Remembering 1916 volunteers
A commemorative plaque remembering the men who left the Knights of Hibernia premises at Clanbrassil Street to make their way to Dublin to fight in the 1916 Easter Rising was unveiled on Sunday.
Around 200 people, including a number of relatives and friends of the 1916 Louth Volunteers, attended the ceremony which took place in bright sunshine.
The new plaque, which has been placed below the original one erected in 1956, was unveiled by Gerry Woods, President of the Knights of Hibernia.
Author and film maker Marcus Howard spoke of the importance of remembering the history contained within our town and its buildings.
He recalled the important role which the hall played in the lead up to the Easter Rising as it was the meeting place for the local Volunteers.
The volunteers from Dundalk were one of only a few large units to mobilise nationwide in spite of Eoin Mac Neill’s countermanding order, calling off the insurrection planned for Easter Sunday.
About eighty Irish Volunteers marched out from Dundalk with the intention of meeting the Meath Volunteers at the Hill of Tara. The group was made up of units from Dundalk, Ardee, Cooley, Grangebellew and Dunleer.
They commandeered cars as they made their way to Dublin and were involved in an incident in Castlebellingham where an RIC man was shot. Many of the Irish Volunteers made it as far as Tyrellstown. They were the last unit of Irish Volunteers to disband after eventually getting confirmation of surrender.
Many of those who left Dundalk that morning were arrested and some were jailed and send overseas to prison while others went on the run.