When the leaders were executed opinion changed and the local Anglo-Celt newspaper stated in its editorial ‘sympathy is being aroused for the victims where nothing but indignant condemnation of their criminal enterprise previously existed’.
Nationalistic feelings were already prominent in the county however. It should be remembered that Colonel Edward Saunderson, whose family seat was outside Belturbet and who was a prominent member of the Orange Order, had once urged Orangemen ‘to drill, arm and don uniforms’ against the campaign for Home Rule. The Anglo Celt which was nationalist in tone and the Irish Post which supported the unionist view highlighted the growing polarisation between both groups. It was no surprise therefore that John Kevin O’Reilly who was born in Virginia, County Cavan marched with his five sons to the GPO and played an active role in the fighting. It was John Kevin who wrote Wrap the Green Flag Around Me Boys, in honour of Major John McBride who was executed after the rising. Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, who was born in Bailieborough and was a well known pacifist, was arrested on Easter Tuesday while trying to prevent looting and subsequently murdered on Wednesday 26th of April. Agnes O’Farrelly, who presided at the inaugural meeting of Cumann na mBan, was a close friend of Roger Casement: he and was born at Raffony near Virginia, County Cavan.
Listening to the People of Cavan
The public consultation meeting on the 11th June 2015 to discuss plans for 2016 produced a wide range of ideas for celebration and commemoration which cover the seven themes of the Centenary Programme.
The overwhelming feeling from the meeting was that the Centenary is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take stock of the nation’s journey from 1916 and that we should commemorate the sacrifices made and celebrate the achievements of the intervening years. Our youth should be given an opportunity to understand the events surrounding the foundation of the state and the Proclamation of the Republic should be explored in its original context. Children should be given the opportunity to reflect on the Proclamation and to see how the country has lived up to its ideals, principles and aspirations. An armed rising took place yet the leaders as well as being military men and women were poets, teachers and spiritual people and our celebrations should reflect this. There should be inclusiveness about the commemoration which encompasses all citizens in the Ireland of today. No political group should try to take ownership of the occasion and because of Cavan’s location there should be linkage where possible in cross border initiatives.
Some Highlights of our Programme
The programme will include the following: A local launch of the centenary programme to include a lecture on Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh (Agnes O’Farrelly) who is referred to above.
“The Ultimate Sacrifice: an exhibition” which will be launched in Johnston Central Library exploring aspects of the 1916 Rising, the events leading up to it and its aftermath.
This will form part of “Cavan and the Rising: A Conference” in Johnston Central Library which includes a lecture on Francis Sheehy-Skeffington by his granddaughter Micheline Sheehy-Skeffington and Maurice O’Keeffe from “Irish Life & Lore” who has documented the stories of relatives of those involved in the 1916 Rising. Dr Brendan Scott will speak on Cavan involvement in the Rising.
A commemorative plaque in honour of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington will be unveiled in his native Bailieborough as will one at the former Tullynamoyle School near Dowra where Sean Mac Diarmada attended to learn the Irish language. Parish groups will also have an opportunity to host events commemorating individuals from the local area through the provision of Council grants.
The significance of the diaspora is recognised in the centenary programme as there are 70 million people abroad of Irish extraction. A conference will take place reflecting the effect of emigration and exile on the population through music, drama, literature, and poetry etc.
A book similar to Cavan’s Great War ‘Roll of Honour’ covering the period 1916-1922 for the county will be researched and published.
An event “Re-imagining Cavan in 1916” will take place in Cavan town on Saturday 23rd April 2016 which will include a ceremonial event at Cavan Courthouse in the evening. A section of the town will revert to a 1916 likeness with engagement and entertainment from traders and interested groups. It will give the general public an opportunity to be involved in the celebrations.
Cavan County Museum will recreate a 1916 Dublin scene within the existing Peace Garden to include a replica of the GPO with information panels covering topics of the period. The Peace Garden complements the Great War trench experience at the museum. This is the largest outdoor replica trench in Ireland or England.
The programme will also include a research project on the history of the Traveller Community in Cavan in 1916.
Nuair a cuireadh na ceannairí chun báis tháinig athrú intinne ar dhaoine agus luadh in eagarfhocal an nuachtáin áitiúil, The Anglo-Celt: ‘táthar báúil leis na híospartaigh anois cé go rabhthas dá gcáineadh go diomúch roimhe sin as a gcuid coiriúlachta’.
Bhí an náisiúnachas le sonrú go tréan sa chontae cheana, áfach. Ba chóir a chuimhneamh gur ghríosaigh an Coirnéal Edward Saunderson, a raibh eastát a theaghlaigh taobh amuigh de Bhéal Tairbirt agus a bhí ina bhall suntasach den Ord Oráisteach, Oráistigh tráth chun ‘druileáil, armáil agus éidí a chaitheamh’ in aghaidh an fheachtais ar son Rialtas Dúchais. Leag an nuachtán náisiúnach, The Anglo-Celt, agus an Irish Post, a thacaigh leis an dearcadh aontachtach, béim ar an deighilt idir an dá ghrúpa a bhí ag éirí níos mó. Níorbh ábhar iontais é mar sin gur mháirseáil John Kevin O’Reilly, a rugadh in Achadh an Iúir, Contae an Chabháin, lena chúigear mac i dtreo Ard-Oifig an Phoist chun ról gníomhach a imirt sa troid. Ba é John Kevin a scríobh Wrap the Green Flag Around Me Boys in onóir an Mhaoir John McBride a cuireadh chun báis tar éis an éirí amach. Gabhadh Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, a rugadh i gCoill an Chollaigh agus a raibh aithne mhaith air mar shíochánaí, Máirt Chásca agus é ag iarraidh creachadh a chosc. Dúnmharaíodh é ina dhiaidh sin Dé Céadaoin an 26 Aibreán. Bhí Úna Ní
Fhaircheallaigh, a bhí i gceannas ar chruinniú tionscnaimh Chumann na mBan, ina dlúthchara le Ruairí Mac Easmainn. Rugadh í i Rafanaigh in aice le hAchadh an Iúir, Contae an Chabháin.
Cluas éisteachta a thabhairt do mhuintir an Chabháin
Tháinig lear mór smaointe chun cinn maidir le ceiliúradh agus comóradh a chlúdaíonn na seacht dtéama den Chlár Comórtha Céad Bliain ag an gcruinniú comhairliúcháin phoiblí an 11 Meitheamh 2015 chun pleananna a phlé do 2016.
Bhíothas den tuairim láidir sa chruinniú gur deis den scoth é an Comóradh Céad Bliain chun machnamh a dhéanamh ar thuras an náisiúin ón mbliain 1916 agus gur cheart dúinn na híobairtí a rinneadh a chomóradh agus na héachtaí a baineadh amach ón am sin i leith a cheiliúradh. Ba cheart go dtabharfaí faill dár n-óige na himeachtaí ba chúis le bunú an stáit a thuiscint agus ba chóir go ndéanfaí iniúchadh ar Fhorógra na Poblachta ina chomhthéacs bunaidh. Ba chóir go dtabharfaí áiméar do leanaí machnamh a dhéanamh ar an bhForógra agus a fheiceáil conas mar atá ag éirí leis an tír na hidéil, na prionsabail agus na mianta atá ann a bhaint amach. Bhí éirí amach armtha ar siúl agus cé gurbh fhir agus mná míleata iad na ceannairí, b’fhilí, mhúinteoirí agus dhaoine spioradálta iad freisin agus ba chóir go léireofaí an méid sin inár gceiliúradh. Ba chóir go mbeadh cuimsitheacht sa chomóradh a chuimsíonn na saoránaigh uile in Éirinn an lae inniu. Níor cheart d’aon ghrúpa polaitíochta seilbh a ghlacadh ar an ócáid agus, mar gheall ar shuíomh an Chabháin, ba chóir go mbeadh naisc le tionscnaimh trasteorann nuair is féidir.
Roinnt Buaicphointí de chuid an Chláir
Beidh an méid seo a leanas san áireamh sa chlár an chontae: Seoladh áitiúil an Chláir Comórtha Céad Bliain lena n-áireofar léacht faoi Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh a luaitear thuas.
‘Beatha a Thabhairt: Taispeántas’ a sheolfar i Lár-Leabharlann Mhic Sheáin agus ina ndéanfar iniúchadh ar ghnéithe d’Éirí Amach 1916, ar na himeachtaí a tharla roimhe agus ar an méid a tharla ina dhiaidh.
Beidh sé sin mar chuid den ócáid, ‘An Cabhán agus an tÉirí Amach: Comhdháil’ i Lár-Leabharlann Mhic Sheáin lena n-áireofar léacht faoi Francis Sheehy-Skeffington lena ghariníon, Micheline Sheehy-Skeffington, agus Maurice O’Keeffe ón tsraith, ‘Irish Life & Lore’ a thaifead scéalta ó ghaolta na ndaoine a ghlac páirt in Éirí Amach 1916. Labhróidh an Dr Brendan Scott faoin mbaint a bhí ag an gCabhán leis an Éirí Amach.
Nochtfar plaic chuimhneacháin in ómós Francis Sheehy-Skeffington ina fhód dúchais i gCoill an Chollaigh. Nochtfar ceann eile ag iar-Scoil Thulaigh na Maoile in aice leis an Damhshraith, áit ar fhreastail Seán Mac Diarmada chun Gaeilge a fhoghlaim. Beidh deis ag grúpaí paróiste imeachtaí a óstáil fosta ina ndéantar daoine ón gceantar áitiúil a chomóradh trí dheontais a fháil ón gComhairle.
Tugtar aitheantas don tábhacht a bhaineann leis an Diaspóra sa Chlár Comórtha Céad Bliain mar go bhfuil 70 milliún duine de bhunadh na hÉireann thar lear. Reáchtálfar comhdháil ina léireofar tionchar na heisimirce agus na deoraíochta ar an daonra, srl.
Déanfar taighde ar leabhar don chontae ar nós ‘Liosta na Laochra’ de chuid an Chabháin sa Chogadh Mór idir 1916 agus 1922 agus cuirfear i gcló é.
Beidh ócáid ar siúl i mBaile an Chabháin Dé Sathairn, an 23 Aibreán 2016 dar teideal ‘An Cabhán in 1916 a Athchruthú’. Beidh ócáid searmanais ar siúl ag Teach Cúirte an Chabháin sa tráthnóna fosta. Beidh cuma 1916 ar chuid den bhaile agus beidh lucht trádála agus grúpaí leasmhara i láthair agus cuirfidh siad siamsaíocht ar fáil. Tabharfaidh sé faill don phobal mór a bheith páirteach sa cheiliúradh.
Athchruthóidh Músaem Contae an Chabháin radharc ó Bhaile Átha Cliath i 1916 i nGairdín na Síochána atá ann cheana féin. Beidh macasamhail d’Ard-Oifig an Phoist ann chomh maith le painéil eolais a chlúdaíonn ábhair na tréimhse. Cuireann Gairdín na Síochána go maith le heispéireas trinse an Chogaidh Mhóir sa mhúsaem. Is é sin an trinse macasamhlach is mó amuigh faoin spéir atá in Éirinn nó i Sasana.
Beidh tionscadal taighde faoi stair an Lucht Siúi sa Chabhán i 1916 sa chlár freisin.