A plaque commemorating the men, women and young people who served with the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) during the revolutionary period was unveiled outside The Cobblestone Pub, Smithfield, Dublin 7, on Saturday, 10th September. The plaque was officially unveiled by Esther Hyland, several of whose relatives served with the ICA. SIPTU Dublin District Council secretary, Kevin Glackin, said: “During 2016, the SIPTU Dublin District Council in conjunction with local community groups and Dublin City Council are unveiling a series of plaques to commemorate the working class men, women and young people who served in the Irish Citizen Army in the areas where they lived.” He added: “The interest in the unveiling of these plaques has been considerable within local communities. People are organising events to coincide with the unveilings and undertaking research to rediscover the radical history of their communities during the revolutionary period.” Stoneybatter and Smithfield People’s History Project spokesperson, Alan MacSimoin, said: “This plaque commemorates the local members of the ICA from the Markets, Smithfield and Stoneybatter communities. Many of the revolutionaries that emerged from these working class communities to serve with the ICA were not only fighting for Irish independence but also the liberation from exploitation of the workers of Ireland. “The unveiling of this plaque commemorating these men and women provides a valuable opportunity for communities to rediscover their history and the values that motivated people to risk all for a new future.” The unveiling was followed by a talk on the history and politics of the ICA in the The Cobblestone by historian Daithí Mac An Mhaistir.
Irish Citizen Army plaque unveiled in Smithfield in Dublin
