Larne Times features in Rising event

The columns of the paper reporting the event, and the leader columns which gave an official opinion, formed the major part of a presentation at a Community Relations Council event on the Rising last week at Stranmillis College in Belfast.

The speaker was former Larne Times journalist and now Director of Services of the Orange Order, Dr David Hume, and he outlined how local readers would have learned of the unfolding events of the Rising in Dublin.

The audience, part of the Remembering the Future series of talks and discussions on the current decade of political anniversaries, heard that the editorials in the local newspaper were dismissive of those who had taken part in the Rising.

They also called for a strong signal to be sent out that the authorities would not ‘trifle with treason’ and would not show any leniency to those who were involved. The paper also accused the government of the day of not being strong enough and creating the conditions through which the Rising had taken place.

Dr Hume concluded that the current anniversaries gave the opportunity for the community to ‘look back in measured understanding’ to the events of the past, which were formative in the development of modern society in both parts of the island.

Also taking part in the presentations at the Community Relations Council event were Dr Fearghal McGarry of Queen’s University, the keynote speaker, Dr Eamonn Phoenix and Dr Margaret O’Callaghan