Celtic League At Frongoch 1916 Commemoration

Local residents in Frongoch (near Y Bala, North Wales) organised a series of events over the weekend of June 10th and 11th 2016 to commemorate the Frongoch Interment camp and the 1,800 Irish men who were interned there after the Easter Rising in 1916. The organisers stated;

?Sadly, this important part of Welsh and Irish history, although well-known in Ireland, is little known in Wales. To mark the centenary of the arrival of the prisoners and the contribution to Irish freedom that they made, a commemorative event will take place.?

The majority of the prisoners interned had not taken part in the 1916 Rising in Dublin but were arrested from all over Ireland. Their time in Frongoch together was invaluable in raising morale, discussing tactics and planning for the next phase of the fight for Irish freedom.

A contingent of Celtic League Irish branch members attended the events where they joined with members of the Welsh branch, met with local activists and partook in the parades in Y Bala and at Frongoch. Many other Irish came along for the commemoration including some whose relatives had been interned in the camp.

On the evening of 10th a lecture was given by Professor Terence Dooley of Maynooth University, Ireland. He outlined the events leading up to the Easter Rising in Dublin but took the same revisionist standpoint as the Irish government by arguing that a plurality of commemorative events, including ones for the British who suppressed the Rising, had been a positive factor. In dealing with matters within the camp no mention was made of one of the key forms of resistance offered by the prisoners to the authorities ? their refusal to identify themselves to protect those who had lived or worked in Britain, or had been born there, and were therefore liable to be conscripted. Dooley also understated the poor conditions and atrocious food in the camp. Unfortunately, there was no question and answer session afterwards.

On the Saturday morning a parade was held through the main street of Y Bala. This was led by a banner ?1916 ? 2016 Fron-goch, Ollscoil na R