Product Description

In its judicious use of the statements given by the foot-soldiers and second-line participants in the Easter Rising, the book provides a unique perspective on the events of Easter 1916. From the volunteers walking the Royal canal from Meath to fight in Dublin, to the women fighting, smuggling guns and cooking for the insurgents in the G.P.O, Witnesses puts the reader next to taking part in this pivotal event in modern Irish history. Insights into controversial matters such as the decision to countermand the order for the Rising on its eve, the so-called "Castle document", as well as the personal affections and jealousies of those involved, are all discussed in detail. Above all the book is told in a warm readable way. The book will feature an introduction by well-known historian and author Dr.Margaret McCurtain.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #149856 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
A fascintaing book; never before has such a range of firsthad experiences of the Rising been coolated and analysed. Ryan has succeeded in illuminating the sheer diversity of human experiences in 1916 and in particular has highlighted the role of women in the Rising. --Dr Diarmaid Ferriter, Village magazine

An intriguing survey of a fascinating and historically important archive; a real eye opener. --Prof Tom Garvin, Irish Review of Books

About the Author
Annie Ryan is a retired school teacher who is best known for her work championing the rights of people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems. Her campaigning in relation to the state mental hospital in Portrane gained her national prominence and she ran in the 1997 general election as an independent candidate on a mental health issue platform. Annie's father Tom Harris took part in the Rising and was one of the witnesses interviewed in the 1940s. Nearly fifty years later the release of the records enabled her to read the accounts of her own father and hundreds of others of the events of Easter 1916 that were to prove a watershed in Ireland's road to independence. She has also written Comrades Inside the War of Independence

Customer Reviews

Bureau of Millitary History Archive
This book is based on the wonderful collection of first hand account of the rising and the Irish War of Independence held in the Irish Military Archives (a brilliant archive that is sadly underfunded). Ryan has taken a good selection of accounts and anyone who would like to learn more should read Charles Townsends book Easter 1916: The Irish Rebellion. Max Caulfield's book The Easter Rebellion is also an excellent source of first hand accounts.

In reply to the last reviewer there was a lot of the debate about DeV actions but these didn't come to light really until the 1960s when Caulfields book came out and so was outside the timeframe of when the records Ryan used were collected in the 40s and 50s. Sadly, DeValera never left an account of the rising, believing that everything he would have to say had already been covered by other writers, certianly his account would have been useful.

Over all this book is a useful tool for anyone interested in learning about the rising through the eyes of the perticipants.

A great reference to that proud week
Between the 1940s and 50s, taped conversations were taken by the Buero of Military History of people who had taken part in the 1916 riseing. The wait for the release of these conversations was long, haveing to wait untill the last witness had died. Now the whole world can get an inside view of what happened Easter Week. While Ryans acctual contribution isn't much, only needing to take down the words comeing off of the tape, she has picked a very good selection of accounts from some of the princable surviveing figures who were well situated during the riseing.
Either reflectioning the fact that he was in power through most of the time these interviews were being taken, indeed gave one himself, or perhaps a view into Ms. Ryans political leanings, I was dissapointed to see that there was nothing on the controversal role played by Eamonn De Valera. Nothing on claims Dev had a break down, or the controversy that arouse when he claimed credit for raiseing a tri-colour on a structure away from where his men were stationed, takeing artillery fire away from them. Still it is a great book, but only to someone who has allready read up on the riseing. It is most certinely not a starting point. 1916: the easter rising by Tim Pat Googan, recently published, is a good place to start