Wexford village marks anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising

Irish Independent

26-04-2025

Proceedings on the day were opened by Oulart Hill Chairman Chris Furlong who introduced James Adams who sang a beautiful rendition of the song 'Grace.' This song was named after one of the Gifford sisters who married Joseph Plunkett just a few hours before his death and never married afterwards.
Sean Dempsey then took up centre stage and read out the names of the 35 Oulart volunteers. This was then followed by a powerful reading of the 1916 Proclamation.
Barry Leacy, a Ballycarney historian and archaeologist, read his own encouraging address called 'The importance of the Past in the Present.'
Councillor Mary Farrell, whose grandfathers were in Enniscorthy with the Oulart company, stepped up to the microphone to deliver a haunting rendition of 'Meet me at the Pillar' before rounding it out with the national anthem.
"This is always a proud day for my family as both grandfathers John Hayden and James Dempsey are listed on the monument and remembered with the other men named for their bravery at that crucial time of Irish history. It was once again a privilege to be asked to sing at the event,' she said.
In attendance was also Minister James Browne, Cllr Pip Breen, Rev James Hammel of the Uacthtarán Uí Cinsealaigh Historical Society, and Willie French of the Wexford Historical Society.
Refreshments and tarts were then provided to the crowd in the Storytelling House by Eileen Dempsey, where visitors were also treated to a showing of a new video centred on the 1798 rising.