In the early twentieth century, publicly staged productions of historical events became increasingly popular—and increasingly grand—in Ireland. These pageants, not unlike the opening ceremonies of today’s Olympic Games, could mobilize huge numbers of citizens in elaborate presentations that offered the Irish a sense of their own past.

Joan FitzPatrick Dean, the Curators Professor of English at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, looks at the historical significance of these spectacles in a discussion of her new book, All Dressed Up. She presents a nation forging an identity by reimagining its past.

A 6 p.m. reception precedes this event. Co-sponsored by the Irish Center of Kansas City.