In this case study paper written by Deirdre Mac Bride, who formerly worked for CRC, find out about Deirdre’s research into the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme.
In 2016 Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme were marked as part of the Decade of Centenaries and World War I commemorations. They also occurred within Northern Ireland’s complex and potentially divisive history post the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. These events sparked a surge in public memory work across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, highlighting historical narratives that remain sensitive and, at times, divisive.
The researcher drew on insights derived from her role with the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council where her responsibilities included animating and resourcing a Decade of Anniversaries Roundtable, and partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This research is based on 64 interviews conducted between 2019 and December 2021 with individuals and focus groups from various community and organisational backgrounds. Participants included men and women, officials and volunteers, and memory workers involved in the centennial commemorations. Data sources included reports, memorabilia, and engagement with councils, museums, libraries, archives, NGOs and community groups, arts organisations, and civil servants across Northern Ireland. A focus groups of Post Graduate Certificate in Education History students and Irish and Northern Irish civil servants were interviewed. The research and analysis engaged the academic literature on history and memory in the social sciences and history.
The purpose of this briefing paper is to explore what has been learnt about the commemorations.
Key Findings from the 2016 Commemorations about the popular memories of the Rising and the Somme
The commemorations of the Rising and the Somme were characterised by:
Bottom-up leadership: driven by NGOs and civil society organisations, tapping into grassroots interest.
Commitment to peace: engagement to ensure Troubles do not happen again.
Principles for Remembering in Public Space: agreed frameworks supporting ethical remembering.
Facilitated engagement: Memory workers such as Council Good Relations Officers, museums, libraries and NGOs played a crucial role in navigating popular and traumatic memory in a post-conflict society.
Inclusive memory practices: A diverse range of public history methods, including exhibitions, drama, music and song, discussions and dialogue, and community engagement projects, were developed.
Local and global connections, people and places: uncovered to create empathy and reach across local divides and to link with wider global events by local groups, councils and heritage organisations.
From Private to public memory: Efforts to recover the Irish war dead—on the Falls Road with the 6th Connaught Rangers Research Group, and these commemorations reflected improved British and Irish government relations.
Parade and procession traditions. Organisers guarded their popular memories of the Rising and Somme.
Lessons From the 2016 Commemorations Applied to the 2021 Commemorations of Northern Ireland and Partition
Recognition of ‘sacred’ history remains difficult: Controversies suggest public acknowledgement within Northern Ireland of what is ‘sacred’ to the other community is problematic (Armagh Service of Hope and Reflection, Rising Civic Dinner and Northern Ireland Centenary Stone).
Deterioration in UK-Ireland relations post-Brexit: This political change, alongside Northern Ireland-specific events, influenced the commemorative landscape.
Unstable leadership: UK Northern Ireland Office funded a Shared History Programme. However, its Centenary Rose initiative and use of Seamus Heaney’s image to promote the 2021 programme, proved problematic. Controversies surrounding the Church leaders Group’s Service of Hope and Reflection (Armagh 2021), the Belfast Council Rising Civic Dinner (2016), and the Unionist leaders’ Northern Ireland Centenary Stone illustrate ongoing sensitivities at regional political level.
Continued bottom-up leadership: In marking the ‘combustible years’ Northern Ireland and partition (2021) bottom-up leadership by councils and communities delivered conferences, lectures and engagement programmes (online due to Covid-19).
Challenging historical narratives: Belfast City Council and Lisburn Museum broke new ground with challenging accounts of sectarian violence. The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland organized the main public demonstration commemorating Northern Ireland.
The Role of Sectarianism, Gender, Class, and Age
Dominance of male heroism: Narratives centred on battlefield or on the Rising dominated, with women included mainly in ancillary roles (volunteer nurses, doctors, communications staff, and the Home Front).
Women’s participation: Women’s groups focused on female historical figures and social issues that concerned them then and now. Otherwise, women such as the Corr sisters in Belfast and Winnifred Carney were deployed as entry points into the popular memories. Thus, the couple Winnie and George, were commemorated as Republican volunteer and UVF man respectively rather than for their lives as socialists.
Class perspectives subordinated: While class-based themes were generally secondary, the playwright of The People of Gallagher Street wrote a drama addressed working-class unity during the 1932 outdoor relief campaign. Current social and economic issues also surfaced in women’s groups and disadvantaged loyalist communities.
Youth Engagement was limited: Young people engaged in centenary projects had a clear eye on the future. Young people’s involvement was often outsourced to NGOs but limited to 1912-1921, so there are gaps in understanding post-1920s history leading into the 1960’s, civil rights era and the Troubles.
Sectarianism addressed with forward-looking interventions: Initiatives led by memory workers were designed to increase knowledge and promote inclusivity (1921 King’s Speech Belfast). “Everyone’s voice matters” (Lisburn) in recovering the impact of sectarian violence.
Implications for the Troubles and the Peace Process
The role of experts and memory workers: Facilitators are essential in addressing traumatic memory and fostering open-ended historical reflection.
Networks and principles as guiding frameworks: support inclusive remembering of the impact of the Troubles on individuals and communities.
Public spaces as dialogue forums: Recognising that public spaces and the arts can be safe places for dialogue and handling dissonance.
Tension between private and public memory: Private as opposed to public memory in commemoration may predominate.
A nuanced but cautious public understanding: While commemorations fostered greater historical complexity, a lack of confidence or reluctance to engage with opposing narratives persisted.
Conclusions and Considerations
The 2016 and 2021 centennial commemorations demonstrated both the potential and the challenges of inclusive historical engagement in Northern Ireland. While community-driven approaches and memory work contributed to a more complex understanding of history, sensitivities surrounding sectarian identities, gender roles, and class dynamics remained.
Future research and commemorative projects could further explore:
Gender, class, and youth engagement
The evolving role of sectarian memory
Strengthening dialogue mechanisms
Commemorations continue to shape public memory and identity in Northern Ireland. By fostering inclusive, ethical, and historically grounded approaches, memory workers and community leaders can contribute to a more cohesive and reflective society.
In addressing the impact of the Troubles and traumatic memory:
Facilitation by experts and memory workers in the forthcoming period is essential and the continued use of principles and networks are necessary to support and resources their engagement.
Further Info
Popular memories of the Rising and the Somme: Northern Ireland 2016 a case study by Mac Bride, D is available online here - https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/popular-memories-of-the-rising-and-the-somme-northern-ireland-201