REBELLION, RTE’S DRAMATISATION of the events surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising, is currently dominating our Sunday nights, but a London photography exhibition is currently providing a look back at the rising that is a little more of its time.
Easter Rising 1916 at The Photographer’s Gallery in the centre of London “investigates the significant role played by photography in informing the national consciousness that led to Irish independence”.
The Photographers' Gallery / Vimeo
The rising forms the focal point of the exhibition, but the photos themselves stretch from the 1840s to the 1930s.
The pictures also cover both sides of the conflict. And they’re pretty special.
The pictures depict a myriad different facets of the conflict in Ireland 100 years ago: from a bombed out Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street) to Countess Markievicz with revolver to an amazing photograph of the Cairo Gang, the group of British intelligence agents who operated in Ireland during the War of Independence between 1919 and 1921 who were systematically assassinated under the orders of Michael Collins on 21 November 1920.
Clare man Seán Sexton works as one of the foremost collectors and dealers of early photos and cameras worldwide.
His collection of Irish photos has been described as “the greatest in the world”.
Easter Rising 1916 runs at The Photographer’s Gallery in London from 22 January until 3 April 2016.
You can download the exhibition text here.
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