The committee sought expressions of interest from the public, their ideas and suggestions, as to how 1916 can be remembered, reconciled, presented, imagined and celebrated in Offaly. Thirty six submissions were received and based on these a draft programme of commemoration was prepared. A Public Information meeting was held on 13 May 2015 in the Court Hotel, Tullamore to garner the public’s ideas and opinions. The large attendance - in excess of ninety people registered on the evening – warmly welcomed the programme and the general feedback was that it is extensive in its scope and appropriate in its subject matter. The Offaly 2016 Commemoration Committee reviewed the comments and feedback received, both on the night and subsequently. A number of the proposals which emerged on the night have been incorporated into the commemoration programme. The Committee continues to liaise with various groups and individuals to develop these proposals further.
The Background in Offaly
The 1916 Rising had a profound impact on Offaly. Its legacy is partly reflected in the name change from King’s County to Offaly, the GAA county colours, and the several memorials and monuments in the midlands inspired by the Rising and the ensuing Revolutionary period.
On 20 March 1916 a fracas broke out between a large group of ‘separation’ women and boys and Irish Volunteers in the Sinn Féin rooms in William Street, Tullamore. Led by Peadar Bracken, the Volunteers resisted attempts by the RIC to disarm them. An RIC Sergeant was shot in the arm and seriously wounded by Peadar Bracken. After hearing the news PH Pearse declared: ‘A great deed was done last night at Tullamore, when blood was shed in defence of the Volunteers’ right to carry arms...’ Some perceived the incident as a prelude to the Rising in Dublin.
Eleven Offaly men were known to have fought in the Rising: Seamus Kenny, Belmont; James Carroll, Shannonharbour; Seamus O’Brennan, Tullamore; Patrick McDonnell, Belmont; Patrick Doyle, Ferbane; Seamus Kelly, Mucklagh; Joseph Doolan, Killoughey; Kieran Kenny, Banagher; Eamonn Bulfin, Birr; Peadar Bracken, Tullamore; and Michael Foley, Edenderry. Ongoing research will identify more participants in the Rising with Offaly connections who have to date been inadvertently overlooked. Hitherto unexplored civilian perspectives on the Rising’s impact on Offaly will also be emphasised.
The initial political reaction to the Rising in King’s County was one of dismay. Members of Tullamore Urban District Council condemned the Rising which they believed was ‘gravely detrimental to the real political and industrial interests of Ireland...’. Speaking at a Tullamore Urban District Council meeting, E.J. Graham MP blamed the Unionist leader Edward Carson. In what was a major turning-point, the executions of the Rising leaders created bitterness and anger. The leaders of the Rising were transformed into martyrs. Many people considered them idealists who fought bravely. A young Ballycumber born nun, Rev. Mother Maria Columba Gibbons, composed a popular patriotic ballad ‘Who Fears to Speak of Easter Week.’
The issue of republican prisoners generated renewed sympathy for the rebels. Tullamore Urban District Council adopted a resolution from Cork Corporation protesting against the harsh treatment of republican prisoners. The Irish National Aid Association was formed to assist hard-pressed families of slain and interned republicans. The Midland Tribune reported a large turnout in Tullamore to welcome home the prisoners. Banagher native Kieran Kenny, who fought in the Marrowbone Lane Distillery post during the Rising died on 28 October 1922 from illness contracted while interned in Frongoch.
Building on their success in the 1918 general election, republicans made further significant gains in the local government elections in 1920. In June 1920 King’s County Council was officially renamed Offaly County Council. The Council pledged its allegiance to Dáil Éireann. Eamonn Bulfin was appointed the first Chairman of the new council. In 1917 British authorities had deported him to Argentina, the country of his birth. Bulfin was the Dáil’s representative in Argentina in 1919. In Bulfin’s absence, prominent Edenderry resident Sean O’Kelly was elected Acting Chairman of Offaly County Council. On 1 September 1920 members of Tullamore Urban District Council rescinded the resolution condemning the Rising.
The programme will be updated on our Facebook page Offaly2016, our website www.offaly. ie/2016 or please email offaly2016@offalycoco.ie for further information.
Lorg an coiste léirithe spéise ón bpobal, agus a gcuid smaointe agus moltaí, maidir le conas is féidir linn cuimhneamh ar 1916, athmhuintearas a dhéanamh i dtaca leis, é a chur i láthair, a shamhlú agus a cheiliúradh in Uíbh Fhailí. Fuarthas 36 aighneacht agus ullmhaíodh dréacht-chlár comórtha bunaithe orthu sin. Cuireadh cruinniú Faisnéise Poiblí ar bun an 13 Bealtaine 2015 sa Court Hotel, Tulach Mhór chun smaointe agus tuairimí an phobail a fháil. Chuir an slua mór a bhí i láthair – bhí breis is nócha duine cláraithe ar an oíche – fáilte mhór roimh an gclár agus ba é an tuairim fhorleathan ina measc ná go bhfuil an clár forleathan ó thaobh raoin de agus oiriúnach don ábhar atá i gceist. D’fhéach Coiste Comórtha 2016 Uíbh Fhailí ar na tuairimí agus ar an aiseolas a fuarthas, ar an oíche sin agus ina dhiaidh sin. Tá roinnt de na tograí a tháinig chun cinn ar an oíche san áireamh sa chlár comórtha anois. Leanann an Coiste ag obair le grúpaí agus le daoine éagsúla chun na tograí sin a fhorbairt tuilleadh.
An Cúlra in Uíbh Fhailí
Bhí tionchar thar cuimse ag Éirí Amach 1916 ar Uíbh Fhailí. Tá a oidhreacht léirithe ar bhealach amháin san athrú a rinneadh ar ainm an chontae ó King’s County (Contae an Rí) go hUíbh Fhailí, i ndathanna contae CLG, agus i roinnt cuimhneachán agus séadchomharthaí i lár na tíre a fuair inspioráid ón Éirí Amach agus ón tréimhse Réabhlóideach a tháinig ina dhiaidh.
An 20 Márta 1916 bhris scliúchas amach idir grúpa mór ban agus buachaillí ‘scartha’ agus Óglaigh na hÉireann i seomraí Shinn Féin ar Shráid Liam, Tulach Mhór. Faoi stiúir Pheadair Bracken, fuair Óglaigh na hÉireann an ceann is fearr ar iarrachtaí RIC a n-arm a chur ó mhaith. Chaith Peadar Bracken urchar le Sáirsint de chuid RIC agus gortaíodh go dona é. Tar éis dó an scéal a chloisteáil d’fhógair Pádraig Mac Piarais: ‘Rinneadh beart mór aréir i dTulach Mhór, nuair a doirteadh fuil ag cosaint cheart na nÓglach arm a bheith ar iompar acu...’ Mheas roinnt daoine go raibh an eachtra mar réamheachtra don Éirí Amach i mBaile Átha Cliath.
B’eol gur throid 11 fhear as Uíbh Fhailí san Éirí Amach: Seamus Kenny, an Lios Dearg; James Carroll, Caladh na Sionainne; Seamus O’Brennan, Tulach Mhór; Patrick McDonnell, an Lios Dearg; Patrick Doyle, an Féar Bán; Seamus Kelly, an Muclach; Joseph Doolan, Cill Achaidh; Kieran Kenny, Beannchar; Eamonn Bulfin, Biorra; Peadar Bracken, Tulach Mhór; agus Michael Foley, Éadan Doire. Sainaithneofar i dtaighde atá ag dul ar aghaidh daoine eile a raibh ceangal acu le hUíbh Fhailí agus a bhí páirteach san Éirí Amach ach a ligeadh i ndearmad de thimpiste. Dá bharr sin cuirfear béim freisin ar dhearcthaí na sibhialtach nach ndearnadh iniúchadh orthu go dtí seo maidir le tionchar an Éirí Amach ar Uíbh Fhailí.
Bhí guais ar dhaoine sa saol polaitiúil i gContae an Rí ar dtús báire faoin Éirí Amach. Cháin comhaltaí Chomhairle Ceantair Uirbigh Thulach Mhór an tÉirí Amach a chreid siad ‘a rinne dochar ollmhór do fíorleasanna polaitiúla agus tionsclaíocha na hÉireann...’. Ag labhairt dó ag cruinniú de Chomhairle Ceantair Uirbigh Thulach Mhór, chuir E.J. Graham MP an milleán ar cheannaire na nAontachtaithe Edward Carson. Ag tráth a chuir casadh mór sa scéal, d’eascair searbhas agus fearg as an gcinneadh ceannairí an Éirí Amach a chur chun báis. Rinneadh mairtírigh de cheannairí an Éirí Amach. Mheas go leor daoine gurbh idéalaithe a bhí iontu a throid go cróga. Chum bean rialta óg a rugadh i mBéal Átha Chomair bailéad tírghrá pobail ‘Who Fears to Speak of Easter Week’.
Bhí trua arís ag daoine do na ceannaircigh mar gheall ar scéal na bpríosúnach poblachtach. Ghlac Comhairle Ceantair Uirbigh Thulach Mhór le rún ó Bhardas Chorcaí a bhí ag gearán faoin gcaoi a rabhthas ag caitheamh go dona le príosúnaigh phoblachtacha. Bunaíodh Cumann Náisiúnta Cúnaimh na hÉireann chun cuidiú le teaghlaigh na bpoblachtach a maraíodh agus a bhí i bpríosún. Thuairiscigh an Midland Tribune gur tháinig slua mór amach i dTulach Mhór chun fáilte abhaile a chur roimh na príosúnaigh. Fuair Kieran Kenny arbh as Beannchar ó dhúchas dó, agus a throid i bPost Drioglainne Lána Mhuire Mhaith i rith an Éirí Amach, bás an 28 Deireadh Fómhair 1922 ó thinneas a fuair sé agus é á imtheorannú in Frongoch.
Ag tógáil ar chomh maith is a d’éirigh leo in olltoghchán 1918, rinne poblachtaigh tuilleadh gaisce sna toghcháin rialtais áitiúil in 1920. I mí an Mheithimh 1920 athainmníodh Comhairle Chontae an Rí go hoifigiúil mar Chomhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí. Gheall an Chomhairle a bheith faoi ghéillsine ag Dáil Éireann. Ceapadh Éamonn Bulfin mar chéad Chathaoirleach na comhairle nua. I 1917 dhíbir údaráis na Breataine go dtí Airgintín é, an tír inar rugadh é. Ba é Bulfin ionadaí na Dála san Airgintín i 1919. Nuair a bhí Bulfin as baile, toghadh Seán O’Kelly, fear clúiteach as Éadan Doire, mar Chathaoirleach Gníomhach ar Chomhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí. An 1 Meán Fómhair 1920 chealaigh comhaltaí Chomhairle Ceantair Uirbigh Thulach Mhór an rún inar cáineadh an tÉirí Amach.
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