Howth, Sutton, Baldoyle and the 1916 Rising – Talk by Philip O’Connor December 3rd, 2015

A Community through the times of national revolution 1912-23.

Marine Hotel, Sutton, Thurs., 3rd Dec. 2015, 8pm. An Illustrated Lecture.

 

A diverse community unlike any other, Howth, Sutton and Baldoyle reveals an extraordinary story of a North Dublin rural and suburban community in a time of national revolution. Did you know that the head of the only Howth Jewish family stood for Sinn Fein in the 1920 local elections? Alongside such great figures from the literary world as Margaret McCall (wife of P.J. McCall the noted Gaelic scholar, song writer and translator, and sister of the poet Alice Furlong)? Or that the first chairperson of the local branch of Cumann na mBan was Mary Maguire Colum, noted literary critic and wife of the dramatist and writer Padraig Colum? Or that Baldoyle produced the only substantial unit of the Citizen Army, farm labourers all, several of whom fought bravely and honourably in the 1916 Rising and later struggles, including for social justice in the Free State of the hard 1920s? Or that the Howth Sinn Fein leader, B.P. Bowen, like the local Unionist leader with whom he cooperated so closely on civic improvements, while agreeing to disagree on the bigger question, Edward J. Culverwell of TCD, was  a noted educationalist and pioneer of vocational education? Or that Sutton and Baldoyle produced some of the pioneers of the Irish communist movement, as well as a sturdy branch of the Fine Gael “Blueshirts”?  

Come along and find out! All welcome!

An Initiative of the Howth, Sutton, Baldoyle 1916 Commemoration Committee