"Is it possible that there is truth in all these perspectives? "
As far as Ireland is concerned, every event is being examined in the minutest detail this year and presented to the public with a seriousness and skill that has impressed me.
I was reading about the exhibition of log books of the firemen who were on the spot at the time and documented the damage done by the artillery - dug out for the first time - aeem to confirm the extent of the damage done by artillery fire.
I caught the end of a news item on a march that took place yesterday to commemorate the support given by local people at the time of The Rising - I didn't know about that.
This anniversary, like that of The Famine, has inspired the re-examination of an event that Irish people have tended to take for granted.
There has never been any question of the rights and wrongs of kicking Britain's arse out - that has always gone unchallenged (except by Kevin Myers maybe!!)
The details of the rising have always been known but seldom put together other than as part of The War of Independence as a whole.
Somewhat typically, the authorities in Britain have largely ignored the event in the true spirit of begrudgery (good Irish word), much on display here by a couple of its supporters,
In six years time all will start all over again when Ireland celebrates Independence - hope I'm around to see that one.
"Surely there must be novelists who chronicled the 1916 Easter Rising."
There are, and there are several excellent plays, some written by people like O'Casey, who were around at the time, but if you want to understand Easter week, you really do have to go to the documented and researched information - there will be plenty to choose from in the next few months.
There are a few excellent, extremely readable books of eye witness accounts of Easter week: the best I have come across is 'Agony at Easter' by Thomas Coffey
Another worth looking out is 'Dublin 1916', made up of essays covering the events, including one by Hannah Sheehy-Skeffington (widow of the murdered pacifist) and a fascinating letter of support from Sylvia Pankhurst - first published in 1966, and edited by Roger McHugh.
"Interested to hear that there is a "pecking order" on this forum Jom, does Max know about it "
I gave you an example of virtually every post you make in response to anybody who has the temerity to disagree with you - seems to have hit a raw nerve - good! might lead to your responding to people as if they - just might - know as much as you do.
Let's see!
Jim Carroll