Balbriggan Community College followed up its hugely popular ‘Proclamation Day’ with a full day of historical enactments and historical themed fancy dress to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising on Friday 29th of April.
Students dressed up in the clothes of the era, many donning caps and shirts as well as army themed clothes. Girls wore bonnets and full dresses to mirror the women of the age.
Each year group was given a copy of the national anthem prior to the day and each student participated in learning the words of ‘Amhran na bhFiann.’
A 20 page booklet was produced by the Advanced Learning Programme students in the school. The booklet was a guide to the Rising and also looked into the revolutionary stories of the school’s students’ ancestors. The research unearthed a great-grand-niece of Edward Carson’s, and a great-grand nephew of Thomas Clarke who were attending the Communtiy College!
A short one act drama was also performed for every student in the school. In it, a rebel spoke about Easter Week 1916 and then the students witnessed the sombre, moving exectutions of the seven signatories of the Rising in an arresting re-enactment of the events which unfolded in Kilmainham Jail 100 years ago.
At the end of the drama every student sang a rousing rendition of the national anthem and then looked around at the displays students had created for the day. The displays included ‘women of the rising’, ‘children of the rising,’ ‘aftermath of the rising,’ and ‘lead up to the rising’ among others.
It was a great day for all students to engage and witness history as it was played out 100 years ago almost to the day!