A MAJOR conference on the Flight of the Earls and its impact on the North West will take place in Strabane over the weekend of October 19 and 20.

This will be one of the last major events to commemorate this historic upheaval and a last chance for many to hear from leading researchers and historians on the subject.

The Strabane event has two main parts; on the afternoon of the October 19 there will be a guided tour of castles, crannogs and other sites connected with the Irish clans of the late 16th century and the newcomers of the Plantation period in the early 17th century. On the same evening there will be a book launch of a new publication on Strabane in the late 1600s by local historian and author William Roulston. This book, Post Restoration Strabane, will help bring alive the story of the growing town in the years between 1660 and 1700 and fill in many of the gaps in our understanding of the changing leaderships and fortunes of the earlier settlers and the remaining natives.

The Saturday programme will examine the major events of the Flight of the Earls and especially the local impact. Hugh O'Neill and Red Hugh O'Donnell are well known figures from the period but there were other members of the O'Neill and O'Donnell clans who also contributed much to the events of the period.

Not all members of the clans supported the leadership roles of the two Hughs and some even helped the English armies in the defeat of the Irish leaders. It will be of interest to learn of the rewards that these loyal Irish received for their help and how they were treated in the Plantation period.

Strabane and Lifford were major centres in the latter stages of the war and the talks will look at the local as well as the national picture. Speakers include Dr William Roulston on the origins of the Plantation in the years following the Flight of the Earls, Dr John McGurk on the divisions within the Irish clans and the fortunes of those who did not leave in 1607, with Dr Henry Jeffaries on the broken promises and the struggles for power in the years leading to the Plantation. Local historian Helen Meehan will examine in detail the fate of one of the O'Donnell leaders while Roddy Hegarty will talk on the writings of the period and how local people viewed the major changes that were taking place in their lives.

The programme is open to everyone interested in the events of the early 17th century and how they impacted on the future history of Ireland. It is possible to take in the site visits without sitting through the talks on the following day or to select one or more of the lectures. The programme is being provided by Strabane District Council with the support of the Strabane History Society and the Federation for Ulster Local Studies and the venue is the Alley Theatre and the Library. Further details on the programme can be obtained from the brochure available in the library or in the Alley box office or from Martin Bradley at Strabane District Council. To contact him phone Strabane 71382204 or email mbradley@strabanedc.com