Northside city councillor publishes new book

LORD Mayor of Dublin Cllr Nial Ring launched a new book about the Mansion House recently, written by a Northside councillor.

Cllr Mícheál Mac Donncha’s book is titled: 'The Mansion House & the Irish Revolution – Teach an Ardmhéara agus Réabhlóid na hÉireann 1912-23'. 

Dublin's Mansion House has been a centre of political and social life for the past 300 years. 

In the revolutionary years 1912–1923 it was the scene of many key events in the struggle for national independence and social progress – including the women’s movement, the fight for trade union rights and the movement for national independence, culminating in the establishment of Dáil Eireann and the underground Government of the Irish Republic, the formal address of which was the Mansion House. 

For the first time, this book by Cllr Mac Donncha brings these events together in this historic location.

Cllr Mac Donncha, a Sinn Fein councillor for the Donaghmede Local Electoral Area (LEA), said: “Having researched this book I realised that the Mansion House was even more central to the events of 1912 to 1923 than I had suspected. And it was seen as such at the time. People looked to it as a place where debate took place and ideas and leadership emerged. 

“For example, I had not been aware that, in common with many ordinary homes throughout Ireland, the Mansion House was raided and damaged on several occasions by British crown forces during the War of Independence.”