The Easter Rising 1916 was one of the seminal events that helped to create and shape modern Ireland.
It was intended to be a national rebellion but due to all sorts of confusion, most of the action took place within a few square kilometres in Dublin. It means that now, the story of the Rising lends itself perfectly to a walking tour around the city, with all the key locations still accessible.
Dubliner Lorcan Collins has been running his 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour for 20 years or so and it’s easy to see why it’s been so successful. Lorcan is a rapid fire mixture of stories, analysis, facts and jokes…not necessarily in that order. The result is a fascinating tour, informative and entertaining at the same time.
The thing that comes across most strongly with Lorcan is his passion for the subject. The Easter Rising took place in his city, in his country among his people, and he feels it deeply. You can’t help but be drawn in by his enthusiasm and it all helps the learning process.
It helps that he knows his subject inside out, having written extensively about it in books like The Easter Rising – a guide to Dublin in 1916 (co-written with Conor Costick), and editing his 16 Lives series, a collection of 16 books written by different authors covering the lives of each of the Rising leaders who were executed.
A walk through Irish history
The tour starts in the basement of a Dublin bar with Lorcan explaining the background to the Rising: why it happened, who was in involved, what it achieved and how it led on to the Irish War of Independence, the Civil War and the shaping of modern Ireland. He covers the main groups involved like the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Citizens Army and more. He reveals the role of women in the Rising, and the surprising numbers involved.
Then it’s on to the streets of Dublin and a walk around the major sites of the Rising – the General Post Office, Liberty Hall, the Four Courts and others. You’ll discover how the action unfolded and how the British Army responded.
There are fascinating and often moving insights into the main characters like Patrick Pearse, Éamon de Valera, Countess Markievicz, The O’Rahilly…and a young man called Michael Collins who would go on to play a pivotal role in Irish history.
If you have any interest at all in Irish history then you will enjoy this tour. If you know nothing about the Easter Rising then you’ll get a good working knowledge. If you already know the story you will still discover new things and see some of the most historic locations in modern Irish history.
You’ll learn a lot on this tour…and you’ll laugh quite a bit too.
To find out more about the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour visit www.1916rising.com/
Or contact Lorcan by email [email protected] or call 00 353 868 583 847.
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