A special tribute to the children of 1916 by Staplestown students.
Fifth and sixth class pupils of Scoil Naomh Mhuire in Staplestown, Co. Kildare, who released a song on YouTube recently entitled 'Angels of Sixteen', became the first tour group to take a tour in Glasnevin Cemetery which includes the graves of the children interred there who died during the Rising.
The
Staplestown students paid a special tribute to the children of 1916
by singing their song Angels of Sixteen.
The
song, which commemorates the forty children who died during the
Easter Rising in 1916, was written and composed by Kildare
singer/songwriter, Mick Dunne and primary school teacher Mary
McDowell. The children and teachers collaborated with Mick Dunne to
produce the song and video which can be viewed on YouTube.
The song was inspired by Joe Duffy's book, ‘Children of the Rising’.
We, in Scoil Naomh Mhuire were inspired by Joe Duffy’s book to also honour these children in another way. And what better way than through song! The streets of Dublin were the playground of these children. So, rather than focusing on the conflict and politics of the Rising this song focuses on the children playing on the streets of Dublin.
The
pupils were given special permission by Glasnevin Cemetery to sing Angels of Sixteen and
were commended by the staff of Glasnevin Museum for their moving
rendition of the song. The
children were then taken to lay flowers on the graves of Sean Francis
Foster (2 years) and Margaret Veale (13 years). Their tour guide
Paddy Gleeson recounted the sad stories of these children and other
victims of the Rising. The
pupils were surprised to hear that they were the first tour group to
request a visit to the graves of the children.
The
day ended with a short film about the history of the cemetery and a
visit to the grave of Michael Collins.
Earlier
in the day the pupils visited Kilmainham Gaol with Ms Radford and Ms
McDowell where they seen the chapel where Grace Gifford and Joseph
Plunkett married and saw the prison cells of many of the leaders of
the 1916 Rising. They had a thoroughly enjoyable and historically
interesting day.
Images from Scoil Naomh Mhuire NS, website: www.staplestownns.ie
