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A BRIDGE CLOSE to Croke Park has been renamed to commemorate Bloody Sunday in 1920, when 14 people were killed by British soldiers during a Gaelic Football match.
On the morning of 21 November, 1920, an assassination unit led by Micheal Collins and known as ‘The Squad’ mounted an operation which resulted in the deaths of 14 people suspected of being British intelligence officers.
Later that afternoon, Dublin played Tipperary in a challenge match at Croke Park, with the proceeds to be given to the Republican Prisoners Dependents Fund.
Shortly after the game started, the Royal Irish Constabulary stormed into Croke Park and opened fire on the crowd.
Fourteen people died in the shooting, including three children and Tipperary player Michael Hogan – in 1925, the GAA renamed a stand in Croke Park after Michael Hogan.
Around 100 others were also injured in the 1920 shooting in Croke Park.
Later in the same day, IRA officers Dick McKee and Peadar Clancy were killed in Dublin Castle.
The bridge on Russell Street in the shadow of Croke Park was today renamed Bloody Sunday Bridge.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste also unveiled a commemorative plaque outside 69 Blessington Street, the home of ten-year-old Jerome O’Leary, the youngest of the three children killed in the shooting.
Jerome was sitting on the wall at the canal end, lifted up by his father to watch the match, when he was shot from the bridge.
Speaking at the unveiling of the plaque, de Róiste said: “We stand here within easy reach of the spot where ten-year-old Jerome O’Leary was sitting when he was shot from this bridge on 21 November 1920.
“Another 13 civilians were killed here on that horrific afternoon, and in naming this bridge we are honouring those innocent victims, all of whom deserve to be remembered.”
He added: “It was the release of papers by the British authorities, put into storage in London but released early in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement, that enabled the record to be put straight about Bloody Sunday.
“They showed even the British army’s command chain knew they had gone too far, and that the Dublin Metropolitan Police contradicted the propaganda being put out by Dublin Castle.”
The Lord Mayor of Dublin said “there is a lesson there that the truth will win out eventually”.
“It is a lesson from our conflict of a century ago that could be learned by parties in all conflicts, then and now,” said de Róiste.
“Sadly, tonight’s headlines will once again be about the death of non-combatants, children like Jerome O’Leary, in other conflicts in other lands far away from Croke Park.”
The decision to name Bloody Sunday Bridge and to erect the plaque in Blessington Street was made by the Dublin City Council Commemorations & Naming Committee.
Its chair, Councillor Vincent Jackson, said: “The Commemorative Plaques Scheme allows the City to formally commemorate people who have made a significant contribution to the life of Dublin.
“We welcome suggestions from the public for people and events to be commemorated and full details are on the Council website.”
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O Christ I hate when Enda goes anywhere. As an Irishman he usually brings out a sense of shame in me anytime he opens his mouth!!!
Thank god Europe doesn’t see him the same way!
A sense of shame is a national character trait, along with begrudgery, catholic guilt and pessimism – sitting uncomfortably with a peculiar self-importance and superiority complex.
”election” my arse, picked in a back filled room based on who’s going to be the biggest wh–re to the army of lobbyists that cling around Brussels
Any chance they could keep him there?
There is, actually!
Only if they lost the receipt Kerry…otherwise they can return him within 30 days..
Tusk would be a decent appointment. His foreign minister, Sikorsky would be even better but is too Atlanticist and a bit too much of a Polish Leo Varadkar to get the job. So long as the post doesn’t go to that Italian, it’ll be grand.
Umm, a word about the democratic “deficit” present in this election. These heads of government have more of an electoral mandate than almost all MEPs, based on the frankly abysmal turnouts for European elections of late. Added to that, few European republics directly elected their own presidents. So calm down.
Well done on actually talking about the subject of the article Fergal.
The point on what I term competing democratic mandates is true. MEPs increasingly seek more power in the face of ever decreasing turnouts in elections primarily focused on national issues than European ones. Despite early figures suggesting otherwise, the last European elections had the lowest ever turnout.
So there really is an argument that Kenny (elected on 70% turnout), Merkel (elected on 71% turnout) and Hollande (elected on 80% turnout) do have more of a democratic mandate than MEPs elected on around 40% turnout.
Jurgen Habermas, the famous German Sociologist and Europhile wrote a excellent piece where he described Europe as now being Post-democratic as a result of the machinations in the EU.
That is what the EU’s friends are saying.
Flying Ryanair business class to save us some money I trust.
Why can’t the people elect the candidates to these top jobs?
Limerick people don’t want that idiot coming to Limerick.
Says the self-appointed spokesperson of all Limerick people I suppose?
Don’t tell me he is going to miss the Mayo attempt to beat Kerry? Does he not like the Gaelic Grounds either??
What on earth are you on about ‘Does he not like the Gaelic Grounds either??’? Do some research next time you jump on the “Down with Enda” bandwagon!
While any Irish politician with a brain would certainly be racing home for the GAA, Enda *may* have more pressing work to do in Brussels!
In fairness to Enda any politician that goes out of his way to be seen at a game of any kind needs to be beaten with a stick and any voter that is influenced by them going or not needs to be beaten around the head with an iron bar.
Bertie was and is an avid sports fan… part of his “man of the people” image.
Would love to beat him with a stick…
He’ll have to be back in limerick for the game this evening
God I hate those ‘Enda goes to…’ films too, they got so repetitive.
It’s the country Enda not the vegetable. ….you vegetable
Enda and Dara … a handy double to lead us on the front line of the European borders… .
have your say