After their hugely successful centenary commemorations of the Scariff Martyrs, the East Clare Memorial Committee are taking the story to a national platform, with a panel discussion on the very popular Trasna Na Tíre, which has reached thousands of people worldwide with their online historical lecture and discussion series.
In November, the group commemorated the 100th Anniversary of the death on Killaloe Bridge of the Scariff Martyrs. The centenary event drew attention from across the country and abroad.
On 15th and 16th November 2020, the committee, one of Ireland’s longest serving memorial groups, held private ceremonies at Scariff Churchyard, as well as a very special event at 11.00pm on the Bridge of Killaloe, 100 years to the moment since their deaths. This event was livestreamed and has been already viewed by thousands of people around the world.
This followed a large series of initiatives, which saw collaboration with Scariff and Smith O’Brien’s GAA, local schools and community groups, as well as a range of online initiatives through their Scariff Martyrs 100 Facebook group. The committee has drawn praise for their work from national figures like Christy Moore who recited a new version of the associated song for the occasion.
On this Friday December 4th, members of the committee will partake in a special online panel discussion. The historian and author Dr. Tomás Mac Conmara, who has written a book on the Scariff Martyrs, will be joined by film maker Marcus Howard, as well as Dublin historian Liz Gillis to reflect on the incident and its importance in the revolutionary period. Cllr. Pat Hayes, Chairman of the East Clare Memorial Committee will also contribute. Cllr. Hayes told the Clare Herald that the response to the centenary commemoration has been incredible.
‘We have been really taken aback by the response we have gotten. We worked really hard in very difficult conditions to make it a special commemoration, reflective of the occasion. Our online work seemed to find a foothold with people, and we were able to use that platform to increase the number of people engaged with the story. We also got great support from local schools and groups who wanted to be involved in their own way. Trasna na Tíre came to us to ask us to consider presenting to a national audience and we were more than happy to do so. We will continue in our efforts, both in the centenary year and every year’, he concluded.
The Scariff Martyrs Panel discussion can be viewed through Trasna na Tíre on Facebook. It takes place on Friday 04 December from 8.00pm to 9.00pm.
