'A Terrible Beauty is Born'

The Centenary of the Easter Rising

All around Ireland new monuments are being

erected to commemorate the 1916 Rising.

This is a fine example of what can occur when like minded people,

from different walks of life work together for the benefit of the greater community.

It is situated at Derrycloney Bridge on the outskirts of Mountmellick in Co. Laois

and will be unveiled on 3rd April 2016.

The Floral Tribute at Derrycloney.

In Dublin today 

Several thousand people have marched from Kilmainham to Arbour Hill Cemetery in Dublin to commemorate the events of Easter 1916.

Those taking part included the Cabra Historical Society and flute and pipe bands - including two from the US.

The gathering was addressed by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was also present. 

Mr Adams said relatives of 1916 should not have been forced to go the High Court to protect the Moore Street battlefield site.

Mr Adams said the State had lost the Moore Street case and the people had won.

He honoured Colm Moore who took the action in order save the site from demolition by developers.

Addressing the crowd at Arbour Hill Cemetery, Mr Adams said the State was "not the Republic proclaimed in 1916" and he added "efforts to pretend that it is, is an insult to the brave men who lie here".

Mr Adams also accused acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny of turning his back on the border.

"Enda Kenny thinks Northern Ireland is a foreign country." he said.

Mr Adams added that the proclamation remains the mission statement for Irish republicanism.

© RTE

James Connolly Herron (right) unveils a new statue with Northern Ireland Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin, for his great grandfather James Connolly, one of the 1916 Easter Rising leaders on Falls Road, Belfast.

James Connolly Heron said it was an honour and a privilege to attend the event on the Falls Road in the west of the city.

Addressing a crowd of hundreds, he said: "I feel in some ways that I have come home.

"This is west Belfast and the Falls Road is very much the spiritual home of James Connolly.

"He had many homes. He was a son of Edinburgh; he was a son of New York; he was a son of Dublin and a very proud son of Belfast.

"His family forged their politics in and around this area."

The life-size bronze sculpture, which weighs 200 kilograms, was designed by artist Steve Feeny and is located on the Falls in the west of the city.

It was funded by Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Sinn Fein councillor Jim McVeigh, a member of the James Connolly Society, said it was an "exciting day".

He said: "This is the best place for James Connolly, in the place where he lived and among the people whom he fought for."

Culture Minister Caral ni Chuilin described Connolly as one of the greatest ever leaders and revealed that his photograph had taken pride of place in the home where she grew up alongside a picture of the Sacred Heart and US President John F Kennedy.

Connolly was born in Edinburgh to Irish parents, rose to prominence during the Dublin lockout of 1913 as general secretary of Irish Transport and General Workers Union and commander of Irish Citizen Army (ICA), which was set up to defend workers from police brutality.

He had close ties with Belfast and lived at Glenalina Terrace close to the Falls Road for a number of years from 1911.

He has been hailed as one of the most influential and effective leaders of the rebellion and on Easter Monday, April 24 1916 led more than 220 ICA members to the General Post Office from where he commanded military operations.

He was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol in May 1916.

© Belfast Telegraph

A Trip Down the Road

We took a trip to the famous Lough Gur in County Limerick which has been inhabited for the last six thousand years. I looked at the map and it seemed to be an easy route by taking the M7 down towards Limerick City and to take a left onto the N24 and then a right onto a smaller road. What I had not realised was that there were other smaller roads that were not on my map and so we had to make a few enquiries along the way.  Our main complaint is that it is not very well sign posted and we did ponder on whether they actually want visitors judging by the lack of signs.

For Lady H it was her first time of driving for any distance on a Motorway and it did not please her, she gave me the very same dislikes as I had myself, that they are boring and mesmerising after awhile . Which is why I only used them when it was very necessary.

Nearby locations

Lough Gur locality

The tranquil lake where motorised boats and fishing on the lake are not permitted.

One of the remaining crannogs on lough Gur.

A crannog is a man made island created by the neolithic people as means

of making a safe haven

You might recognise these two from earlier blog posts?

They are taking their ease in front two buildings reconstructed in what is believed to be

a neolithic style -minus the glass windows of course.

Popping out of the trees on left side of photo is Bourchier’s Castle built in 1588 by Sir George Bourchier, the son of the second Earl of Bath.

We had a very pleasant day out and our Toby slept all of the way home.

For more information about Lough Gur please visit

http://loughgur.com

The Resident and the Regular Visitors

 I have been taking a rest from blogging just recently firstly because of the difficulty that I had in posting up the last blog and secondly that I have been distracted by the political scene here in Ireland which is still not resolved; Enough though of that.

Better perhaps to  share with you some photo's of our hairy resident Toby and also of our regular visitors.