A series of events around Europe commemorating the 400 thanniversary of the Flight of the Earls was announced today by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The Flight of the Earls is considered a seminal event in Irish history which led to the Plantation of Ulster with Scottish Protestants who were to become the dominant population in what is now Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the announcement today, Mr Ahern said: "I believe, passionately, that a country which is not aware of and comfortable with its past, for all its complexity, and the scope it provides for diverging and conflicting interpretations, cannot be comfortable in the present, or still less, be confident about shaping its own future."
Events commemorating the foundation of the Irish College, St Anthony's College Louvain and the 350th anniversary of the death of Fr Luke Wadding, the noted Franciscan scholar and theologian were also announced by Mr Ahern.
Seminars and exhibitions will take place throughout the year at the Irish College in Paris and Rome; St Anthony's and at academic and cultural institutions throughout Ireland. There will also be events at Irish embassies in various parts of Europe.
Mr Ahern described the Flight of the Earls - which marked the demise of the ancient Gaelic ancestry from Ulster - as "one of the most poignant and romantic episodes in Irish history".
Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell and 90 of their followers fled from Rathmullan Bay, Co Donegal to Belgium after being defeated by the English.
They found refuge in St Anthony's College Louvain which had been founded earlier that year by theologian Florence Conry of the Irish Franciscans.
The college is highly regarded and has been a focus of cultural and academic activity promoting Ireland's relationship with Europe.
A stamp commemorating the founding of the college and the death of Fr Waddington has been developed by An Post as part of the commemorations.
Fr Wadding was a major European figure of his time renowned for his work as a scholar, theologian and historian. Born in Waterford, he became president of the Irish College in Salamanca, Spain and founded Irish colleges in Paris; Vielun, Poland; and Capranica, Italy (1656).
He is also responsible for March 17 thbeing recognised by the Catholic Church as the St Patrick Day.
"It is right that these great events and personalities should be marked," Mr Ahern said.
The commemorative programme, supported by €1.25 million from teh Exchequer, will include special exhibitions at: the National Museum of Ireland, the National Library, the Hunt Museum and the Waterford Treasures Museum.
Seminars, workshops and presentations will be held in UCD, Louvain, NUI Maynooth, DIT, TCD, UCG, O' Fiach Library in Armagh and in the Irish Colleges in Rome and Paris.