Parts seven and eight of a ten part documentary by TG4 on the 1916 Easter Rising
Part seven – How Éamonn Ceannt came to involved in the Easter Rising
The first half of the seventh video in the TG4 Easter Rising series continues with the story of Seán Mac Diarmada up until his death.
It focuses on the week of the Easter Rising, where Mac Diarmada showed great character and leadership as the Irish rebels came under ever increasing attack from the British.
When much of the centre of Dublin was ablaze, Mac Diarmada kept a calm head and continued to give orders. Like the other leaders he was eventually executed by the British firing squad.
The second part of the video introduces us to Éamonn Ceannt, another of the seven leaders who signed the Proclamation.
He was very interested in Irish culture such as the language, dancing and music – he was a keen piper, and even performed in front of the Pope.
He organized performances and recordings of some of the great Irish pipers from the 19th century. They were all quite old by the time they made their recordings and their work, and that aspect of Irish culture, may been lost forever had it not been for Ceannt.
Ceannt met other prominent nationalist figures such as Patrick Pearse and Eoin MacNeill at cultural celebrations put on by the Gaelic League.
Ceannt believed that it was necessary to use physical force in order to achieve freedom for Ireland.
The video follows Ceannt’s story up until the first day of the Rising – Easter Monday 24 April 1916.
Take a look at the seventh video below.
Part eight – Éamonn Ceannt’s role in the Easter Rising
In the eighth video in the series we continue to follow the story of Éamonn Ceannt.
As part seven ended, Ceannt’s men had seized the South Dublin Union but their defences had been breached by the British soldiers.
They took cover in the nurses’ home, a much smaller building.
Part eight of the documentary shows how impressive Ceannt’s leadership was and how committed he was to the cause right until the end. He even became the only one of the seven leaders to kill a man when he shot a British soldier.
The video follows the events of Ceannt’s final days through the Rising until he was finally executed by the British.
Ceannt’s men in the South Dublin Union were one of the big successes in the Rising. They fought off the British and were able to keep them at bay. They held South Dublin Union until the Rising was over.
Towards the end of the video, we are introduced to another Easter Rising leader, Patrick Pearse.
Take a look at the eighth video below.
Part nine of the documentary looks at the role of Patrick Pearse in the Easter Rising.
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