Dear Editor,
"As part of the preparation for the centenary of the 1916 rising the National Graves Association has made a commitment to refurbish the 1916 monument at the St. Paul’s section of Glasnevin Cemetery. We need to raise in excess of €100,000 to complete this project before 2016. Renowned Irish artist, Robert Ballagh enthusiastically agreed to help with the fund raising effort by producing an appropriate work of art. He decided to rework in his own style, the iconic image “Birth of the Irish Republic” by Walter Paget and produce limited edition prints. The prints will be limited to 300 copies only, signed and numbered by Robert Ballagh. The cost of each print is €350 plus €10 p&p within Ireland, to order a copy please contact Aidan Lambert 087-6202680, donations@nga.ie or Matt Doyle 087-2282033, matt@nga.ie.
The National Graves Association (N.G.A) was formed in 1926 and the first meeting of the association was presided over by Mrs Kathleen Clarke, widow of the executed 1916 leader Thomas J. Clarke. Other committee members were veterans of the Fenian movement and of the 1916 Rising.
The first memorial at St. Paul’s, erected to the rank and file volunteers of 1916 was unveiled by Frank Ryan on the 31st March 1929. The inscription on that memorial erected by the N.G.A. represents the continuing work of the committee,
"TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF MEMBERS OF THE IRISH VOLUNTEERS AND IRISH CITIZENS ARMY WHO FELL FIGHTING FOR THE FREEDOM OF IRELAND EASTER 1916 WHOSE REMAINS ARE INTERRED IN THIS PLOT"
The names of the volunteers on the monument are Seán Hurley, Michael Mulvihill, Patrick O’Connor, Charles Carrigan, Gerald Keogh, Francis Macken, James Quinn, Patrick Shortis, Patrick O’Flanagan, Patrick Farrell, Charles Darcy, Louis Byrne, George Geoghegan, James McCormack, Fred Ryan and Eamonn Walsh."