The Irish Citizen Army were a highly trained organisation, who, under the command of socialist James Connolly, came together to defend workers at union meetings and demonstrations after the Lockout of 1913.
The group was composed of volunteers, and, importantly, women, who were not admitted exclusively as nurses or cooks, but as full military members. Countess Constance Markievicz, in fact, was an example of such a recruit, going on to become the Army’s Honorary Treasurer (as well as a formidable soldier).
Before the rebellion, the ICA, who had been in extensive collaboration with the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Volunteers, offered the use of Liberty Hall, their headquarters, as a base of operations, and it was here that the Proclamation was printed on Easter Sunday - the day before the Rising began.
Tomorrow, the State pays tribute to the ICA and Connolly, with a formal commemoration at Liberty Hall.
President Michael D. Higgins will lay a wreath at the statue of James Connolly, followed by the unveiling of a memorial plaque. A re-enactment of the raising of the flag of the Irish Republic will take place, before an evening of music, poetry and readings gets underway. Relatives of the ICA will be very special guests at this event.
Members of the public are invited to standing areas at Custom House and other nearby locations, where proceedings will be viewable on large screens.
For more information about this event, please see here, or visit Liberty Hall Theatre online.
Eagraíocht a bhí in Arm Cathartha na hÉireann a bhí an-oilte, a tháinig le chéile, faoi cheannaireachta Shéamuis Uí Chonghaile, chun oibrithe a chosaint ag cruinnithe ceardchumainn agus ag léirithe tar éis Fhrithdhúnadh Mór 1913.
B’oibrithe deonacha a bhí sa ghrúpa agus, go tábhachtach, mná, nár scaoileadh isteach mar bhanaltraí nó mar chócairí amháin, ach mar lánchomhaltaí míleata. Ba shampla a bhí sa Chuntaois Constance Markievicz, go deimhin, d’earcach den chineál sin, agus chuaigh sí ar aghaidh le bheith mar Chisteoir Oinigh an Airm (mar aon le saighdiúir iontach).
Roimh an éirí amach, d’ofráil Arm Cathartha na hÉireann, a bhí ag comhoibriú go láidir le Bráithreachas Phoblacht na hÉireann agus le hÓglaigh na hÉireann, úsáid Halla na Saoirse, a gceanncheathrú, mar bhunáit oibríochtaí, agus ba anseo a priontáladh an Forógra ar Dhomhnach Cásca – an lá sular thosaigh an tÉirí Amach.
Amárach, léiríonn an Stát ómós d’Arm Cathartha na hÉireann agus don Chonghaileach, le comóradh foirmiúil ag Halla na Saoirse.
Leagfaidh an tUachtarán Micheál D. Ó hUigínn fleasc ag dealbh Shéamuis Uí Chonghaile, agus ansin nochtfar leac cuimhneacháin. Déanfar athléiriú ar ardú bhratach Phoblacht na hÉireann, roimh thráthnóna ceoil, filíochta agus léimh. Beidh gaolta bhaill Arm Cathartha na hÉireann ina n-aíonna speisialta ag an imeacht.
Tugtar cuireadh do bhaill an phobail chuig na limistéir seasaimh ag Teach an Chustaim agus ag láithreacha eile in aice láimhe, áit a mbeidh siad in ann imeachtaí a fheiceáil ar scáileáin mhóra.
I gcomhair tuilleadh sonraí faoin imeacht seo, féach anseo, nó tabhair cuairt ar Halla na Saoirse ar líne.