Volume 1, Issue 1 March 2016 S.N. Phádraig Naofa, Páirc na Coille. 1916 Commemoration

Leagan Bratach na hÉireann speisialta i gcuimhne Our National Flag

Éirí Our national flag is the tricolour of green white and orange. It is a symbol of the union of all the people of Ireland The green on the flag represents Irish- Amach men and Irishwomen. The orange represents King William of Orange and the white in the middle means peace among all living in this land. Exactly one na third of the flag is given to each colour to show equality. The flag was raised over the GPO on Easter Monday 1916. The flag of the Irish Republic was also Cásca flying that day. It was green with “Irish Republic” written on it. There was one more flag to be seen that day. It was the Irish Citizen Army flag showing 1916 the plough and the stars. This flag was flown on the Imperial Hotel on O`Connell Street. Our national flag is flown daily on some state buildings. It is flown in many places on St. Patrick’s Day ,Easter Sunday and Easter Mon- day to commemorate 1916. It is also flown at national sporting events. By Leah Sullivan.

I N S I D E THIS ISSUE:

Our Proclamation

The 7 signatories

Amhrán na bhFiann Respect for our Flag

Historical Fiction Last term we were learning about our national flag and how to show re- spect for it. Here are some rules: The flag must never be written on. It The Ducks in St. Stephen’s Green must not be flown in the dark unless it is illuminated. When flown in a group of flags it must be on the highest flagpole. When all flagpoles are Famous Poems of equal height it must be the first on the right (observers left), It must never be allowed to touch the ground. The flag must be hoisted up at sunrise and taken down at sunset. When draped over a coffin the green must be placed at the head. When the National Anthem is being played we should face the flag. By Ilja Rizakous P a g e 2 1916 Commemoration

Our “Proclamation for a New Generation.” We have printed and framed a large copy and it will hang in our school beside the original Proclamation.

POBLACHT NA hÉIREANN NA DALTAÍ Ó SCOIL NÁISIÚNTA PÁIRC NA COILLE, BUIRÍOS UÍ CHÉIN, CO. THIOBRAID ÁRANN. TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND

On behalf of Kyle Park NS, we issue this proclamation, on the 100th Anniversary of the 1916 Proclamation.

Irishmen, Irishwomen, Irish children, those of other nationalities who have made their home on this island and future generations of Irish people, we call you all to remember, on this the centenary of the 1916 Rising, all those who have for many years fought bravely for the freedom of our country. We ask you to show your respect for and honour our national flag and all it stands for.

We are proud of our nation and our rich and unique culture. Is breá linn an Ghaeilge, ár dteanga féin. We love our Irish music and traditions and we have a passion for our national games. We must ensure that this Irish culture will always be cherished and never be forgotten.

Going forward we would love to see a country where every person living on this land has a home to live in, a home with food in the kitchen, a fire in the sitting room and clothes in their wardrobe. Let us be a country where everyone receives equal healthcare. Let us be a country that provides excellent medical care to our sick. We believe we must educate our people about healthy living and reduce the amount of diseases that arise from poor lifestyle.

As a nation let us care for our elderly in such a way that nobody is afraid or lonely in their old age.

Let us reduce crime in our country. Let us see more guards on the streets.

As our country goes to a General Election this year we call on our public representatives to create a country where we can all get employment without having to leave these shores. We call on them to work to keep our rural areas alive.

Ireland is noted for our rich green pastures. Let us protect our environment and keep our country beautiful. We would like to see more recycling and energy conservation. Let us preserve the habitats of our animals and birds. Let us educate our children to be citizens who care for their environment.

Let us show our pride in our country. Let us strive to make our Ireland a better place.

Signed on behalf of the pupils of St. Patrick’s N.S., Kyle Park.

Volume 1, Issue 1 P a g e 3

Thomas McDonagh

Thomas McDonagh was born on the 1st of February 1878. He had two sisters and three brothers, Joe, James, John, Mary Louise and Eleanor. Thomas was a native of Cloughjordan. He later went to school in Rockwell College. Thomas grew up with a family who loved poetry and music. He loved po- etry himself and he wrote this. ”I wish I were today on the hill behind the wood, my eyes on the brown bog there and the Shannon River behind the wood at home. “ It was about Tipperary.

Thomas’s father sadly died when Thomas was 16. His name was Joseph. At 19 McDonagh started go- ing to collage in U.C.D. He was going to be a priest until he decided he wanted to a teacher. Both his parents were teachers. Thomas was a member of the I.R.B. He was the person who was posted to charge the Jacobs Biscuit Factory during the Rising. He was one of the seven signatories of the Pro- claimation. Thomas McDonagh was executed on the 3rd of May 1916 at the age of 38. There is a sta- dium in Cloughjordan called Thomas McDonagh Park and one in Nenagh called McDonagh Park. There is also a football club in North Tipp called Thomas McDonaghs and Kilruane are called Kilruane McDonaghs. This is all in memory of Thomas McDonagh. By Diarmuid Hogan

May Day

I were today on the hill behind the wood,

My eyes on the brown bog there and the Shannon river,

Behind the wood at home, a quickened solitude

When the winds from Slieve Bloom set the branches there a -quiver. T. McDonagh

Trip to Cloughjordan

On Monday Feb 1st, Kyle Park and Aglish N.S went to Cloughjordan to the Thomas McDonagh Visitor Centre to learn about the 1916 rising and especially about Thomas McDonagh. We were split into three groups. My group of 5th and 6th went into a museum where Thomas’ mother’s piano was and lots of big signs with quotes and facts about Tho- mas McDonagh’s life. Mai Casey gave us the tour around the museum. The interesting things we learned were that his wife died in a drowning accident one and a half years after Thomas McDonagh was executed; his mother was a piano teacher; he had two children called Donagh and Barbara and that he had two sisters and three brothers. We saw a quote by a British Officer saying “They all died well but McDonagh died like a prince” - that was because the British soldiers were young and nervous about shooting. Thomas McDonagh saw this and gave his cigarettes to the young British soldiers before they shot him. Feb 1st was actually Thomas McDonagh’s birthday so we had a cake with a candle on it. After that we went up to see a film which was twenty-five minutes long and most of us really enjoyed it and thought that it was interesting. That we went down to a Drama work- shop where a lady called Joanna got us to act like we were in the G.P.O on Easer Monday (The G.P.O back then was open on a bank holiday Monday.) After that we got the bus and went to Knocknacree woods where we read quotes, walked into the woods a little bit and took pictures. Overall the trip was a lot of fun and we all enjoyed it very much. By Barry Ryan P a g e 4 1916 Commemoration

Joseph Mary Plunkett

Joseph Mary Plunkett was born in Dublin on the 21st November 1877. Plunkett went to school in Dublin but then went to England to go to college . After college he travelled to Malta, Italy and the is- land of Sicily. Joseph then came home to his mother, father, and his two brothers George and Jack. He joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood [I.R.B] when he came back . Plunkett worked as a journal- ist and loved writing poetry in his spare time. He also joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913. In the 1916 Rising, Joseph was fighting in the G.P.O alongside Padraig Pearse .He also signed the Proclamation. Like all of the signatories Plunkett was executed. He was 28. Just seven hours before his execution he married Grace Gifford in the chapel of Kilmainham Jail. He was buried at Glasnevin cemetery. We will remember Joseph Mary Plunkett as we raise our flag on the 15th of March. By Heather Cahill

His Blood Upon the Rose

I see His blood upon the rose,

And in the stars the glory of His eyes , His body gleams amid eternal snows , Sean MacDiarmada His tears fall from the skies. Sean Mc Diarmada was born in Kiltyclogher Co. I see His face in every flower Leitrim. He grew up in a cottage in Corranmore. The thunder and the singing of the birds He ran away to Scotland for two years when he was

Are but His voice—and carven by His power a teenager.. When he moved back to Ireland he joined the I.R.B. Sean Mc Diarmada joined the Rocks are His written words. Irish Volunteers in 1913. He was one of the seven All pathways by His feet are worn, signatories of the proclamation. He was in the G.P.O with James Connolly. It was he who read His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea, out the letter of surrender at the end of the week. His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn, Sean Mc Diarmada was executed on the 12th of

His cross is every tree. May 1916. He wrote his family a goodbye letter. By Eimear Ryan. By Joseph Plunkett Eamonn Ceannt

Eamonn Ceannt was born in Galway on the 21st of September 1881. He was educated in De Le Salle, County Louth. He was a true Irish person and had a huge interest in Irish culture, history and especially the Irish language. He was a talented player of the uileann pipes. When he was eleven Eamonn moved to Drumconda. He joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1912. He was a signatory of the Procalamtion. There are some places named after him such as a tower in Dublin and the rail- way station in Galway. By Katelyn Landy Volume 1, Issue 1 P a g e 5

PáDRAIG PEARSE

Pádraig Henry Pearse was born in Dublin on the 10th of November in 1879. Pádraig was the second oldest of his family. He had one brother called William Pearse and two sisters called Mary and Margaret. Pádraig took over the family busi- ness in 1900 after his father died and William went abroad to continue with his studies. The business shut down in 1910. Pearse spent most summers down in Rosmuc in Galway learning Irish. After being educated in Westland Row CBS, UCD and Kings Inn, he then became a lawyer from 1901 and then later, a headmaster in St Enda’s boys school from 1908. In St Enda’s, pupils were taught Irish language and culture. Pádraig loved writing poems and stories in both Irish and English. He was a great poet. The night before his execution, he wrote “ The Mother “. It de- scribes his mother’s thoughts on the death of her two sons. Another poem he wrote was called “ Easter 1916.” Pearse was part of the I.R.B and The Irish Volunteers. At the age of 19, he joined the Gaelic League. During the Rising it was Pearse who read out the Proclaimation on the steps of the G.P.O. Days later it was he who or- dered the Rebels to surrender in order to prevent the loss of more lives. Pearse was the first to be executed in Kilmainham Jail on the 3rd of May 1916 along with Tho- mas Clarke and Thomas McDonagh. By Ava Brophy

* Have you ever wondered why Pearse was always photographed from the side? It was because he had a cast in his left eye which he did not want to show up in photographs.

The Mother

I do not grudge them : Lord, I do not grudge them, “A terrible My two strong sons that I have seen go out , beauty is To break their strength and die ,

they and a few, In bloody protest for a glorious thing , born” W.B. Yeats They shall be spoken of among their people ,

The generations shall remember them, And call them blessed ;

But I will speak their names to my own heart ,In the long nights ;

The little names that were familiar once , Round my dead health.

Lord , thou art hard on mothers: We suffer in their coming and their go- ing ;

And tho’ I grudge them not , I weary, weary, Of the long sorrow-

And yet I have my joy : My sons were faithful , and they fought. P a g e 6 1916 Commemoration

James Connolly

James Connolly was born on the fifth of June 1968 in Cowgate, Edin- burgh, Scotland. Connolly emigrated to America in 1896. His father and grandfathers were labourers. Connolly spent a lot of time looking for work- ers rights with James Larkin. They led the Dublin Lockout in 1913 which was a big workers’ strike. James Connolly was one of the founders of the Irish Citizen Army which was set up to protect the rights of workers. Dur- ing the Rising he led the group of 150 rebels that took over the G.P.O. He was executed on the twelfth of May 1916. He had to be executed on a chair because he was so badly wounded. In Dublin there is a huge statue of James Connolly. Connolly flew the banner “We serve neither king nor Kaiser, but Ireland”. By Georgia Darcy

The Plough and the Stars- Kilmainham Jail flag of the Irish Citizen where the signatories Army were executed Thomas Clarke

Thomas Clarke was born in England on the 11th of March 1858. His fa- ther was a British Army Officer. After a while he moved to Tyrone. In 1878 at the young age of twenty, he joined the [I.R.B] Irish Republi- can Brotherhood . He was one of the main people in the I.R.B. In 1883 Thomas Clarke and a few friends were sent to blow up the London Bridge, but were caught by the English army and sentenced to ten years in jail. Like many others during the Rising he was devas- tated to have to surrender but so many people were being hurt and injured, they had to. Captain Maxwell sentenced all 7 signatories of the proclamation, to death as a punishment. Thomas Clarke was one of them. He was the oldest of them. He was shot on the 3rd of May 1916. He left behind him his wife Kathleen Daly and two chil- dren. By Kaci Sullivan Volume 1, Issue 1 P a g e 7

Trees to mark the Occassion

For the 100th anniversary of 1916 we are getting fruit trees to plant. We are going to call the four fruit trees after the four main groups that that fought in the Easter Rising. They are called the Irish Republican Brotherhood [IRB] Irish Citizen Army [ICA] The Irish Volunteers and Cumann Na mBan which was a women’s group. Aisling Cahill gave us an apple tree when she left after work experience in our school so the apple tree that she gave us is called after her. The four trees we will get will be planted beside Aislings tree at the bottom of our school garden.

I.R.B. Irish Republican Brotherhood was founded in 1858 by James Stephens. It was a secret organization. Their mission was to strive for Home Rule.

I.C.A. Irish Citizen Army was founded during the Dublin labour dispute to fight for workers rights. The leaders were James Larkin and James Connolly.

Irish Volunteers was leaded by Eoin Mc Neill and founded in 1913 to secure rights and libertus for all the people of Ireland.

Cuman Na mBann the league of women was started in 1913. Their aim was to assist in arming and equipping a body of Irish men for defending Ireland Countess Markievicz was most prominent member. By Chloe Morgan

Historical Fiction

In class we read the book “The Guns of Easter” by Gerard We read “Friend or Foe” by Brian Gallagher. It is set in Whelan. It is a novel based on a young boy, Jimmy Conway, the well to-do part of Dublin . A twelve year old girl whose family are struggling through 1916 in Dublin. While called Emer is a very talented swimmer. She is smart, Jimmy’s father is gone to fight for England in World War 1 likes school, likes learning about politics, she is a brilliant so his family will receive separation money, the Rising be- piano player but most of all she is a very loyal friend. Her gins in Dublin. The tenements in Dublin were not the safest father is in the Irish Volunteers. place to be at the time, and Jimmy knew that so he made the dangerous journey through Dublin city to get to the other Jack is a boy who is also lives in the well to do part of side to find food for his family. Jimmy loved the fact that Dublin. Jack is a poor swimmer, obeys all rules like his his father was in the war fighting but with his uncle Mick Da. Jack is intelligent and a good friend . His father is fighting for the rebels, who’s side was Jimmy on? With the father works in the Dublin Metropolition Police. help of some English soldiers and a tramp Jimmy arrived When Emer saves Jack from a drowning accident they home safely to his two sisters Sarah and Josie and his seem like they will be friends for ever. Eight months later mother with the food. This book gave us a view on what they are on the opposite ends of the 1916 Rising. Jack’s poor people had to do to survive in Dublin during the Ris- father is kidnapped and taken into the South Dublin Un- ing. By Heather Cahill ion. The only one who can help Jack is Emer. She dresses him up as one of the Fianna and managed to get him in to find his father and save him. By Barry Ryan Life in 2116 ?

I was wondering what life might be like 100 years from now. I Kyle Park School Register asked some other pupils what they thought and these are our ideas: We looked at the school register and we saw that, 100 years ago, the teacher Pupils will travel to school on a wrote the children’s names in English. This is because British rule did not allow hover bike. There will be tractors any Irish in the schools. We noticed that when any child enrolled in school, their but a tractor will be able to do all father’s job had to be written in the register. Around this time, they worked farm jobs at the push of a button. mostly as farmers and labourers. There will be no roll book. A cam- After the War of Independence finished in 1921, we discovered that the teacher era will scan us as we come into wrote all the pupil names as Gaeilge. We were now allowed to use our native school every day. Computer language. Also, we noticed that the fathers’ jobs changed and some now worked screens will be floating. The i- as teachers, garda and postmen. So Ireland had changed! The Junior Room phone 40 will be out. There will be robot teachers and their eyes will “Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam” be a hologram showing a book. We will have underfloor heating in school. By Jamie Coen AMHRÁN NA BHFIANN

Sinne Fianna Fáil Amhrán na bhFiann was composed in 1907 Atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn. by Peadar Kearney. It was a favourite song of the Irish Volunteers before the rising. The Buíon dár slua rebels sang it in the GPO during the week of Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn. the Rising. After the Rising it became even

Faoi mhóid bheith saor more popular in Frongoch prison in Wales where many of them spent several months. Seantír ár sinsear feasta Amhrán na bhFiann was also sung by the Ní fhágfar faoin tiorán ná faoin Irish Republican Army during the War of In- tráill. dependence. It later became our national anthem. Amhrán na bhFiann is played at na- Anocht a théim sa bhearna bhaoil tional events and at important hurling, foot- Le gean ár Ghaeil chun báis nó sa- ball and camogie matches.As a mark of re- oil spect to our country, we stand and face our Le gunna screách, faoi lámhach na flag for Amhrán na bhFiann. bpiléar, By Ava Brophy Seo libh canaig’ Amhrán na bhFi- ann.

The Lucky Ducks by Junior Room pupils

During the 1916 Easter Rising some of the Irish rebels set up in St. Stephens Green. They were based in the Georgian houses around the green and were shooting across the park at the English. St. Stephen’s Green was a beautiful park of trees and flowers. There were also little ponds full of ducks. James Kearney was the groundskeeper of St. Stephen’s Green at the time. He also bred ducks and sent them to other places. One day James Kearney went out to feed his ducks and he heard all the shooting. He asked one of the messenger boys what was going on and the boy told him that the rising had started! James didn’t agree. He told the leaders to stop for an hour every day, because he wanted to feed his ducks. So everyday, James went out with a white flag and the shooting stopped for him to feed his ducks. He was given an award by the RSPCA for taking care of the ducks!