Mothering Sunday 2014 was yesterday, Sunday March 30th. On Saturday, when this image was taken, menfolk were out and about tracking down flowers and chocolates. This week also happens to be the one-hundredth anniversary (“céad bliain”) of the founding of Cumann na mBan (League of Women) on April 2nd, 1914, and it is being commemorated in various ways, including a new mural on Ascaill Ard na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue.
Cumann na mBan was the women’s division of the Irish Volunteers and is best remembered for its role in the Easter Rising of 1916. Its members were involved in the occupation of many locations. Some, including (non-combatant) Winifred Carney, were in the GPO, while Countess Markievicz, the main figure of the mural, was in St. Stephen’s Green. (Here is an RTÉ gallery of vintage photographs, including one of Markievicz surrendering.)
The letters “Cnamb” on a rifle formed the badge of Cumann na mBan. The Irish “Ní saoirse go saoirse na mban” means “No freedom until the freedom of women”. Below are three images relating to the centre of the mural: first, the photograph on which it is (probably) based; second, an ‘in-progress’ shot from last week; thirdly, a close-up of the finished mural. Below these is a plain shot of the full mural.
Replaces Fianna Éireann centenary, 1909-2009, in which Countess Markievicz was also featured.
Click and click again to enlarge (to )
Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f16, 1/250, ISO 400, full size 3620 x 2592
Click and click again to enlarge (to 1950 x 1300)
Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/250, ISO 400, full size 3888 x 2592
Click and click again to enlarge (to 2200 x 1528)
Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/500, ISO 200, full size 3732 x 2592
Click and click again to enlarge (to full size)
Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/800, ISO 200, full size 3248 x 2316
text: X01752 X01754 X01751 X01753 lizzy cleary
Extramural Activity 