Two new 1916 exhibitions open on the Southside

THE Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr Sarah Holland, proudly launched an exhibition of artefacts relating to the Easter Rising in County Library, Tallaght last week.

The exhibition contains items lent by St John’s Ambulance and Dublin Fire Brigade, as well as letters and postcards from the time.

“The legacy of 1916 stays with us, and is a living legacy,” Cllr Holland said.

“The items on display here give a snapshot of what life was like at the time, and also show a fascinating insight into some of the heroines and heroes of the time.”

The mayor also thanked all those who had contributed to the exhibition that will be on display at Tallaght Library until May.

Over 200 people recently attended a ‘Paths to Freedom’ conference in Tallaght Stadium, which is also part of South Dublin County Council’s 1916 Centenary programme.

The conference was introduced by Deputy Mayor, Cllr Guss O’Connell, who said he hoped that the event would reflect on the “idealism, aspirations and hopes of the 1916 leaders”.

RTÉ broadcaster and historian Dr Myles Dungan was accompanied by leading academics and entertainers who presented a unique package of lectures and presentations to remember the Rising, 100 years on.

RTE broadcaster Joe Duffy spoke about the children who died as a result of the fighting of Easter week 1916, the subject of his recent bestselling book, ‘Children of the Rising’.

Meanwhile, the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown section of the 1916 Rising Oral History Collection was launched recently in dlr LexIcon.

The 1916 Rising Oral History Collection, created by Jane and Maurice O’Keeffe of Irish Life and Lore, is comprised of 245 audio recordings, compiled between 2012 and 2015, with the sons, daughters and other close relatives of those central to events at Easter 1916.

An illustrated volume containing detailed indices and a synopsis of the content of each recording accompanies the audio material.

Previously undocumented primary source material relating to 1916 has been uncovered by Irish Life and Lore, courtesy of the families recorded for the project.

Much of this material will be on display in Irish libraries during the centenary year, including at dlr LexIcon until the end of April 2016.

“We can learn so much from the cherished family memories of the relatives of the men and women involved in 1916,” Maurice O’Keeffe said.

“These family memories formed a vital part of their childhood years, and the warm human stories have been only partly told in the public arena.  “Where possible, this oral history project sets out to remedy this while also concentrating on the historical facts.

“We hope we have recaptured the human element which controlled and directed the seismic events of one century ago.”

The exhibition of artefacts is on display on Level 5 of dlr LexIcon where a selection of interview excerpts from the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown project can also be viewed.