaim the Enlightenment was founded in 2017. It aims to resurrect the history and ideas of the enlightenment period.
Event Schedule
AGM
AGM
John Tyndall’s Belfast address: history and legacy of an infamous lecture
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Talk by Professor Diarmid Finnegan
John Tyndall’s Belfast address: histories and legacies of an infamous lecture
On 19 August 1874, the Irish physicist John Tyndall strode up to the lectern in Belfast's Ulster Hall and, as President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, addressed a 2,000-strong audience for two hours. It was a lecture that was not, as Tyndall put it ‘the growth of a day’. It represented his mature views on the relationship between science and religion – a subject that he termed the ‘problem of problems’. Tyndall's views were politely applauded in the Ulster Hall but later dissected, lauded and disparaged in editorials, pulpits, pamphlets, papers and poems in Belfast and far beyond. Long recognised as a critical episode in the history of modern science and religion, Tyndall's lecture has been much discussed by historians. The purpose of this talk is to offer a critical overview of Tyndall's seismic intervention and to reflect on how understandings of his controversial address might require expansion and revision in light of more recent work on the histories, and current relations, of science and religion.
Diarmid Finnegan is a reader in Human Geography at Queen’s University.
The event is free though donations are welcome.
Booking is advised via Eventbrite. £20 gains membership for the year.
AGM
AGM
AGM and Magheramorne Manifesto Talk - 7.00pm on Monday 24th March at St Joseph’s Church
John Gray
‘Traitors or Prophets - Lindsay Crawford, The Independent Orange Order, and the Magheramorne Manifesto 1902 – 1912’
John Gray tells the story of how the Independent Orange Order founded in 1903 as a breakaway from the old order and on a basis of Protestant fundamentalism came to adopt the extraordinarily radical Magheramorne Manifesto in 1905. A key figure was their Grand Master, Lindsay Crawford, also editor of the Liberal Ulster Guardian, and the most effective radical journalist of the time. The Independents provided major support to James Larkin during the epic 1907 dock strike, but suffered some of the detriment when that largely failed. They faced a ruthless counter offensive by official unionism culminating in the workplace expulsions of 1912. By then Crawford had been driven into exile in Canada. The Independent Order survived but only by abandoning any pretensions to a radical agenda.
Education Petition
Save our Historic Assembly Rooms, click the image to link to petition -
I support the abolition of selection through the use of the transfer test/ 11+ in the Northern Ireland educational system believing it to be a major source of social injustice, psychological harm, and widespread educational underachievement.
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This petition is being promoted by Reclaim the Enlightenment, a charity founded in 2017 which takes its inspiration from Belfast’s late 18th century progressive era as a spur to forward thinking in the present.
Those pioneers were much concerned with education and advocated ‘free and universal education for all’.
We too, aware that there is much that is wrong with our current educational system, have sought to develop transformative proposals. With this in mind we held a major conference in November 2023 the proceedings of which were published in April 2004. This text is available at ??
We addressed a variety of issues including sectarian division but our contributors returned again and again to the baleful effects of selection and the transfer test/ 11+.
In summary our findings were;
- That the transfer test/ 11+ is itself founded on bogus research and hence provides an unscientific basis for selection.
- That selection creates an educational world of haves and have nots in which pupils at better resourced grammar schools are advantaged while those at secondary schools are disadvantaged.
- That this division leads to the overall under achievement of our educational system. That while at the elite level this performs well enough for the majority outcomes are close to disastrous.
- That pressures to succeed in the transfer test/ 11+ blight educational practice in the upper classes of many primary schools while better of parents can seek further advantage for their children through private tuition.
- That the psychological effects of the transfer test/ 11+ and selection have been underestimated. That the experience is often marked by prolonged fear and tension. That those who fail often carry the burden of failure into their futures. Friends are separated and, worse still, siblings are often divided.
Do sign our petition!
Safeguard and Reclaim Belfast's Historic Assembly Rooms for Public Use
The Assembly Rooms located in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter is the city’s most historic building. Originally built as a single storey market house in 1769 an additional storey was added in 1776 transforming it into the Assembly Rooms. As such it lay at the very centre of the eighteenth century town.
It was also central to the cultural life of the town during its enlightenment era. It was the venue for the famous Harp Festival of 1792, the defeat of the proposal to set up a Belfast based slave trading company, the foundation of the Ballast Board, forerunner of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, and for the court martials of United Irish prisoners, including Henry Joy McCracken, at the time of the 1798 rebellion.
It was converted into a bank in 1845 in work undertaken by Belfast’s most celebrated nineteenth century architect, Charles Lanyon. That has left us with the legacy of a magnificent banking hall.
The bank closed in 2000 and the building has been vacant ever since. Despite its grade B1 listing it had to be placed on the ‘at risk’ register in 2003. Even in deteriorating condition it was used in the early years of this millennium by theatre companies, for concerts, and exhibitions, an indication of its future potential if only it can be saved.
Latterly the Assembly Rooms became part of the wider Tribeca project promoted by developers, Castlebrooke. They proposed that this historic building should become a boutique hotel, in any case a truly inappropriate use
As with the rest of the properties embraced by the Tribeca scheme nothing has been done. Instead according to a survey undertaken in January of this year the Assembly Rooms are now in a close to catastrophic condition with dry rot rampant and water ingress accelerating the destruction. As the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society says; ‘ It is shocking that such an architecturally important and historically significant building … can come to be treated as a mere derelict eye sore.’
The City Council should use its powers immediately to intervene to ensure that remedial action is taken.
Castlebrooke are in the process of submitting an application for renewal of their existing planning application. Given their failure to date this must not be passed on the nod.
Far better that Castebrooke should donate the Assembly Rooms to the people of Belfast.
Failing that the City Council may come to the rescue. They have indicated an intention to acquire the Assembly Rooms sooner rather than later whether by vesting or by purchase. This is a welcome development provided that they pursue appropriate future uses for the building.
If the Council fails to act then others of us will seek to act independently.
This petition has been launched by the Assembly Rooms Alliance The Alliance was established in February 2023 with the objective ‘to preserve the Assembly Rooms and to secure them for public use as a facility for arts and heritage purposes and for other community uses.’ Those involved include a range of cultural organisations, potential users of the building, and individuals with particular expertise.
The Alliance has developed proposals for the future use of the building and as follows;
1. The Banking Hall.
This is a particularly fine space at the front of the building dating from the 19th century conversion of the building into a bank. It is capable of accommodating an audience of up to 300.
This should provide a semi-permanent display on the remarkable history of the building, This should be demountable to facilitate other major events.
Otherwise the space should provide a multi-purpose venue for cultural, arts, and community events. These might include concerts, conferences, drama, exhibitions, lectures etc/ etc. It would also serve as tour venue.
2. The rest of the building.
Extensive accommodation lies behind the Banking Hall.
Our current proposal is that this should accommodate the proposed Museum of the Troubles and Peace. This enlightened vision has a wide range of distinguished supporters. It is one that will avoid any single overarching narrative. Rather it will provide a multi-faceted experience for visitors to explore.
MoTaP will certainly provide the opportunity for in depth exploration by our own communities but will also attract visitors from afar.
This petition isn't just about reclaiming a building; it's about reclaiming our heritage and ensuring that future generations have access to tangible pieces of their past. Please sign this petition if you believe in preserving historical landmarks like the Assembly Rooms for public use.
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Thursday, January 23
Reclaim The Enlightenment presents an Alternative Burns Night 2025
The immense popularity of Rabbie Burns in Ulster is unquestioned. He was first published outside Scotland here. He spoke our language but his radicalism had a particular appeal for our discontented masses. Our weaver poets imitated him. Some and notably Samuel Thompson, ‘The Bard of Carngranny’ visited him and sought to enlist Burns’s support for the United Irish newspaper, the Northern Star.
There was an easy assumption that conditions in Ulster and Scotland were similar. In fact the Scottish radical movement was crushed in 1793-94 and its leaders were transported to Van Diemens Land whereas in Ulster the United Irish cause gathered pace.
By 1795 Burns’s position as a customs officer was under threat and he was in increasing ill health. He joined the Dumfries Volunteers, a government militia ,and wrote them a loyal ballad. His erstwhile admirers in Ulster were appalled and Samuel Thompson wrote a savage satirical riposte to Burns’s ballad.
Nonetheless on this ‘alternative’ Burns night we will celebrate his radicalism in song, music, and with writings from Dr Frank Ferguson and poetry from Alan Millar. Belfast harpist Ursula Burns and the award winning Piper Lachlan McKibbin will also take centre stage.
The night will include a traditional dinner of Haggis costing £20 each. Payment of £10 without dinner. Please book via Ticketbrite – or email stmccracken@hotmail.com
Each entry includes a years membership.
Herewith a call for articles;
Reclaim the Enlightenment is anxious to encourage the widest possible debate on relevant themes.
1. You are invited to submit articles of less than 1,000 words for use on our website.
2. We also intend to continue our pamphlet publication programme which caters for significant essays of 10,000 – 20,000 words, and would welcome any proposals in this respect.
The guiding principles for our publications are relevance, accessibility, and factual rigour.
©2025 StMcC- Reclaim the Enlightenment
Northern Ireland Charity number: 108563