Wreaths laid at graves of two key figures

GLASNEVIN EVENT:TWO OF the key figures in the State's story were remembered at Glasnevin Cemetery yesterday when wreaths were laid at the graves of Edward Hollywood and Peadar Kearney.

Hollywood (1814-1873), a Dublin silk-weaver, was a member of a three-man delegation that returned from France in 1843 with the first Irish Tricolour. His grave in Glasnevin was discovered in recent weeks.

Kearney (1883-1942), wrote the words of the National Anthem Amhrán na bhFiann.

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan led the small party yesterday that placed wreaths on the graves of the two men.

With the Minister was the chairman of Glasnevin Trust, John Green, accompanied by Army piper Vincent Lee and three members of the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, based at McKee Barracks – Sgt Charlie Stone, Lieut Ross Dainer and Sgt Dave Morgan.

As a wreath of laurel leaves and lilies was placed at the grave of Hollywood, and a lament to the air of Raglan Road played, Mr Green said the trust would from now on mark every Easter at his grave.

“The fact that his flag was chosen by the leaders of the Easter Rising to be flown at the GPO was hugely significant and made it a symbol of this day.”

A Tricolour was held aloft on a pole at the grave, and earlier at that of Kearney who is interred at the Republican plot. A Tricolour was also raised on a permanent pole, at the entrance to the cemetery, and will fly there daily from now on.

Historian and author-in-residence at Glasnevin Trust Shane Mac Thomáis described how he came across Hollywood’s grave just three weeks ago.

“I was just walking past it and read on the gravestone how this man, Edward Hollywood accompanied Young Irelanders Thomas Meagher and Smith O’Brien to France in 1843, to congratulate the French on their new republic.

“I wondered who this Hollywood man was and began researching him, and it turns out he was a silk-weaver from Francis Street and he wove an Irish Tricolour inspired by the French tri-colour.”

The tricolour all but disappeared, according to Mac Thomáis, until it was adopted by the rebels in 1916.

“It was used through the years at demonstrations and meetings, and in 1937 De Valera adopted it for the new republic.”