For those History buffs among you this is fascinating, the Diary of Mary Martin has just been released online by Trinity College Dublin.
The section covering Easter Week 1916 is particularly interesting.
“Mary Martin’s Diary, 1 January – 25 May 1916 is an online scholarly edition of the Diary of Mary Martin, a widow and mother of twelve children, living in the affluent Dublin suburb of Monkstown.
Mary wrote the diary to her son Charlie, a soldier with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who went missing in action on the Salonika front, in the hope that one day he would return home and be able to read it.
Set against the backdrop of the Easter Rising and the First World War, the diary chronicles the daily activities of Mary, her family, friends and relatives”
"We in coming days may be" 
… and talking of Downton Abbey.
Any watching Ulster Prods must be having serious difficulty restraining themselves from doing violence onto their TV set – as handsome, heroic. young. version 1.0* IRA man/sympathiser not only runs of and mates with the aristocratic stonking Downton daughter but also gets to put the landed gentry straight about the British class system – whilst he enjoys the comforts of their palatial home. Disappoinging that they havent (yet) overtly included a reactionary Tory (though it is hinted at). Not sure who their historical advisor on the series is but looks like Connolly House have been kindly assisting them.
I guess our Irish hero he is going to get shot in controversial cirucmstances and the quare one(the wife) will go on to do a Countess Markievicz**.
Compelling viewing.
* see link below for full IRA versioning
http://fitzjameshorselooksattheworld.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/the-ira-by-numbers-guest-post-by-sammy-mcnally/
** Perhaps a Polish connection for SF to use in the Ulster elections?
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Yes Sammy, I think the writer is kinda taking the you know what out of the British class structure and enjoying himself in the process. I like the IRA character, he is motivated primarily by social Republicanism and, I think, may be a sort of education for many viewers in the UK who will have little knowledge of the subject or the times.
The Countess, of course, was the first woman elected to Westminster although she refused to attend naturally. (The title, for those of you that may be unaware, derives from her marriage to a minor Polish Count)
For me, one of the interesting things about the diary, is the very “West Brit” aspect taken by the writer. A quality that you may think still exists in some quarters Sammy?
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bd,
Hadnt read when it I posted above – yes it is really interesting, some lovely turns of phrase. One I’m not familiar with (must be and Englihsism) ‘at our wicket’. Presuambly means our patch ? Or possibly related to tennis. Also like the apposite reference to her ‘Uncle Tom’.
And I do love the entry “It is reported that Connolly & Countess Markievicz(my comment above was not completely off-piste) & Sheehy Skeffington have been shot. The boys marked out the Tennis Court so I presume play will now begin for the Season.”
Also not sure what is meant by the term ‘Irish’ in the following entry on Sunday 30th
“The guns of the Irish were booming” – presumably a regiment – hardly referring to her fellow country people as if foreign?
It is very well laid out – hopefully they make the software template available to other historical diary projects.
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“The guns of the Irish were booming”
Perhaps Mr Fitz can help on that one?
I was very impressed with the layout. Previously my impressions of the rising at street level were informed by the writings of Synge (Plough and the Stars) and Yeats (September 1916)
Yet, as Synge acknowledges, Dubliners were somewhat polarised in their reactions at the time. There was a sizeable Unionist community in Dublin which, over time, assimmilated into the new state.
I have never heard an Ulster Unionist perspective on that.
Here is breakdown of the order of battle !
http://irishmedals.org/gpage5.html
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No way is anything going to make me watch Downtown Abbey…..Upstairs Downstairs for Slow Learners. As a man well on in years……I can remember early 1970s attempts to show our Troubles on TV. Harrys Game was one. Another starred Patrick Allen. Another written by and starring Mick Ford.
Always good work for our local actors……but really the themes of them all are ……well the Hole in the Wall Gang….did it so much better with their first special “Three Ceasefires and a Wedding” or whatever.
Has there ever been a good Troubles production without a check list of clichés?
Actually I think I will post that on Facebook….”Downtown Abbey…..Upstairs Downstairs for Slow Learners”
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The whole “Irish question” has blown up in Downton tonight, Mr Fitz, are you watching?
Quote of the evening is by the Dowager ” Lady Gregory, Countess Markiewitzch, why are the Irish rebels so well born?” Priceless
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No no no…….Mr Dub……I will never ever watch Downton Abbey.
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Lol Mr Fitz, but can you answer mine and Sammy’s question above?
“The guns of the Irish were booming”
Perhaps Mr Fitz can help on that one?
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It’s probably a reference to the Royal Irish Regiment which had a unit at Richmond (later Keogh) Barracks. This was the 3rd “Special Reserve” Battalion that attacked the garrison at Boland’s Mill under de Valera. The RIR’s main depot was in Athlone and it was from there that artillery was brought in to the city to bombard IRA positions. The two main firing points were in Phibsborough and Trinity College and could be widely heard across the city during the insurrection.
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Fitz,
obviously you dont like a big frock (unlike myself) but leaving aside the big house class politics of upstairs-downton-type-productions what is interesting is how Irish History is presented to the (British) masses. Arguably Brave Heart, the Wind that Shakes the barley and Michael Collins are ‘cliched’ but all run with the imperialism by your next door neighbour ‘narrative’ (dreadful term) is bad.
Downton has picked up that narrative stuck it under its arm and run with it – cant fault it.
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bd,
re. “Lady Gregory, Countess Markiewitzch, why are the Irish rebels so well born?” Priceless”
And brilliantly delivered.
Comedy line of the night is the exchange between Mrs Hughes and Carson when she introduced the electric toaster into the house – to which Carson replied
“Is it not enough that we are sheltering a dangerous revolutionary Mrs Hughes, could you not have spared me that.”
Oh dear, Unionists can turn thier tellies back on – I’m afraid I’ve badly underestimated the class loyalty and nationalism of the Downton writer Julian Fellows aka Julian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford our revolutionary hero abandonded his pregant wife in Ireland having developed cold feet as the brave revolutionaries have taken to burning down the houses of Anglo Irish
– not quite what I had in mind Julian old boy.
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Yes I agree!!!!
Mr Fitz doesn’t know what he’s missing.
Mind you, said wife turned up on cue bravely defending said hero. The kettle is boiling nicely
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bd,
apart from the reference to Countess Markiewitzch (but for the wrong reason) I’m afraid my prediction has gone badly wrong – but in for a cent in for a Euro – a return to Ireland is one the cards, abandoning the pregnant wife(again) and shooting up an RIC barracks/black and tan convoy – and I think I’ll opt for him having a spell in prison rather than being shot – then escaping (in the epsidoe after next) and hiding out in Downton outbuildings – to meet and greet his son(Michael) – then getting shot (probably fatally)in the Christmas episode.
Julian old bean, I hope you are paying close attention.
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Lol Sammy,
My prediction is that the wife is the key here, She has found a reason to exist beyond the blandness of the class and social system and will, with all the zeal of the convert, embrace Irish nationalism and stand for the Shinners in the forthcoming election. She will of course be elected and take her seat in the Dail as opposed to Westminster putting her in direct conflict with the Da’.
Setting things up nicely for the next series?
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