THE 1916 Rising Centenary Committee (Scotland) was formed in January 2015 and its main purpose was to commemorate the centenary of the Easter Rising as a seminal event in 20th century Irish history. It was especially keen to highlight the contribution made by the 20 Glasgow-based members of the Irish Volunteers and Cumann na mBan who crossed from Scotland to Ireland to participate in the 1916 Rising, in Dublin, Galway and Enniscorthy.
The committee—which is made up of a wide range of individuals, including activists involved in political education, the Irish language, culture, sport and the arts—agreed to work in partnership with governmental, community and academic institutions to further the aims of the committee, including the production of the book, We Will Rise Again: Ireland, Scotland and the Easter Rising. The committee received the endorsement of the Irish Consulate and funding from the Ireland 2016 fund. The consulate staff have been of great assistance to the work of the committee, and never attempted to interfere in the decision-making process.
Our official launch at the Irish Consulate in Edinburgh, in April 2015. There was a large attendance of Irish cultural and sporting bodies, including representatives of Conradh na Gaeilge, Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann, the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Irish Heritage Foundation. Civic Scotland was strongly represented by academics, cultural bodies and a cross section of politicians.
We got off to an auspicious start. Since it has organised more than 100 events often in partnership with other organisations. These have included conferences, film screenings, walking tours, book launches, quiz nights, library exhibitions, and graveside commemorations. All our events have been well supported by the Irish community.
The committee was successful in achieving all its aims and objectives. It was ambitious from the outset and extended its reach beyond the Irish community to different sections of civic Scotland, including several minority ethnic communities.
The backing for the committee by the consulate and the mainstream Irish organisations was only made possibly by our inclusive and non-sectarian approach to working with others. The support of The Irish Voice—which performs a vital role in serving the Irish community in Scotland, both in terms of advertising and reporting on our events —has proved invaluable.
Commemorations
In the 1970s and 1980s, in particular, the Irish community was under surveillance and Irish Republican activists in particular were subject to state harassment. This had the effect of discouraging members of the Irish community from attending commemorative events for fear of being singled out for harassment and intimidation.
The public does not seem to have been put off from participating in the committee’s centenary events, judging by the size of the turnouts and feedback received. When the police turned up at the ‘Scotland and the Easter Rising’ evening event at the STUC building, which the committee interpreted as harassment, a subsequent meeting with the police that proved to be constructive, left them in no doubt that the committee would not tolerate harassment of its work. The police themselves admitted their ignorance of Irish matters, which they have tended to interpret primarily through the prism of football.
Although the Decade of Centenaries ended last year, the committee has continued to meet and organise events. We helped to create a body to care for and maintain the graves of some of the soldiers of the Irish Republic who are buried in Scottish cemeteries. The involvement of the Cornelius Colbert and Séan Houston Irish Cultural and Heritage Group in Plains, has proven invaluable to this work.
During the Easter weekend, commemorative ceremonies took place in several cemeteries in Glasgow and the west of Scotland (above), to honour Irishmen and women who kept the national spirit alive among the exiles. They rendered service in one or more organisations, including the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Briogaid na h-Albain, Óglaigh na hÉireann, Cumann na mBan, Na Fianna Éireann and Sinn Féin. The graves visited were those of Dennis Canning, Liam Gribben, Patrick James McGuire, Frank Kelly, Sarah Kelly, Sarah O’Kane, Michael O’Hara, Thomas Skinnider, Jane Skinnider, Tom Brady, Liam Clarke, Alice Coogan, Seán O’Shea, Peadar Marron, Maire Marron, and Matt O’Brien.
I myself, a historian and associate member of the National Graves Association, read short biographies of each of the volunteers, which recounted their record of service in the cause of Irish freedom. The Proclamation and Republican Roll of Honour for Scotland were read, as were several poems by Patrick Pearse. Laments were played on the flute and floral tributes were placed on the patriot graves. It was reported that the
broken headstone on the grave of Sarah O’Kane, has been repaired since last year’s ceremony. A member of the group is liaising with the family of Alice Coogan, a veteran of the Easter Rising and member of the Anne Devlin Branch of Cumann na mBan, to erect a fitting memorial on her grave in St Peter’s Cemetery in Glasgow.
Variety of events
In May the Committee and Glasgow Trades Council jointly hosted the Glasgow launch of Rút Nic Foirbeis’ fascinating new book A History of Irish Republicanism in Dundee c1840 to 1985, in Red Rosa’s in the Calton, for this year’s May Day Programme. Maggie Chetty introduced Rút, who delivered a fine presentation on James Connolly’s connections with Dundee, where he cut his teeth in the early socialist movement. While Rút is an academic, she was also an Irish solidarity activist. An interesting question and answer session followed. The audience at the well-attended event, were then regaled by Mick Flannery (Green Night) and Pauline Bradley who sung Irish songs of resistance. Rút did a book signing before a most enjoyable evening ended.
On the previous day as part of the May Day Programme, Keith Stoddart and myself performed the role of tour guides, for the popular Glasgow and the Irish Revolution Walking Tour.
The committee is delighted to be involved with the play Margaret Skinnider, Rebel Heart. This new play was inspired by the revolutionary and trade union leader Margaret Skinnider. Wounded fighting during the Easter Rising, Skinnider was an excellent markswoman and close friend of Constance Markiewicz; she was an active
suffragette and went on to become the President of the Irish teachers’ union, whilst battling the authorities for decades to secure her war pension—denied to her as a woman. This powerful, moving drama is the fruition of six years of research and a major part of the efforts to achieve the rightful place in history for the Coatbridge-born Margaret Skinnider.
The play, which was written by Maggie Chetty and rewritten by Cat Hepburn. The talented actor Jasmine Main performs the role of Skinnider and the director is Julie Hale. It was performed in April in front of a packed church hall in Coatbridge, hosted by Cairde na hÉireann.
In conclusion, we can feel satisfied that the centenary of the revolutionary decade which started in 1913 and ended in 1923, was significantly marked in Scotland, with a wide range of events that engaged the Irish community and broad sections of Scottish civic society. For those of us involved in putting many of these events together, it has been a most rewarding experience. Going forward, it bodes well for the committee’s future intention of carrying on marking the revolutionary decade and ensuring that our patriot dead in Scottish cemeteries are remembered with dignity and pride.
Stephen Coyle is the Secretary of the 1916 Rising Centenary Committee (Scotland)
Comentarios