John Toland 1670-1722 | Man of Ardagh Series part i

John Toland (1670-1722) on A Night to Remember

The Irish rationalist philosopher and freethinker, John Toland died on this day in 1722. Precisely one year ago today, the tercentenary of his death was observed in his birthplace, the townland Ardagh on the Inishowen peninsula in Co. Donegal. To mark and observe this occasion, a special event – John Toland: Man of Ardagh – was organised. There was a great turn out at The Strand Hotel in Ballyliffin to mark not just his passing but also and more importantly, his life and the work that he undertook, which jointly constitute his legacy.

Speakers on the night included Dr Brian Lambkin, former principal of Lagan College, Belfast and founding director of the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies, who gave the keynote address. In his broad overview, he dwelt on some of the issues surrounding Toland and how his reputation has survived down through the years, despite controversies, some of which may still linger today. He also mentioned some of the places associated with Toland and his many travels through what could be considered 'Toland Country', concluding at his final resting place in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church in Putney, England

He was followed by Dr Kay Muhr, who gave a presentation on the history the Toland surname and its presence in the region of Inishowen, where it remains very much in evidence today, demonstrated in no small part by the turnout on the night. Among those was Patsy Toland, who entertained the gathering with a musical interlude, featuring songs and compositions from contemporaries of Toland, including Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), the harpist and singer whose blindness did not affect (maybe aided) his great gift for melodic composition.

Prior to that, Dr Takaharu Oda of Trinity College Dublin spoke about how Toland's work continues to be of interest to academics and scholars the world over, irrespective of barriers presented by language, culture or distance. This would be in no small part due to his valiant efforts to advance reason and critical thought over the blind acceptance of authority in religion, politics or any other public sphere, many times at great personal risk to himself.

Oscar Duggan of The Manuscript Publisher gave a presentation on Toland's literary and publishing activities, including the work that is being done today to to make Toland's works more accessible and known to a wider audience, employing modern media and techniques in the process, under the umbrella of the John Toland Centenaries web project. This is a project that was initiated in 2018, with a view to the upcoming centenaries surrounding his life and death and which will continue thereafter, to serve as a repository of knowledge about Toland, his life and times as well as those of his contemporaries and those who have followed in his path.

There followed a lengthy discussion about Toland, his enduring significance and appeal as a writer and as a public figure, which went on well into the night.

John Toland, Man of Ardagh, Tercentenary Celebrations

A Night to Remember: John Toland, Man of Ardagh

– marking the tercentenary of Toland's passing with an evening of entertainment and appraisal –

A night to mark the tercentenary of the passing of philosopher and Inishowen man, John Toland is being held in the Strand Hotel, Ballyliffin in Co. Donegal this Friday, 11 March starting 7pm.

"The tercentenary of Toland's death in March 1722 is obviously a significant anniversary by its very nature. Even now, 300 years after his passing, Toland's work and writings continue to be explored by scholars and academics across the world and for us not to mark his contribution to the study of modern-day philosophy would do an injustice to the man himself." – John Toland, Man of Ardagh event co-producer and local film festival director, Michael McLaughlin

Brian Lambkin, writer and historian, is the keynote speaker at the event on Friday. Brian is a former Principal of Lagan College, Belfast and founding Director of the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies. He was a member of the Board of the Integrated Education Fund, Chairman of the Association of European Migration Institutions and is currently a member of the Board of Healing through Remembering. His writings include Opposite Religions Still? Interpreting Northern Ireland After the Conflict (Avebury, 1996) and Calming Conflict: Northern Ireland, Metaphor and Migration (UHF & MCMS, 2019).

The second speaker is Oscar Duggan, founder of The Manuscript Publisher, a publishing house which has produced several of Toland's works, with another on the way. Duggan was involved in the publication of a short biography and critical appraisal of Toland that goes under the title of John Toland: Ireland's Forgotten Philosopher, Scholar … and Heretic by J.N. Duggan (2010).

Other components of the evening include a short address by Trinity College scholar, Takaharu Oda from Japan, who has visited Clonmany in the past and earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy writing about Toland and his peers.

Music on the evening will have a flavour of the era in which Toland walked these Donegal highways and byways.

Come along to the Strand Hotel, Ballyliffin at 7pm on 11 March and learn about Toland's life and legacy. All are welcome.

350th Anniversary of the birth of Irish Philosopher, John Toland (1670-1722)

Recalling the Life of Irish Philosopher, John Toland (1670-1722)

– Some Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Mr. John Toland –

John Toland (1670-1722)

The 350th anniversary of the birth of Irish rationalist philosopher, John Toland (1670-1722), which falls today, is being observed with the re-issue of Some Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Mr. John Toland by Pierre des Maizeaux, first published in 1726.

Given the sparsity of biographical information about John Toland, the fact that this account of his life comes from the pen of a contemporary makes it all the more valuable to students of Toland, the early Enlightenment and of philosophy in general. The reader will gain a flavour for the times in which he lived, his character, the impression that he made on those who encountered him (both friends and adversaries) together with some helpful insight into the many polemics and controversies in which he frequently found himself embroiled. "If you would know more of him, search his writings," Toland said of himself and des Maizeaux's account provides every incentive to do just that.

Pierre des Maizeaux was a French Huguenot, living in exile in London at the time of writing. While his original purpose was simply to provide an overview of Toland’s immense literary output, it was "by greatest accident in the world, that I fell into the company of a Gentleman, who had been intimately acquainted with Mr. Toland, and who very generously communicated to me several particulars concerning him."

While John Toland left Ireland in 1698, never to return, following the fallout arising from the publication of Christianity not Mysterious, what we can glean from this short account of his life would suggest that he retained a certain connection to his Irish roots.

In a visit to Prague, in 1708, he met with Irish Franciscans, who gave testimony that "Mr. Toland was descended from an honourable, noble, and most ancient Family" contrary to some of the wilder and more sensational claims made by his detractors (who included Jonathan Swift, also born on this day but three years earlier, in 1667).

In 1719, Toland lobbied against a bill before parliament, "for the better securing the Dependency the Kingdom of Ireland, upon the Crown of Great Britain" arguing that it "shou’d not pass into a Law."

The History of the Druids is mentioned, as a project left unfinished at the time of Toland's death but which, des Maizeaux says, "I believe, he intended to pursue in good earnest", drawing upon his own knowledge of Irish manuscripts, as well as customs and traditions that he would have encountered directly during the first sixteen years of his life, growing up in "in the most northern Peninsula in Ireland … originally called Inis-Eogan, or Inis Eogain, but is now call’d Inisoen, or Enis-owen."

Some Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Mr. John Toland by Pierre des Maizeaux is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions.

John Toland and the Archaeology and Toponymy of Inishowen

The 4th Inishowen Lecture will take place this weekend (Saturday, 15 September) in the Market, House, Clonmany on the Inishowen peninsula, Co. Donegal.

A talk on John Toland and the Archaeology and Toponymy of Inishowen by Dr Brian Lambkin and Dr Kay Muhr will feature among the programme of events. Toland himself hails from the neighbouring townland of Ardagh, a fact that is not forgotten locally.

Further information is available from the Lands of Eogain Facebook page. The full programme for the evening is described below: