In the early hours of 4 May 1916, Willie Pearse and three of his colleagues were executed by firing squad for their part in the Easter Rising. His more famous brother, Patrick, had been executed with two others on the previous day and, in total, sixteen of the rebels met their deaths in the same way. Continue reading
The peninsula is a beautiful picturesque landscape littered with graves, many of them Irish graves. Continue reading
Ceannt came to his nationalism slowly, mostly via his interest in the Irish language and Irish music. Continue reading
Angus Mitchell lives and works as an historian in Ireland; he was born in Africa and educated in England, and from 1992-98, he lived and worked in Brazil. What better credentials to write authoritatively about the internal milieu of Casement’s professional career? Continue reading
This is a thoughtful, well-balanced, sensibly structured and extremely well-written book. Supported by a ‘Timeline’ of Connolly’s life and times, a useful and clear map of central Dublin in 1916, a selection of interesting photographs (some of which were new to me) an extensive bibliography and a couple of short appendices containing some of Connolly’s writings (including a number of his ballads and poems) the author presents a really clear and concise introduction to Connolly. Continue reading
Chapter Two, ‘ Prisoner Number J464, 1883-98′ is the fulcrum of this book. It concentrates in detail on the British prison system of those times and Litton has done meticulous research to justify her conclusion that Clarke suffered so badly and permanently that it led to his utter thirst for revenge and a military solution against English oppression. Continue reading
The story of Joseph Mary Plunkett is so dramatic, so full of high courage and drama and resolve, that it should have made the best kind of biography. Continue reading
Eileen Haley captures the indomitability of Constance Markiewicz in a quilt which celebrates an eventful life as a free-spirited and pro-active woman. Continue reading
Had Casement been a conventional man, married with a wife and family in Ireland, he would never have been free to have travelled as he did in such difficult realms, and re-defined so radically, at such cost to himself, and at such a critical point in history, geo-politics and social justice agendas. Continue reading
