.Participants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
A GREAT Irish patriot was remembered in Tralee on Monday evening with a torchlight parade from Ashe Street to the Ashe Memorial Hall which was attended by hundreds of people.
The commemoration in memory of Thomas Ashe, who died after being force-fed while on hunger strike on September 25, 1917, was organised by Tralee Irish Volunteers in co-operation with Kerry County Council.
It was led by a colour party of the Civil Defence, the Killarney Gleneagle Brass Band participated as did more than 35 members of Tralee Irish Volunteers, local sporting clubs and others cultural groups such as Comhaltas and Conradh na Gaeilge.
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.Samuel and Julian Behal participating in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Pupils from Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn also provided singing from the steps of the Ashe Hall, where Tommy Collins of the Tralee Irish Volunteers welcomed all to the commemoration.
Mayor, Norma Foley was just one of the people laying wreaths and an oration on the life and impact Thomas Ashe had on the fight for Irish freedom was delivered by Owen O’Shea, author of ‘Kerry 1916’. Mairead Moriarty, the grandniece of Thomas Ashe also spoke.
The very special evening ended with the national anthem. Well done to all on a well-organised night. Scroll down for photos…
Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn pupils who sang in the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanParticipants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean.Participants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanParticipants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean.Participants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanKerins O’Rahillys club members in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean.A young Kerins O’Rahillys club member in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanYoung Kerins O’rahillys club members in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean.Tralee Parnells members in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanParticipants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean.Participants in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanNa Gaeil club members in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanNa Gaeil club members in the Thomas Ashe commemoration parade on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean.The MC, Tommy Collins, speaking at the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanBill Hutchinson laying a wreath in the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanPadraig Mac Fhearghusa of Conradh na Gaeilge after laying a wreath in the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanOwen O’Shea with grandniece of Thomas Ashe, Mairead Moriarty and Mayor of Tralee Norma Foley at the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanThe crowd watching proceedings in the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanThe crowd watching proceedings in the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanOwen O’Shea speaking during the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanLiz Twomey from Duagh laying a wreath during the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanMairead Moriarty speaking at the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot CreanThe crowd watching proceedings in the Thomas Ashe commemoration on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
A SPECIAL event to commemorate Thomas Ashe will take place in the town centre on Monday, September 25, the centenary of his death.
Coiste Comóradh 1916/Tralee Irish Volunteers will hold the event to honour Ashe who died as a result of forced feeding and maltreatment in 1917, while on hunger strike.
A torchlight parade will leave Ashe Street at 8pm and proceed to the Ashe Memorial building in Denny Street.
There, a wreath will be laid by Mayor Norma Foley and an oration delivered by Owen O’Shea, communications officer with Kerry County Council.
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To help defray expenses, a fundraising Fun Quiz will be held in Na Gaeil GAA Club on Friday September 8 at 8.30pm. Tables are €20.00 and a seisiún will follow.
Tralee Municipal Area Council are fully behind the event and a large attendance is asked for. Two bands will parade with members of Irish Volunteers. Schools, G.A.A. clubs are invited to participate along with any other groups. Further details will follow in due course.
The occasion is non-political and will be a great opportunity to honour a Kerryman who was, arguably, the most successful commandant in 1916. He led the battle of Ashbourne and defeated a far superior force.
.Some members of the Tionól Mhic Easmainn Committee who have organised next Sunday’s ‘Gathering’ at Lios Mhic Easmainn, Ardfert, to celebrate/commemorate the good and patriotic deeds of Tomás Ághas and Ruairí Mac Easmainn. Sa phictiúr ó chlé: Seán Seosamh Ó Conchubhair (cathaoirleach), Dawn Uí Chonchubhair (rúnaí) and Brian O’Daly. Other members of coiste include: P.Mac Fhearghusa, A.Ní Chonchubhair, B.Caball.
THE death of Thomas Ashe will be remembered at Casement Fort, near Ardfert village, at 3pm on Sunday, August 6.
Special guest speaker will be Conradh na Gaeilge historian, Donncha Ó hAodha, Uachtarán of the Munster section of CnaG and a former National President of the Conradh, who will talk about Tomás Ághas.
Pádraig Mac Fhearghusa will speak on Roger Casement and Aoife Ní Chonchubhair will read excerpts from The Oration given by Thomas Ashe at the fort in 1917.
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Tomás Ághas lost his life only a few months after addressing up to 10,000 people at what was then known as McKennas’ Fort.
“Let Me Carry your Cross for Ireland”, a poem written by Ashe, will be recited and a wreath laying ceremony will take place.
The event is being organised by the Tionól Mhic Easmainn (Roger Casement Autumn Gathering) committee, a voluntary group that annually celebrates/commemorates the good and patriotic deeds of Roger Casement. Everyone is welcome.
Now at Garvey’s Supervalu Tralee, Ice-Cream Doughnuts!
Thomas Ashe.
TO coincide with the forthcoming centenary of the death of Thomas Ashe on September 25, 1917, Kerry Library has today opened an exhibition at Dingle Library of archival documents, photographs, personal effects and other memorabilia relating to the west Kerry patriot.
The exhibition tells the story of Thomas Ashe’s life through a number of personal items such as Ashe’s sword, Uileann pipes, tunic, beret, shawl and prison shirt as well as correspondence and photographs.
The exhibition also features a number of information stands highlighting the contribution of Ashe to the events of the period.
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Speaking at the opening of the exhibition in Dingle this morning, which was attended by members of Thomas Ashe’s family, the Cathaoirleach of the South and West Kerry Municipal District, Cllr Seamus Cosaí Fitzgerald, said it was fitting that such items would go on public display close to Ashe’s home place:
“This is a very important and valuable collection of memorabilia related to Thomas Ashe and really brings you up close and personal with the man himself. A lot of work has gone into collecting, maintaining and displaying these items and I am pleased to see that the collection is available over the coming months in a location so close to Ashe’s native Lispole,” he said.
“Now that we have moved on from last year’s very successful and reflective commemorations of the Easter Rising, the focus this year is very much on the events of 1917 and particularly Thomas Ashe and the role he played at the time, and not least because the centenary of his death which occurs on 25September.
“While Ashe’s key role in the events of the Rising were marked at many ceremonies during 2016, including at his native Kinard in Lispole, this year sees a very clear focus on Ashe’s wider life story and his role during the entire revolutionary period,” he said.
Thomas Ashe, who was born at Kinard in 1885, played a major role in the Easter Rising, leading the Fingal Battalion of the Irish Volunteers and was the last of the leaders to surrender at the end of Easter Week. Between the end of the Rising and his death, he spent several periods in various prisons both in Ireland and in Britain.
Ashe’s final arrest was in August 1917, and he spent the remaining weeks of his life at Mountjoy Prison, before being transferred to the Mater Hospital due to illness on the day of his death. He died of heart failure and congestion of the lungs caused by mistreatment in prison and complications arising out of forcible feeding while on hunger strike.
The exhibition at Dingle Library will run until 14 October 2017 and will be open to the public during normal library opening hours (10am-5pm, Monday-Saturday, and 10am-8pm on Thursdays).
TO mark the centenary year of the death of the Lispole native and Kerry 1916 leader, the Ashe Memorial Hall on Denny Street, Tralee is to be rededicated to Thomas Ashe at a ceremony hosted by Kerry County Council on Monday, May 22 at 11am.
The building, which was first named after the west Kerry man at a meeting of Kerry County Council in May 1928, served as the home of Kerry County Council and Tralee Urban District Council for almost 60 years, and now houses the Kerry County Museum.
At the ceremony on May 22, the iconic building will be rededicated to the memory of Thomas Ashe who died on September 25, 1917 while on hunger strike.
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The event will be led by the Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Michael O’Shea and members of the Ashe family, including his niece, Eileen Quinn, who will address the gathering.
A colour party from the Defence Forces will be in attendance and a flag-raising ceremony will take place.
Actor, Declan McCarthy – who recited Casement’s Speech from the Dock at Banna in April 2016 – will recite Ashe’s poem, ‘Let Me Carry Your Cross for Ireland, Lord.’ Music will be provided by the Tralee Pipe Band.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the event which will take place on the paved area at the front of the Ashe Memorial Hall.
School groups wishing to attend are asked to contact Kerry County Council’s Arts Office in advance on 066 7183541. Those attending are asked to use the Brandon Car Park or other car parks nearby.
Thomas Ashe was born in Kinard, Lispole in 1885 and was a teacher in north County Dublin. He joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Volunteers.
He was commandant of the Fingal Battalion of the Volunteers during the Easter Rising and led his battalion at the Battle of Ashbourne in Co Meath. He was the last of the 1916 battalion commanders to surrender, on April 29, 1916.
While in prison, he composed the poem, Let Me Carry Your Cross for Ireland, Lord. While on hunger strike in Mountjoy Jail, he was force fed and died hours later, on September 25, 1917.
