Easter Week perfect time for book launch
THREE LOCAL AUTHORS WROTE THE ACCOUNT OF LOUTH VOLUNTEERS
EASTER Week was the perfect timing for the launch of ‘ The Louth Volunteers 1916’, a book that really was 100 years in the making and is a story told in the words of those who mobilised Easter Sunday 1916 from Dundalk and surrounding districts.
A large crowd attended the event in The Stonehouse, Blackrock. Relatives and friends of the Volunteers and Cumann na mBan gathered to hear and share stories about the stirring events a hundred years ago.
Copies of the book have already been dispatched to far flung corners of the globe, such as Perth, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Chicago and Ohio.
Dundalk’s close connection with the Pearse family continued as the foreword to this book was written by Eoin MacLochlainn, great grand-nephew of Patrick Pearse. Relatives of James Connolly, The O’Rahilly and Elizabeth O’Farrell praised the endeavour and sent their best wishes to the authors, Alan Bogan, Marcus Howard and Padraic Agnew, which was published at their own expense and was a real labour of love for the men, each of whom had relatives who took part in the Rising in Louth.
At the launch, Alan outlined the extensive plans which the leaders of the 1916 Rising had formulated to provide a secure ring around Dublin to prevent re-enforcements from the British army arriving in the City.
The Louth Volunteers were also originally tasked on Pearse’s specific orders to assemble with the Meath Volunteers to read the Proclamation on the Hill of Tara, the ancient centre of Ireland and to help secure the northern access to Dublin.
Marcus spoke about President Michael D Higgins reflection on how to commemorate the Rising. He explained how this book reinvigorates the forgotten story of the Louth Volunteers, who disobeyed Eoin MacNeill’s command answering only to Pearse, occupying Tyrellstown House and finally standing down on May 3 1916, one of the last groups to do so.
The Louth Volunteers were aided by friends in the local post office who delayed dispatches to the RIC and British forces.
The authors said they hope that this local aspect of the story of the birth of our nation has now been recorded for future generations and the Louth Volunteers’ contribution made more widely known.
The book may be purchased in Carroll’s bookshop Park Street and Londis on Quay Street or can be purchased direct from the Facebook page The Louth Volunteers 1916. Or you can contact the writers on 087 769 4872.