It saw Republicans mount a rebellion against British Rule in Dublin which sowed the seeds for the War of Independence and the partition of Ireland. It also saw thousands of Irishmen, both Unionist and Nationalist, enlist with the British Army to fight at the Battle of the Somme in France. This Facebook site (funded by HLF, the Housing Executive and the Peacewalls project) focuses on the connection
s between Derry and the events of 1916, with a particular focus on the links between the Bishop Street/Bogside and Fountain areas to the events surrounding the Rising and the Somme. The site includes a chronology of events in the city in the decade before and after the Easter Rising and features biographies of a number of local residents who were active during the period. It also features a chronology of events which led to the Battle of the Somme and also features an extensive list of those who fell at the Somme from both the Bishop St/Bogside and Fountain areas. In addition there are links to photographic galleries covering both events and also a links page to other websites which cover the Rising and the Somme. The site will later include interviews with a number of residents of the city who tell the story of relatives who were involved in both events to allow users to hear the personal story behind the names that appear in both chronologies. The exhibition is also available in book format which will be soon available online.
