Remembering the 1916 rebellion in Ireland together

ireland / britain | history | opinion / analysis Wednesday April 20, 2016 22:31 by Andrew - WSM

Video from the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair

Almost a century ago, an armed insurrection took place in Ireland to end British rule and to establish an independent Irish Republic. The 1916 Rising was soon accompanied by major popular revolts against World War One across Europe and later emulated by anti-colonial movements across the Global South.

When it comes to remembering the 1916 Rising, why do conservative politicians and historians want to convince us that it would have been better for us if Pearse and Connolly had stayed at home? Why did the state parade lots of military equipment and personnel down O’Connell Street to mark the centenary? Why did so many people turn out to watch it?

This panel attempts to think through the meaning of 1916 for us today, and the politics at stake in how these events are remembered, forgotten, and mis-remembered.

SPEAKERS
Andrew is a member of Workers Solidarity Movement, currently based in Dublin. He will be making the case for a more critical assessment of the legacy of 1916 in terms of the sort of movement we should be building today

Fionnghuala is a member of the Workers Solidarity Movement, currently based in Belfast. She will be taking a post colonial look at the celebrations and modern day ireland and where we find ourselves in the north.

Donal is a local Dublin historian and activist. He is one of the founders of the award-winning blog on Dublin life and culture, ‘Come Here To Me’. He will be looking at the revisionist nature of centenary, the reinvention of World War One as some kind of wonderful thing and the cult of Redmond.

Video recorded and edited by Andrew Flood - Follow Andrew on Twitter