The 1916 Rising was a defining moment in Irish History. When the leaders of the 1916 Rebellion were executed, many young men and women of Ireland joined the rebels to fight against British Rule. Those few men may not have succeeded on the day, but they created the momentum to change the course of our lives forever.

We can only read about this time in history, but those who actually witnessed these events have amazing stories to tell and we can read and hear about them in ‘Recollections Of 1916 And Its Aftermath’ written by Jane O’Hea O’Keeffe and accompanied by a CD recorded by Maurice O’Keeffe.
The book has pictures of survivors and volunteers and short stories about their recollections of that time in Ireland. The CD contains interviews held with the people who witnessed the war of independence. Although the participants are elderly, some over 100 years old, they recall their memories as if the Rising were just yesterday. The recordings on the CD are not very long and the book gives a brief description of the person talking, so it’s easy to follow.

The people of that time have great stories to tell about Michael Collins, the arrest of Roger Casement, ambushes they were involved in and the feared Black and Tans. Some of the people on this CD actually reported to Michael Collins himself and tell of the time when they fought with the rebels, sleeping in different barns every night to avoid capture from the British. You will also hear people singing old rebel songs. This is an extraordinary read of an extraordinary time in Ireland’s history.
Look out for ‘Recollections Of The 1916 Rising And Its Aftermath’ in selected book shops.