DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has defended a 1916 banner at Dublin’s College Green that has provoked controversy.
The banner, which is draped on the Bank of Ireland building and former parliament, features four Irish constitutional politicians, none of whom were involved in the Rising.
The four men are Henry Grattan, Charles Stewart Parnell, Daniel O’Connell and John Redmond, the first three of whom all died during the 19th century.
As leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party at the time of the Rising, Redmond was opposed to the use of violence, although he did campaign for leniency for its leaders afterwards.
The decision to choose the four men instead of the Rising’s participants has provoked both confusion and outright anger.
Others weighed-in with the opinion that the men were all involved in Ireland’s path to independence and their inclusion makes sense as part of that context.
Dublin City Council told The Irish Times that the banner is one of several that is being erected and that others will feature signatories to the Proclamation.
The council denied that it was an example of “revisionism” and argued that to completely ignore the role of constitutional nationalists would be “unhistorical”.
But what do you think? Is it fair enough that these men should be remembered too or should the 1916 commemorations be about the Easter Rising alone?
Poll, Is the 1916 banner at College Green appropriate?
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