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Battle Station

I have referred elsewhere to the lack of recognition of those Irishmen who fought, and in many cases died, in the British Army in two World Wars. Avoiding any public acknowledgement of their action, for decades, seems to have been necessary to maintain the virginity of the republican movement. Against this background, I was very interested recently to see two plaques in Connolly station in Dublin's city centre.

The first plaque (above) commemorates members of the staff of the Great Northern Railway who (i) laid down their lives for their country in the Great War, 1914-1919, or who made the supreme sacrifice in the Second World War, 1939 - 1945. What is now Connolly station was then Amiens St., and was the Dublin terminus of the GNR. The country referred in the upper part of the inscription was Ireland, which was then, as part of the UK, a combattant in WWI.

The second plaque (above) reproduces the 1916 proclamation, evoking the rising of that year and, presumably, also commemorating James Connolly after whom the station is named. Of the two plaques, this is probably the more ironic as 1916 was technically treason, the aims of the proclamation have fallen far short of fulfilment and Connolly's socialism probably remains a bit on the radical side of any of the Governments we have had since.

Nevertheless, my point is really in the juxtaposition (below) of the two plaques which represent two mainstream traditions in this country. It's nice to see a bit of maturity manifesting itself. Where would Dublin Castle be without it?

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