‘If a police barracks is burned or if the barracks already occupied is not suitable, then the best house in the locality is to be commandeered, the occupants thrown into the gutter. Let them die there—the more the merrier. Should the order not be immediately obeyed, shoot and shoot with effect. If the persons approaching … Read more
Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa was born in 1831 near Rosscarbery, Co. Cork, and in 1856 he formed the Phoenix National Literary Society in Skibbereen. This was a secret society whose aim was Irish independence from Britain. In 1858 he was sworn into the Irish Republican Brotherhood. In December 1858 Rossa was arrested and jailed without trial … Read more
Seán O’Casey was secretary of the Irish Citizen Army and wrote ‘ICA Notes’ in The Worker and the Irish Worker. While James Connolly attacked the British, O’Casey attacked the Volunteers week after week. He continually argued that the workers of Ireland were not served by the intent of the Volunteers, that the Volunteers were in … Read more
The Starry Plough flag has been in the possession of the National Museum (NMI) since 1956 and has recently been conserved in commemoration of the centenaries of the foundation of the Labour Party (1912), the Dublin Lockout (1913) and the Easter Rising (1916). Funding was provided by individual contributions from members of the Labour Party. … Read more
It’s been a busy week in history-land. Beginning with last weeks unveiling of the CWGC Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin Cemetery, we’ve had a raft of official commemorations of the outbreak of the First World War in Ireland, the UK and Belgium (with Irish representation at the latter two). RTÉ have also launched an ambitious month … Read more