A terrible Beauty: The 1916 Dublin Rising
In 1916 the British Army had a garrison in Dublin of approximately 2,400 officers and men who were split up around the city. At Marlborough (McKee) Barracks near Parkgate, HQ Irish Command (now Defence Forces HQ) were stationed 886 members of the 6th Cavalry Reserve Regiment, Richmond Barracks (now an apartment block) near Kilmainham housed 403 men of the Royal Irish Regiment, Portabello (Cathal Brugha) Barracks was home to 671 men of 3rd battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles and 467 men of the Royal Dublins were based at Royal (Collins) Barracks.
On Easter Monday, April 24th 1916, Constable James O’Brien of the Dublin Metropolitan Police was on duty at the main gate of Dublin Castle. He was approached by a small detachment of men in dark uniforms. He had just raised his hand to stop them entering the Castle when a shot rang out and he crashed to the ground. He was the first victim of the 1916 Rebellion.
By the time the week was over the Garrison had been reinforced by troops from the 25th Irish Reserve Infantry Brigade, the 59th (North Midland) Division, a composite Ulster Battalion from Belfast and a battery of 18 pounders from 144th and 145th Field Batteries of the 5 Reserve Artillery Brigade.
The 4,500 men in khaki were facing 1,200 men and women from the Irish Volunteers and Citizen Army. The Volunteers’ Dublin regiment was made up of 4 battalions who took over areas of strategic value such as the South Dublin Union and the Jacobs Biscuit Factory. A mixed force of Volunteers and Citizen Army personnel took over the City Hall and the GPO. At about 1:00pm in front of the GPO Patrick Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Republic.
Whole streets of Dublin were destroyed after a week of ferocious fighting. Sunday, April 30th saw the final surrender of the rebel forces and beginning of deportation of the insurgents. On May 3rd the execution of 15 rebels, including the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Republic, began.
Your guide for this tour will be Captain (retd) Donal Buckley of the Irish Defence Force. Donal's battlefield interests follows the trail of the Irish soldier, soldiering in Ireland and abroad, no matter what the uniform, emphasising the common heritage on the island of Ireland.
Dublin Itinerary
| Day 1 | You will be picked up by coach in central Belfast and travel to Dublin. If required there will be further pickups in Banbridge and Newry. After booking into your hotel you will meet your tour guide who will deliver a presentation on the situation in Ireland both before, during and after The Great War and the events that lead to that fateful Easter week in 1916. Your guide will then accompany you on a walking tour of central Dublin which will visit the primary points of interest. He will paint the picture of the actions of the day, including the GPO, Sackville Street (now O’Connell St), Customs House, Trinity College, Brunswick St (now Pearse St.) Police / Garda Station. Following a pub lunch we will board the coach and travel to nearby Kilmainham Gaol. Built in 1792 it was here the main leaders of the Rising were held and subsequently executed. We will then travel to Glasnevin Cemetery. In its 120 acres this famous old burial ground holds the remains of such diverse characters as Sir Roger Casement, Michael Collins and Brendan Behan. Following this you will return to your hotel for an evening of relaxation and craic. |
| Day 2 | After a hearty breakfast we will travel to Arbour Hill. The military cemetery here holds the remains of 14 of those executed in Kilmainham Goal. These include Patrick Pearse and James Connolly. At the rear of the nearby Church of the Sacred Heart there is a graveyard containing British Military personnel who died in the 19th and early 20th century. Following this we will walk to nearby Collins Barracks (formerly Royal Barracks). Built in 1702 the barracks was the home of the 10th Royal Dublin Fusiliers and it was from here they deployed to fight the insurgents. It now is the home of The National Museum of Ireland and has several exhibitions of military memorabilia. After lunch we will travel to Islandbridge Memorial Gardens. Here, in the most dignified surroundings, are the memorials to Irish soldiery, including the names of nearly 50,000 Irish men from all parts of the Island who perished in the Great War. We will then move to Dublin Castle. In 1916 the castle was guarded by a force of 200 based at nearby Ship Street Barracks. These included detachments of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers en route to the Somme. You will receive a tour of this former seat of British rule in Ireland which has many unique and fascinating exhibits. Time permitting we will visit the magnificent Christ Church Cathedral. The building dates back to 1038 and contains the purported tomb of Strongbow, the Anglo-Welsh knight whose arrival in Ireland marked England’s involvement with Ireland. Then it is back on the coach for your return trip to Belfast and dispersal. |
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THIS TOUR CAN BE COMBINED WITH A TOUR OF THE SITE OF THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE
Prices from £119.00
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