Former librarian and social historian John Gray delivers the third Anna Eggert lecture The third lecture in the Anna Eggert lecture series, organised by the WRDA, took place on the 20th January in the Group Space at the Ulster Hall. Former Librarian and Social Historian John Gray was the speaker for the afternoon and delivered a lecture entitled “Mary Ann McCracken, pioneer feminist and revolutionary”. (The full lecture is available below) Gray, a former Chief Librarian at the Linen Hall Library, opened the lecture with a challenge to all present to “get closer to the real Mary Ann McCracken” away from what Gray describes as a ‘dumbed down’ version of her legacy as merely a sister of Henry Joy McCracken and the unrequited lover of Thomas Russell. Gray said the United Irish revolutionary and anti slavery campaigner, who worked at the old poor house on Clifton Street, was a much more influential social reformer than she is given credit for. Gray also described Mary Ann McCracken as having the same level of ‘steely resolve’ as seen within the ex-Tory premier Margaret Thatcher and added that if they can make a film about the latter, why not make a film about one of Belfast’s most famous daughters?  John Gray, Bill Rolston, Margaret Ward (WRDA) and Kevin Rolston pictured
at the John Gray lecture in the Ulster Hall.
Gray concluded his lecture by stressing the lecture for him was to “redeem Mary Ann McCracken from dewy eyed sentimentality” and recognise her in her own right as a pioneer advocate of women’s liberation and a determined revolutionary who remains a striking exemplar for our times. The next lecture in the Anna Eggert Series takes place on 17th February at 12:30pm, delivered by Dr Avila Kilmurray from the Community Foundation NI, who will speak about Madge Davison, a civil rights organiser for the NI Civil Rights Association and barrister from North Belfast. The final lecture will be given on 2nd March at 12:30pm, by Dr Margaret Ward (WRDA) about the Ulster Suffragettes.
The lecture series, funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, is part of a larger project looking at the role of women in Northern Ireland. The lectures are free but as space is limited they must be booked in advance by contacting the WRDA on info@wrda.net or phoning 028 9023 0212.
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