Tag Archives: 1916 Rising

CLARE’S Sinn Féin TD has called on all Republicans in the county to privately reflect on the sacrifices of Irish people during and after the 1916 Rising, particularly in light of those being made today in the fight against Covid-19. It comes as the party was forced to cancel all public events to mark the anniversary of the Rising, due to the ongoing Coronavirus lock-down. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne said that Sinn Féin in Clare will privately remember the 1916 Easter Rising and she called on others to do likewise. “Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sinn Féin moved immediately to cancel all of its public events scheduled for Clare,” the Kilrush resident noted. “These events have included a delay in the opening of my Ennis Constituency office, Sinn Féin public meetings and functions, internal party meetings and also all events planned this weekend to Commemorate the 1916 Rising. The Annual Easter Sunday Commemoration at Drumcliffe Cemetery is also cancelled.” Deputy Wynne added that …

An intriguing link between a Parteen family and the Easter 1916 Rising has emerged, following the establishment of a small temporary museum in the local national school. Sixth-class teacher, Councillor Cathal Crowe has managed to unearth a few historical gems from the locality, as a result of the school’s appeal to assist children during their history studies. One local family donated a lamp belonging to an old motorcycle, which was used to carry urgent messages from the GPO garrisson during Easter Week to freedom-fighters in Wicklow. On one occasion, the motorcyclist crashed his vehicle, while travelling over the Wicklow Mountains on a mission to seek reinforcements from Wicklow to assist in the Rising. Leaving the bike behind, the motorcyclist, who is the great-great-grandfather of a local child, continued on his journey with the lamp. Other donations include pieces of old clothing, war medals and medals depicting military service. Jackie Whelan from the West Clare Railway donated iron, pins, nails and …

The unveiling of an artwork in Ennis commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising was attended by members of the Defence Forces joined, politicians, musicians and the local community. Located at Club Bridge adjacent to the Easter Rising Memorial Stone installed in 1966, The Centurial Sphere’ and its unveiling marks the centrepiece of an 80 event Centenary Programme in Clare. Commissioned by Clare County Council, Kilkee-based sculptor Paddy Murray’s artwork is an internally-illuminated steel sphere that has been galvanised and lacquered to appear verdigris, while it is placed on a plinth provided by Pat McInerney and Noel O’Halloran of Ballykett Quarry. The Sphere carries lines from poems and songs about and from different parts of Clare celebrating the county’s cultural tradition, a tradition cherished by the men and women of 1916. With the support of Ennis Civic Trust the surrounding site, which was developed in 1966 using stones from all over the county representing the involvement of all areas of …

THE Cooraclare connection to the late Con Colbert, who was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham jail on May 8, 1916 was commemorated last weekend. In Cree, historian Paddy Waldron was joined by MEP Seán Kelly and former Minister for Education Mary O’Rourke for a fascinating discussion about Con Colbert’s life and times. Con Colbert was from West Limerick but his mother Hanorah Josephine MacDermott was from Clondreddan in Cooraclare. Tom Mac’s shop in Cooraclare village was the venue on Saturday for an exhibition of 1916 memorabilia, including a letter written by Con Colbert on the night prior to his execution, to his uncle Dan Irving of Cooraclare. Flan Irving is Dan Irving’s grandson and he told The Clare Champion on Saturday how touched he was by the three day commemoration. Incredibly, the letter has remained in the Irving household for a century. “This event has been emotional. The actual letter has been in our house for 100 years. Dan …

TO commemorate the centenary of the 1916 Rising, Clare County Library has developed book promotions on the theme for both children and adults. More than 800 books have been published on the subject, with almost 500 currently in print. The two reading promotions feature selections of the best of the currently available books on the Rising. The adult books selected are non-fiction and include general introductions, biographies of the individual leaders, first-hand accounts of particular battles, details of the rebellion in particular parts of the country and accounts of the civilian experience of the insurrection. Historical fiction is the perfect way for young people to get inside the skins of children of the same age from other times and give them a real understanding of major events in the past. The collection of books specifically chosen for children and teenagers will introduce them to, and immerse them in, one of the most important events to ever happen in our country’s …

THE centenary of the 1916 Rising will be commemorated with the installation of a €20,000 permanent artwork in Ennis, it has been confirmed. Clare County Council have begun the process of commissioning the artwork, with a proposed location of Abbey Street. It is planned to place the new artwork adjacent to the 1916 memorial stone currently in place, which was installed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Rising in 1966. According to Clare County Council, it is envisaged that the artwork will “be inclusive of the Ireland 2016 themes: remembering, reconciling, presenting, imagining and celebrating”. The local authority has explained that the artwork is being commissioned in response to the “great interest” in this period of history and the desire for Clare to play its part in the national commemoration. “Taking into consideration the community’s response to the commemoration of 1916 Easter Rising through the consultation process undertaken by Clare County Council in 2015, it is evident that there …

In a special message to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, President Michael D. Higgins evokes the events and people of 1916, whose beliefs and actions make it possible for us, as a nation, to remember and reflect on the full richness of our history and the diversity of people and events that are part of what we are today. President Higgins was particularly appreciative of the investment and commitment of the thousands of people, of all ages and backgrounds, who came forward with their wishes and suggestions, which form the basis of the 31 local community programmes which will take place nationwide in 2016. The President said the centenary offers all of us an opportunity to reflect on events of the past, so that we can build a future that honours the promise of equality and inclusiveness contained in the 1916 Proclamation. The Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, led by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, …

LECTURES, parades, book launches and commemoration ceremonies will be celebrated as part of a comprehensive programme in Clare to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. In total, 66 actions, covering seven strands, reflecting the themes adopted for the national programme were unveiled in the Clare schedule on Thursday in Dublin. The two main actions associated with World War I – the Clare Peace Park initiative and the Merriman Summer School, themed Ireland’s Gallant Allies in Europe – will be among the highlights of the local programme. It will include a focus on two men who are associated with 1916 in Clare – Con Colbert and Peadar Clancy. The official Clare County Council event is the re-development of the site commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising at the Club Bridge in Ennis. It is planned that there will be a re-launch of this site in early May 2016. The sub-committee meeting of the Cultural, Arts, Community, Recreation and …